Does this leopard gecko look egg bound?

[Turpin]

Does this leopard gecko look egg bound? She has been climbing up against the walls of my tank over the past week, and I can see pink spots on her belly while she does so. I can't tell if there are more than two eggs, but they don't (yet) appear to be in the expected locations. (The site http://www.vmsherp.com/LCBreedingLeopards.htm says that there may be more than one pink spot.)

She has been scratching in the substrate recently as well, but it seems half-hearted and I haven't seen any eggs. I built a makeshift moist hide filled with peat moss this afternoon (I thought it was sphagnum moss when I bought it; I'll replace it later but it should do for now) to provide a more enticing place to lay.

Questionnaire
About your leo:
- Sex: Female.
- Age & Weight: At least 12 years, weight unknown - approx 8 inches long, original tail.
- How long have you owned your leo: 12 years
- Where was he/she obtained: friend

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo: Only during tank maintenance
- Is your leo acting any different today? Yes -- I've noticed her laying on her belly and scratching in the substrate with her hind legs. Occasionally she's been hoisting herself up the sides of the tank (as shown in pictures).
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe.
B) Fecals
- Describe: The solid part are smaller than usual.
- When was the last time he/she went: Within the last four days.
C) Problem
- Her tail has been getting thinner over the past couple of weeks, while her abdomen looks fatter than usual.

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size: 3 ft x 1 ft x 1.5 ft high
- Type: glass tank, largely open canopy
- Type of substrate: Aquarium gravel
- Hides, how many, what kind: One, rock, on the cool side
B) Heating
- Heat source: Undertank heater
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side): Hot side: 25-30 C (77-86 F); cool side: 20 - 25 C (68-77 F) - Varies throughout the day as ambient temperature in the house changes.
- Method of regulating heat source: Thermostat
- What are you using to measure your temps: Three digital thermometers
- Do you have any lights (describe): One, hot side, 15 W, incandescent
C) Cage mates
- How many: None.
- Describe health, or previous problems: N/A

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding: Crickets; one per day every day.
- How are you feeding: Alive, loose in tank.
B) Supplements:
- What vitamin/minerals are you using: Crickets are gut-loaded with Fluker's high-calcium cricket food, watered with calcium supplemented gel, and also given various green vegetables.
- What are you gut loading food with: See above

 

[fl_orchidslave]

She needs to see a qualified reptile vet. Right away. Her vent is quite swollen in addition to the areas in question on her belly. Did you breed her?

Her set-up leaves a lot to be desired. Gravel can be ingested, causing internal blockages and impaction. Any loose substrate carries that hazard. In a tank that size, she would enjoy at least a few more hides, one being moist at shed time. Geckos are much healthier and happier at higher temps, 90-95 range. Their digestive system functions better and they have more appetite. Uneaten crickets loose in the tank can harm your gecko and carry parasites. It should be removed if she doesn't seem interested in eating within 15 minutes.

 

[LeopardShade]

I'm afraid your gecko may be suffering from impaction - foreign material (probably the gravel) in its GI tract. Leopard geckos cannot digest the material, so it builds up in their intestine, usually causing a permanent blockage. I fear the fat belly could be a belly full of gravel.
Also, as stated above, your temperatures are pretty cold, and cold temperatures account for poor digestion. Leopard geckos need heat to be able to digest their food/etc, and this could only worsen the possibly impaction. I would provide a warm side hide, but more importantly, I would get your gecko to a herp vet as soon as possible.

 

[Turpin]

No, she has not bred.

I took my gecko to a vet the day after posting here. The vet examined her mouth and abdomen, and performed an ultrasound. She said that there were no signs of impaction, but that there were two "ovulatory follicles," which could be pre or post-ovulatory, depending on whether or not the eggs are forming or being reabsorbed.

The vet also said that it was likely that my gecko was not getting enough calcium, but not too little to be causing skeletal problems. As it turns out, the calcium-fortified cricket food and gel does not contain very much calcium at all. (The food contains 8% calcium; the gel had no printed value.) I have therefore started to dust the crickets, and tong-feed. My gecko continues to show a good appetite.

I have filled her hide with moist sphagnum moss, and am building a second hide. I plan to replace the substrate.

Thanks to everybody who replied.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

It's not uncommon for females that have never been bred to lay infertile eggs, or to absorb them. I don't know if virgin females can become egg bound, perhaps someone who knows will read this and post.

Glad you took her to the vet and got that ultrasound! Definitely dust insects for every feeding, also a bottle cap of calcium left in the tank is recommended. Leopard geckos know when they need extra and will lick it. Egg laying females especially need this as their body can become depleted during this time. Sometimes they go off food for a bit prior to laying. There's lots of info in the supplementation threads about different products folks are using, and dusting schedules. I like the Rephashy's plus, and one of our members has some for sale in the classifieds section.

 

[Russ S]

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding: Crickets; one per day every day.

Why are you feeding only one cricket a day? Are you trying to slowly starve the poor thing?

 

[fl_orchidslave]

One cricket a day?? Not nearly enough food!!!!!!!!

 

[geckogirl3]

mine get about 4-7 a day.