I'm starting to get really concerned!

[rjehh!]

so for the past couple of days, I started to notice that my Leo isn't active and alert like she usually is, and she barely eats a full meal like she has. All she seems to do now is sit under her cave all day and night, and whenever I drop crickets of mealworms out, she'll see them, sniff it out, but then will turn around to sit under her cave.

I'm thinking I might now what it is, but I don't want to instantly freak out, and wanted to ask yall first. Recently, I bought ZooMed's Excavator Burrowing Clay as a new substrate, cause I was using aspen at first, but I thought it wasn't such a reliable substrate, and thought after this clay would harden, it would elimabte much of the worry of impaction. But I'm guessing I was wrong.

After I placed her in this new substrate, she started licking and eating slot of the little bits that seemed to break off, and I thought that she was just figuring out what this new stuff was. But the next day, I noticed she seemed very gloomy, keeping her eyes partially closed as she walked out of her cave, and didn't have any appetite.

I immeadiately took out her out of this setup and placed her in a new tank. I also have been checking her poop and I can see the light color difference which I assume to be the clay she ate.

What do you think is making her act so differently?
Could it be the possible impaction, the change in the tanks, her diet, or is this just something normal that geckos go through, like teens going through puberty?

Please help

 

[Paco]

Wrong substrate to use. Sounds like she is impacted for sure from eating all the sustrate. Maybe Marcia's slurry will help pass the impaction. I am sure you will get a lot of helpful tips from others on the forum. They are all great people here.

 

[Mel&Keith]

It could definitely be impaction. I would make a vet appointment if she's not having bowel movements and soak her in warm water several times a day in the mean time. The water should be about 90F so it will feel a little cool to the touch.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Agreed. Warm water soaks, and 1/4 dropper-full of pure mineral oil may help pass the impacted material. Personally, I would not feed the gecko ANYTHING until it passes a stool. Make sure the gecko has 90 degree belly heat to help it digest/pass whatever is in it's gut.

 

[rjehh!]

thanks so much
where can you get mineral oil at?

So with this soak, how long should I keep her in there
and how deep should the water be?

 

[fallen_angel]

I believe you can get mineral oil at places like Target and Wal-mart.

Soaks should usually be for 30 minutes or so, three or four times a day, with the water just deep enough to reach the gecko's belly. Keep in mind that our bodies are 98.6 degrees, and so the water should feel slightly cool to you. You can keep the water warm by holding whatever container that you use with the palm of your hand, which will give direct belly heat.

I am so terribly sorry to hear about this and I wish you the best!!!

 

[rjehh!]

okay, so I think she is doing.
she actually pooped today
and I'm pretty suprised she pulled one off
because she hasn't ate in about 3 days now
but she did eat 3 crickets this morning
so I'm guessing this poop was THE POOP I was hoping for

I dont see any sand in it
thats a good sign right?
does this mean the impaction passed?