Does this call for a vet visit?

[Stitchex]

I have a female RW albino named Amber, and I'm worried. Since I've had her, she sometimes gave me some odd fecials, and she would go on hunger strikes. Two weeks ago she was 51 grams, and last night when she was weighed it was 45. She eats crickets, has reptile carpet in her cage, calcium bowl, and I always dust her crickets with calcium. She also has a heating mat. She's always walked very slowly, and I associate her with a sloth. (drags one foot to hand, stops, then does other foot, etc). Other than in her humid hide, she hasn't been on any loose material that I know of. Thanks for reading.

 

[Tanner505Geckos]

the one thing i hate about cage carpet is that its a breeding ground for bacteria no matter wat i lost to leos to it they were both fine and then when i started using cage carpet instead of paper towels it killed my little leos and i really hate the stuff as long as your clean out the poo and changing it often you should be okay with the stuff i would switch to paper to though

 

[Stitchex]

I change it often, and clean out the poop every other day. She usually doesn't give me a stool every day. Thanks for the tip, I didn't know that . Do you think she needs to go to the vet?

 

[efx*]

Is the poop just runny?

 

[Stitchex]

Not exactly runny. Sometimes they are "fuzzy", looking good but with some sort of yellow/odd looking stuff around it, encasing it.

 

[efx*]

Ohh, I have no clue then sorry

 

[Stitchex]

It's fine, thanks =)

 

[Jaiden23]

Not exactly runny. Sometimes they are "fuzzy", looking good but with some sort of yellow/odd looking stuff around it, encasing it.

That really sounds like mold... but if you're cleaning the tank daily I wouldn't imagine the mold would grow quite that fast... unless you have some new super mold there. I don't suppose you've ever taken any pictures of it?

Also, do you know what the temperatures in the tank are at either end? And how long have you had her?

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

It's not common, but leopard geckos can get 'yeast' infections in their bowels. I would recommend having a fecal test performed.

 

[Ccrashca069]

the one thing i hate about cage carpet is that its a breeding ground for bacteria no matter wat i lost to leos to it they were both fine and then when i started using cage carpet instead of paper towels it killed my little leos and i really hate the stuff as long as your clean out the poo and changing it often you should be okay with the stuff i would switch to paper to though

I been using the Zilla Reptile Carpet for a year. I have not had any probs with it. The smallest leopards I used on it was 23 grams. I hand wash it 2x's a month with diluted laundry detergent some times more depending on how dirty it is. I always spot clean it. But to me it is just basic common sense on the cleaning of the carpet.

 

[Stitchex]

I've had her around 10-11 months. Sorry, no pics. The hot side is around 92 in daytime, and the cold side is about 84. Is it possible that she may have parasites? She's always been slow in gaining weight, and now she lost about 6 grams of it.

 

[Stitchex]

So.....vet visit or no worries?

 

[Jaiden23]

How many crickets does she eat and how often?

If she has been steadily eating and is still losing that much weight that quickly, then I would certainly have fecal tests done as it could be parasites.

If she hasn't been eating in the past 2 weeks, however, you may want to offer her some other food options. You could also try the slurry to provide her with nutrients and to help spark her interest in feeding again.

 

[Stitchex]

I try mealworms, but she hates them, there's no waxworms around. I'm thinking of maybe ordering phoenix worms. If she won't eat them, then at least my others will. Whenever she'll eat, I'll feed her every day. I still am going to offer food items tonight, though. I'll look at the slurry, thanks^^. Can I get a fecal done as a regular checkup, and how much are they usually?

 

[Jaiden23]

You won't even need to take the gecko to the vet for a fecal, as long as you can take a sample. Just call up your local vet and let them know you want a fecal test run for a leopard gecko, then just bring the sample to their office. As for price... it varies quite a bit depending on the vet. It most likely won't be cheap. I've seen prices range from $50 to over $100 for a test and medication. Your best bet is just to call them and ask how much it will cost.

 

[Stitchex]

Okay, thanks a ton Morgan^^

 

[Jaiden23]

Your welcome

I wish you the best of luck with her!

 

[JordanAng420]

Some vets (like mine) require an exam before performing a fecal test. Just be aware of that. One other thing...request both a direct test and a float test. A lot vets only do a float. But to see the yeast that Marcia is talking about, as well as scary things like Cryptosporidium and Giardia can ONLY be seen from a fresh direct test. Good luck!

 

[Stitchex]

Will do, thank you guys! I'm supposed to get a hold of the vet tomorrow.

 

[fallen_angel]

Some vets (like mine) require an exam before performing a fecal test. Just be aware of that. One other thing...request both a direct test and a float test. A lot vets only do a float. But to see the yeast that Marcia is talking about, as well as scary things like Cryptosporidium and Giardia can ONLY be seen from a fresh direct test. Good luck!

Our vet requires the same.


Best of luck to you and your leo!