# Leopard gecko hasnt digested her food!



## HannahM (Aug 19, 2011)

One of my female leopard geckos has not digested its mealworms properly, i have found in their viv a stool like shape of dead mealworms. Any suggestions of why this is and what i need to do?


----------



## Kae (Aug 28, 2011)

Usual roll call, can you post your setup and temps etc (don't just say they're fine, figures please!). 

Are you sure it's a stool and not just regurgitated?


----------



## HannahM (Aug 19, 2011)

28c is temp, i have a 3ft viv with vents and heatmat. It is in shape of stool. So i guess it was a stool.


----------



## HannahM (Aug 19, 2011)

Pic of set up on my profile, it is the largest one.


----------



## 12843 (Nov 16, 2007)

HannahM said:


> 28c is temp, i have a 3ft viv with vents and heatmat. It is in shape of stool. So i guess it was a stool.


Raise the warm area's surface temp to 32c.

It could be a parasite problem.


Kris


----------



## Big Red One (Oct 17, 2007)

Hiya,

This issue could be one of a number of things to be honest.

A few questions :

How old is the leo and how long have you had it?
Where and how are the temperatures being measured? Warm end temps should be 32c or so, at the ground level where the Leo is lying.
Have any faecal samples been fully tested for the widest range of issues, if so when?
Have any new geckos been brought into contact with this one?
Is it acting normally or is it lethargic etc? 
Has it passed anything else recently and if so was it unusually smelly/runny?

Undigested or regurged food can be minor or major signs, dependent on 'history', so any answers may help to decide what next steps might be needed.


----------



## HannahM (Aug 19, 2011)

Two females hald one a month or two other about 6months or more, i did intruduce another gecko that died within a few days of getting it, and it wnt for postmortum and had enlarged intestine and inflamed liver. They both have been fine.


----------



## Big Red One (Oct 17, 2007)

Hmm,

This sounds more worrying then.

Are the two females together now and were they quarantined?

The one that died, had that been near either of these two? 

Also, are they in the same setup or using any of the hides/bowls etc that the other one used?

I'd be very tempted to have full faecal tests done ASAP to be honest.


----------



## HannahM (Aug 19, 2011)

Yes they were in the same set up i got it put it in with the girls an then he died couple of days later. All have been fine since no problens nothing! He had a postmortum and all that i said eirla was found.


----------



## Big Red One (Oct 17, 2007)

HannahM said:


> Yes they were in the same set up i got it put it in with the girls an then he died couple of days later. All have been fine since no problens nothing! He had a postmortum and all that i said eirla was found.


This problem suggests things may not be all OK. There's a potential that the ill gecko although diagnosed with the enlarged intestine and liver problem could have been carrying something that caused those issues.
I would definitely have them vet checked/sampled, there could be something in/on the setup that is passing on to the geckos.

Quarantine should always be practiced with new geckos, no matter who or where they are from. Nobody knows what they may be carrying.


----------



## HannahM (Aug 19, 2011)

I was rongly advised with that gecko just to put it in, and the gecko that died was in that viv all of a couple of hours in one spot, the water bowl he was on and the substraite has been changed. But never the less i have both my girls booked in for a vet check up tomrrow morning. I will post the out come of my visit. Hopefully it will all b ok, but im guessing its not going to be.


----------



## Big Red One (Oct 17, 2007)

HannahM said:


> I was rongly advised with that gecko just to put it in, and the gecko that died was in that viv all of a couple of hours in one spot, the water bowl he was on and the substraite has been changed. But never the less i have both my girls booked in for a vet check up tomrrow morning. I will post the out come of my visit. Hopefully it will all b ok, but im guessing its not going to be.


Good on you booking a vet check, sometimes we learn the hard way ( I certainly have in the past).
As I said earlier, there could be any number of reasons for the issue you are seeing. It could be very bad, or not too much.
In the meantime up the floor temps to 32c then see how you get on.

Good luck and keep us posted.


----------



## HannahM (Aug 19, 2011)

The floor temps are prob around this, but the the temp gauge is near top, im going to invest in a couple more for my viv, and possiably a couple of thermostats when i get the money (depending on vet outcome - price)
Will no whats going on tommrow. 
Thank you for your help.


----------



## HannahM (Aug 19, 2011)

Every thing seems fine, juliet needs to loose, lucy needs to put on weight. Temps are fine. He said tambo could have given them summin but no signs as yet (tambo was the one i had for 2days and died), thinks the poo was just one of thoes things. But if i get any more funny stools or bringing up food then bring them straight back, also i have some stuff to bath them in that gives them a general boost. Trip only cost me £9*
Just gota keep an eye on them.
Juliet was really good and lucy was a bugga lol


----------



## Big Red One (Oct 17, 2007)

Good stuff.

A good example of how a vets trip can sometimes be the best option for peace of mind. Also an example that it doesn't always cost the earth......: victory:


----------



## loonymoony (Oct 22, 2009)

*Leo advice.....*



HannahM said:


> Every thing seems fine, juliet needs to loose, lucy needs to put on weight. Temps are fine. He said tambo could have given them summin but no signs as yet (tambo was the one i had for 2days and died), thinks the poo was just one of thoes things. But if i get any more funny stools or bringing up food then bring them straight back, also i have some stuff to bath them in that gives them a general boost. Trip only cost me £9*
> Just gota keep an eye on them.
> Juliet was really good and lucy was a bugga lol


_*
I wouldn't advise 'bathing' them, Leo's get very stressed and do not appreciate bathing, it is not a natural thing for them at all, you'd be much better off adding reptiboost or avipro to their drinking water if you feel they need a 'boost' :2thumb: I would also advise sending off some fecal samples for testing just for peace of mind, I test all new arrivals as soon as I can and then routinely check all my guys several times a year, it's just good practice to get into I say :2thumb:*_


----------



## HannahM (Aug 19, 2011)

I have been told to bath them once weekly in the treatment (the vet told me this) and also it is standard to bath the geckos in warm water to help get shed of their toes, it sometimes get stuck and if left on, there toes can fall off. And from bathing my geckos and geckos at college they love a bath. And i got a sample to go to the vets last night and taking it today hopefully.


----------



## loonymoony (Oct 22, 2009)

*Leo advice.....*



HannahM said:


> I have been told to bath them once weekly in the treatment (the vet told me this) and also it is standard to bath the geckos in warm water to help get shed of their toes, it sometimes get stuck and if left on, there toes can fall off. And from bathing my geckos and geckos at college they love a bath. And i got a sample to go to the vets last night and taking it today hopefully.


_*

Sorry but I don't agree, they do not love a bath, they are rocky desert dwelling lizards and bathing them is not natural, agreed some people when having issues with toe shed place their gecko into a small pot with a small amount of warm water in the base, this is a sauna however not a bath and I certainly wouldn't say they enjoy it and just want out asap, I find it much less stressful to simply apply a little shed ease to the toes and gently masssage them and it all comes away in a few seconds, problems only develop if this isn't done right away and left to dry and build up. The bathing method seems to be regularly used for beardies, but not for Leo's, maybe this is where the misunderstanding has come from. I'm not having a go at all just trying to understand why a vet would encourage you to bathe a Leo to help it recover when this will only cause additional stress which in turn hinders recovery and return to form? Also when it is a fully accepted and regularly used practice to instead include Reptiboost or some such probiotic to their drinking water. Sorry but Vets do not always know best I'm afraid, we've seen that a lot on here recently. However there are several very well respected Leo keepers and breeders on here that have had Leo's for many, many years and are always happy to help, what they don't know about Leo care is probably not worth knowing. Maybe pick their brains....*_

Reptile Forums - View Profile: Mal
Reptile Forums - View Profile: jools
Reptile Forums - View Profile: SleepyD
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/members/funky1.html

_*To be honest from reading the thread through my first thought is that due to your low temps she couldn't digest her food properly 32/33c hot end belly heat as said is needed, 28c is def too low and I am assuming since you talk about buying a thermostat, that you don't have one, this is a must in my opinion and I don't see how you can properly regulate the temps without it. Also as said all new arrivals should be quarrentined for atleast 3 months during this time they need to be fecal tested several times to ensure no nasties are being transferred. Also since you are co-habbing Leo's it could be that the Leo that didn't digest properly was unable to fully access the heat required as they other female wasn't allowing her. leo's by nature are solitary and at best tolerate another in their area, bullying and dominance issues can crop up at any time, SleepyD's site above has a lot of very good behavioural info well worth a read on this. I keep all my Leo's seperately as I think this is the way in which they are most happy and acheive best condition, if you have one Leo that is significantly larger than the other, then it is def worth keeping an eye on, many only know bullying is going on when one leo's weight drops below acceptable levels, do you weigh regularly?*__* The problem I find helping you with advice is that you have too many factors going on all at once, questionable temps, no thermostat to regulate them, no quarrentine used, a gecko that died after introduction, relocation stress (eg the newly introduced leo)co-habbitation poss issues and I haven't even asked about substrate and feeding regime............Good luck with them!*_


----------



## HannahM (Aug 19, 2011)

That was a temp that was read from high in the viv and i checked the lower cool and hot temps in the viv and this was fine and correct. Also my leos just sit in the bath (bowl, tub w.e you want to call it) they do not want out straight away. I have been taught to bath geckos through my animal managment qulification and also from reading books, internet info and other leo keepers. The vet has advised me to do this as it can be absorbed through the skin. The leos are in a 3ft viv with a large enough heat mat with more than enough room for two geckos and space that they cant see each other and get heat. I feed them seperatly so no squabbling happens during feeding time.


----------

