# Leopard Gecko passed runny poop and A LOT of blood.



## AtlanticRawr (Jan 22, 2013)

So tonight I was checking on my leopard gecko Link to spray his humid hide as he's shedding. I was greeted with one solid poop but then to my horror I found a lot of blood and runny foul smelling feces. 
He's on tiles and his temperature is kept at around 32oc 24/7. When I checked on him I found him to be alert and acting normally. I recently started feeding him Locusts to keep his diet interesting, could this have caused it? 
Me and my family believe him to have been constipated, he hadn't pooped in four days opposed to him usually pooping every two. 
This is my first gecko and I'm not experienced enough to spot the signs of any serious illnesses. I will watch him tonight and tomorrow to see if this event reoccurs. If so he will be rushed straight to a reptile vet, but for now I'm looking for suggestions of the cause. 
Any help would be greatly appreciated!


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## m6s0ud (Jul 11, 2011)

I have no idea what's going on to you leo but it seems you really need to take him to a vet

I don't really think the locust would be the cause


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## jagger (May 12, 2010)

I was reading alot about worms as I thought my water dragon had them, runny poo and blood are some of the symptoms. Could be more serious. Blood in poo is defo a vet job!! Id do it sooner rather than later.


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## Rawwwrchazli (Mar 16, 2012)

I would take him to the vet for a fecal screen and blood test.

A sudden diet change could have given him a tummy upset, but it's worth having a professional check it out.

Locusts DO excrete a bloody/browny colour goop when they are squeezed, but I would assume that would be digested as normal.

Foul smelling poops are a sign of parasites.


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## AtlanticRawr (Jan 22, 2013)

Hello, thank you for your advice. 
Unfortunately Link became considerably worse in the early morning. I phoned my local reptile vet and because they were closed were transfered to their emergency vet who had no training in reptiles at all. After bring bounced from vet to vet all explaining that I would have to wait till my local vet opened, Link passed away. 
I know believe the cause to have been impaction from spagnum moss. This happened out of the blue with no warning. 
Although this is a sad time I have fallen in love with Leopard geckos and after finding a breeder and fixing the moss problem I would like to get another.


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## Munkys Mummy (Feb 23, 2007)

ss for your loss. R.I.P wee Link


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## jagger (May 12, 2010)

that sucks! Poor wee fella!


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## kaleigh (Aug 7, 2012)

AtlanticRawr said:


> Hello, thank you for your advice.
> Unfortunately Link became considerably worse in the early morning. I phoned my local reptile vet and because they were closed were transfered to their emergency vet who had no training in reptiles at all. After bring bounced from vet to vet all explaining that I would have to wait till my local vet opened, Link passed away.
> I know believe the cause to have been impaction from spagnum moss. This happened out of the blue with no warning.
> Although this is a sad time I have fallen in love with Leopard geckos and after finding a breeder and fixing the moss problem I would like to get another.


The exact same thing happened with one of my leos  I wasn't using moss though. She was sleeping a lot and passed a load of blood, and was in pain, took her the vets and she died there sadly. I had only bought her less than 4 weeks ago, and the vet she it was a long term problem. Before I bought her she had pinworm, but had been treated, presumed she must of had them to long and something had ruptured inside, or she was bunged up really badly. It was so sad, really knocked my confidence for a while. It's always sad to loose a pet.


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## Jeniva (Mar 17, 2012)

AtlanticRawr said:


> So tonight I was checking on my leopard gecko Link to spray his humid hide as he's shedding. I was greeted with one solid poop but then to my horror I found a lot of blood and runny foul smelling feces.
> He's on tiles and his temperature is kept at around 32oc 24/7. When I checked on him I found him to be alert and acting normally. I recently started feeding him Locusts to keep his diet interesting, could this have caused it?
> Me and my family believe him to have been constipated, he hadn't pooped in four days opposed to him usually pooping every two.
> This is my first gecko and I'm not experienced enough to spot the signs of any serious illnesses. I will watch him tonight and tomorrow to see if this event reoccurs. If so he will be rushed straight to a reptile vet, but for now I'm looking for suggestions of the cause.
> Any help would be greatly appreciated!


What do you use in his humid hide? It's been known for leo's to accidentally ingest moss and even the paper towels. He could of ingested some and it's caused some internal damage - but just take him to an exotic vet asap and get an x-ray or something.


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## Jeniva (Mar 17, 2012)

AtlanticRawr said:


> Hello, thank you for your advice.
> Unfortunately Link became considerably worse in the early morning. I phoned my local reptile vet and because they were closed were transfered to their emergency vet who had no training in reptiles at all. After bring bounced from vet to vet all explaining that I would have to wait till my local vet opened, Link passed away.
> I know believe the cause to have been impaction from spagnum moss. This happened out of the blue with no warning.
> Although this is a sad time I have fallen in love with Leopard geckos and after finding a breeder and fixing the moss problem I would like to get another.


Oh just saw this ): So sorry to hear. 
I've used moss in the past but I'm not going to use it since I read some impaction issues. 
Some times we learn the hard way ):


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## Xboxguy (Dec 17, 2012)

sorry about your lose this has also got me thinking as i use moss as well in my humid hide not sure if i should take it out or not now


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## Ophexis (Feb 19, 2010)

Xboxguy said:


> sorry about your lose this has also got me thinking as i use moss as well in my humid hide not sure if i should take it out or not now


I use it and have done for nearly 4 years. Never had a problem. This reads like just an unfortunate accident.


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## Xboxguy (Dec 17, 2012)

Ophexis said:


> I use it and have done for nearly 4 years. Never had a problem. This reads like just an unfortunate accident.


thanks i will carry on using it seems good so far


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## Jeniva (Mar 17, 2012)

Xboxguy said:


> thanks i will carry on using it seems good so far


I wouldn't use moss. I have seen others write about it too, it might be rare that it happens but when it happens again and it happened and killed your previous gecko - then you'll feel really guilty knowing you could of prevented it.

Kitchen towel is fine, as long as it's not a cheap thin one - as that can cause impaction too. Some one I know posted a pic the other day of a bunch their gecko brought back up.


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## Artisan (Mar 27, 2011)

Such sad news - big huggle for you.
I havn't been keeping leos very long but if any of mine went i'd be totally devestated as i'm so attached to them and love them all so much 

Don't let it put you off getting another. it would be a shame for you to miss out on keeping one because of such a horrible experience.


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## Mal (Jul 22, 2007)

To be honest, without a pm its not possible to say the leo died of moss impaction. Impacted animals tend to go through a period of looking unwell and pretty miserable before the obstruction becomes catastrophic. Parasite load is a probability. A couple of keepers I know of have lost geckos to hookworm in the last 12 months. Hookworm is a nematode similar to pinworm and it can cause similar symptoms. It doesnt necessarily mean an infected animal will show signs though. Well cared for animals can carry significant levels without displaying symptoms. The loss of both these geckos was accompanied by a significant amount of blood after the animal pooped. Just to be on the safe side I would absolutely blitz with disinfectany the viv and all furnishings before introducing a new occupant.


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## dramen (May 29, 2012)

I use moss in mine but however i have spoken to someone on these forums that uses a bath flannel in theirs. Believe me they are a reputable poster so i am inclined to agree that this might be a good idea for my geckos.

If you get the right flannels no bits can come off them and they cant be ingested


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## tetradite (Jan 9, 2013)

dramen said:


> I use moss in mine but however i have spoken to someone on these forums that uses a bath flannel in theirs. Believe me they are a reputable poster so i am inclined to agree that this might be a good idea for my geckos.
> 
> If you get the right flannels no bits can come off them and they cant be ingested


I use flannels (on advice from someone here, forget who), and the leos love them: they used to spend 99% of their indoor time in their warm hides but since the flannels went in their moist hides they've switched to mainly living there.

Just keeping an eye on wear and tear and will replace if they start to get worn to prevent ingesting bits.


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## Artisan (Mar 27, 2011)

I use either cotton flannels or wads of kitchen roll for mine which really puts my mind at ease : victory:


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## AtlanticRawr (Jan 22, 2013)

Mal said:


> To be honest, without a pm its not possible to say the leo died of moss impaction. Impacted animals tend to go through a period of looking unwell and pretty miserable before the obstruction becomes catastrophic. Parasite load is a probability. A couple of keepers I know of have lost geckos to hookworm in the last 12 months. Hookworm is a nematode similar to pinworm and it can cause similar symptoms. It doesnt necessarily mean an infected animal will show signs though. Well cared for animals can carry significant levels without displaying symptoms. The loss of both these geckos was accompanied by a significant amount of blood after the animal pooped. Just to be on the safe side I would absolutely blitz with disinfectany the viv and all furnishings before introducing a new occupant.


Thank you a lot. His death caught me by surprise as he was eating well, he tended to stop eating a day or two before he shed though. The tile substrate has been in the oven and everything else soaked in deep clean. 
My local vet, although useless in an emergancy, believed his death to be caused by worms.


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