possible impaction in rescue gecko

[inkmouse]

About your leo:
- Sex: Female
- Age & Weight: don't know her age (adult) and need to buy a scale (she's probably tripled her weight in the last few months, she was starved)
- How long have you owned your leo: 4 or 5 months
- Where was he/she obtained (ex. Pet store, breeder, wild caught, friend): clueless ex-roommate

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo: approx. every other day
- Is your leo acting any different today? If so how does he/she normally act which differs from now.: she is sitting in her "poop" spot, tail is slightly lifted.
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe.: vitamin A deficiency, years worth of shed stuck on her eyes, kept with a bunch of geckos and bullied/beat up, very very starved.
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal): normal
- When was the last time he/she went: 2 days ago
C) Problem
- Please briefly describe the problem and how long it has been going on: Tesla is sitting in her "potty spot" with her tail slightly lifted like she may be impacted. She usually poops every day and at one point multiple times a day. I'm assuming this is from getting regular meals for the first time in her life and she put on weight like mad. I'm wondering if it's too early to treat for impaction and if I should wait to see if she goes tonight.

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size: 10g. I have her 20 set up but her vision is slowly coming back. In her 10g she will eat/poop/drink, in the 20 she walks around and bumps into things and then hides forever.
- Type (ex. glass tank): glass tank
- Type of substrate: paper towels
- Hides, how many, what kind: 2, cool and warm. I don't leave the moist hide in there until she's getting ready to shed, she gets eye& upper respitory infections (vet suggestion).
B) Heating
- Heat source: UTH
- Cage temps (hot side, cool side): hot side about 89-92 consistantly, cool side is room temp (about 70 maybe?)
- Method of regulating heat source: regularly check temps
- What are you using to measure your temps: digital humidity and temp gauge
- Do you have any lights (describe): nope
C) Cage mates
- How many (males, females): none
- Describe health, or previous problems: vitamin a deficiency, shed problems, upper resp& eye infections, emaciated

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding (how often, how much): 5-10 mealworms 3 days a week, she used to free feed mealies but overeats.
- How are you feeding (hand fed, left in dish, ect): hand fed, she's learning to hunt for them.
B) Supplements (describe how often)
- What vitamin/minerals are you using (list brands): Repashy's Leopard Gecko Calcium+ every time.
- What are you gut loading food with: nothing



So here's the breakdown: Tesla has been sitting in her "potty spot" for about an hour with her tail slightly lifted. She usually goes to the bathroom every day or (rarely) she'll miss 1 day. It's been 2 days. Other than that she seems normal and she will sometimes hang out when I'm home, so it's possible she's just hanging out. Is it time to start warm water soaking? She gets chronic eye and upper respitory infections so I'm reluctant. Would you wait a day or would you soak her tonight?

Thanks for your help

 

[katie_]

2 days without a poop isnt any cause for concern.

 

[KTyne]

If she is still eating and acting normally she should be fine.
A Leo will only poo as often as they eat; so for example if you feed them every 3 days they'll only poo every 3 days. If she starts acting lethargic or is looking bloated then I'd worry.

 

[mörten]

I would´t worry too much as she seems to be behaving normally. However, it makes me sad to hear about the conditions in which she had to live in with her previous owner . I am glad she is in your care now. How is she doing today? Any updates?