Heavily diluted laxative?

[endrien]

My girl hasn't gone in probably about 4 or 5 days now, and her last poop was small. I have been giving her daily 15 minute soaks and olive oil. She has been eating superworms(I want to clear her out before switching to crickets this week) but has had no troubles with them in the past. Her hot side is 90-94f. She is not impacted from what I can tell, or at least not badly as there is no bruising on her abdomen and from candling her I can see no obstruction. I have some Restoralax(Polyethylene Glycol 3350) "works to relieve occasional constipation by gently bringing water into your bowel.
It gently increases the frequency of bowel movements and softens the stool so it is easier to pass."
that I feel would probably help if heavily diluted(Probably 1/10th of a normal dose for a human? Less?). I would obviously not give her a lot as too much would make her even more ill, but a little would help her along no?

What are your opinions? It supposedly has a low toxicity and seems pretty safe and mild. From what I have read Polyethylene Glycol is one of the best laxatives and safest, I also know how to administer it from the reptile vet books I have.

 

[gecko4245]

My girl hasn't gone in probably about 4 or 5 days now, and her last poop was small. I have been giving her daily 15 minute soaks and olive oil. She has been eating superworms(I want to clear her out before switching to crickets this week) but has had no troubles with them in the past. Her hot side is 90-94f. She is not impacted from what I can tell, or at least not badly as there is no bruising on her abdomen and from candling her I can see no obstruction. I have some Restoralax(Polyethylene Glycol 3350) "works to relieve occasional constipation by gently bringing water into your bowel.
It gently increases the frequency of bowel movements and softens the stool so it is easier to pass."
that I feel would probably help if heavily diluted(Probably 1/10th of a normal dose for a human? Less?). I would obviously not give her a lot as too much would make her even more ill, but a little would help her along no?

What are your opinions? It supposedly has a low toxicity and seems pretty safe and mild. From what I have read Polyethylene Glycol is one of the best laxatives and safest, I also know how to administer it from the reptile vet books I have.

NO way. If her diet and husbandry is fixed she won't have this problem. Fix what you have to and don't play doctor, it's dangerous.

 

[endrien]

There is no problems with my husbandry. Her temps, substrate and supplements are fine.

Sent from my GT-I9000M using Tapatalk

 

[gecko4245]

There is no problems with my husbandry. Her temps, substrate and supplements are fine.

Sent from my GT-I9000M using Tapatalk

Food items maybe? I am just guessing as I have not had any problems in years.

 

[endrien]

Food items maybe? I am just guessing as I have not had any problems in years.

It could be the superworms, I am switching to crickets this week when my order gets in. I'm thinking it may also be her slowing down digestion for winter, but there is no real way to tell.

 

[gecko4245]

It could be the superworms, I am switching to crickets this week when my order gets in. I'm thinking it may also be her slowing down digestion for winter, but there is no real way to tell.

The low humidity can be a problem in the winter too and feeding harder to digest items can make it worst. I don't know how your temps are were you live but try not to let the humidity go too low. what I do is add another water dish and it helps keep the humidity on 40%.

 

[Dimidiata]

I would hold off on laxitives. Just switch the food first and see if that works. Have you tried a warm soak?

 

[endrien]

I would hold off on laxitives. Just switch the food first and see if that works. Have you tried a warm soak?

Daily(actually giving her one now). I have been using olive oil, but just read it gets absorbed by the GI tract? I will try buying some mineral oil.
I'm thinking laxatives as a last resort if she goes a couple weeks without pooping. There is only 1 reptile vet around here and is not terribly experienced from what I can see, so I would prefer to deal with this myself if possible.
It's not any form of parasites, she is not losing any weight at all, still at 64g.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Mineral oil should do the trick, it's only about $2 at walmart, look for it by the pepto. I've never had an issue with any superworm impaction.

 

[endrien]

Mineral oil should do the trick, it's only about $2 at walmart, look for it by the pepto. I've never had an issue with any superworm impaction.

will do, she has been eating them for months and only now has seemed to be stogged which makes me think her digestion is slowing, but it is 77f in my room and her hot spot is 93f.

 

[gecko4245]

Daily(actually giving her one now). I have been using olive oil, but just read it gets absorbed by the GI tract? I will try buying some mineral oil.
I'm thinking laxatives as a last resort if she goes a couple weeks without pooping. There is only 1 reptile vet around here and is not terribly experienced from what I can see, so I would prefer to deal with this myself if possible.
It's not any form of parasites, she is not losing any weight at all, still at 64g.

Be careful with using mineral oil if she may be dehydrated. You know water and oil don't mix, so if the stomache is coated with oil it will block water from absorbing. So I would only try that once in an emergency and no more.

 

[endrien]

Be careful with using mineral oil if she may be dehydrated. You know water and oil don't mix, so if the stomache is coated with oil it will block water from absorbing. So I would only try that once in an emergency and no more.

That shouldn't be too much of an issue with regular soaks as most reptiles absorb water through their vent.

 

[T-ReXx]

Just use the mineral oil. Laxatives aren't designed for use with reptiles. and 4-5 days is not something I would be overly concerned about. When I bred leos I used a base diet of meal and super worms pretty much exclusively for years. Animals in good health should have no problem digesting them. Most reptiles slow down with feeding and digestion this time of year, it's something their biological clocks kick in on. In any case I would not be horribly quick to automatically assume an animal is impacting if it's been less than a week.

 

[endrien]

Just use the mineral oil. Laxatives aren't designed for use with reptiles. and 4-5 days is not something I would be overly concerned about. When I bred leos I used a base diet of meal and super worms pretty much exclusively for years. Animals in good health should have no problem digesting them. Most reptiles slow down with feeding and digestion this time of year, it's something their biological clocks kick in on. In any case I would not be horribly quick to automatically assume an animal is impacting if it's been less than a week.

Thanks for the advice, will be picking up mineral oil tomorrow and will see how that goes.

 

[gecko4245]

Thanks for the advice, will be picking up mineral oil tomorrow and will see how that goes.

This is why I would only give her bathes and water. The vet my geckos had years ago told me not to use it especially if dehydrated.
Mineral oil retards colonic absorption of water, softening the stool. Mineral oil may decrease the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and some minerals.
Up to you tho.

 

[endrien]

She finally pooped a normal poop today, she probably has more in her but this was a healthy looking defecation. She is done with superworms now, the last one she had was last night and it was freshly molted, so little to no exoskeleton. She chased down a few crickets today as I finally got my order in, so she seems happy .

 

[gecko4245]

She finally pooped a normal poop today, she probably has more in her but this was a healthy looking defecation. She is done with superworms now, the last one she had was last night and it was freshly molted, so little to no exoskeleton. She chased down a few crickets today as I finally got my order in, so she seems happy .

now she gets exercise too by chasing the crickets and you get to see her tail rattle

 

[reps4life]

Laxatives should be absolutely last resorts and only under vet supervision. Five days does not qualify as a emergency. Keep in mind variety is the key to good health

 

[Dog Shrink]

Keep in mind crickets pose their own realm of issues as a staple feeder. They can carry parasites, attack your leo (esp if your shipped the jamacian field crix insted of a. Domesticis (sp?) They stink and are noisy, and diffcult to keep alive. I fed a superworm staple for over a year and (knock on wood) never an issue

 

[endrien]

Keep in mind crickets pose their own realm of issues as a staple feeder. They can carry parasites, attack your leo (esp if your shipped the jamacian field crix insted of a. Domesticis (sp?) They stink and are noisy, and diffcult to keep alive. I fed a superworm staple for over a year and (knock on wood) never an issue

With my 1000 crickets I don't seem to be having an issue, I can already see a bunch of eggs so when I incubate them I should have thousands more crickets. As long as you clean them they do not smell much at all.