Food besides crickets, dubias, and mealworms

[LilA]

I hope they find the root of the issue!!!! My guy is obsessed with mealworms - but I try to give him breaks from that to eat other food so he occasionally goes on hunger strike, eventually he gets hungry and eats some crickets. I had to wean him off of getting hand fed as well (I think he started to get a little lazy)

But I wish you the best! Let us know what the vet says!

 

[Britt005]

Welp...we have good news and bad news.

Good news is we now know what we are dealing with (at least I think we do). She tested positive for three different types of bacteria that are known to cause issues. I didn't have a pen on me and can't remember what they were called though. It was all very science-y.

Bad news is they are usually easily treated by the antibiotics she was already on. So they don't understand why she didn't respond to the last round. I mean, she got better for a little bit in between shot two and three. But by 5 or 6 she stopped eating again.

The vet recommended we try the antibiotics again and see if a another round or two solves the problem. Which means I have to poke her at least seven more times. If it doesn't work, he recommended two reptile clinics - both over an hour away. A Saturday morning road trip may be in our future...

I'm hoping this was just user error, and I messed up giving the shots. Maybe I accidentally did a through and through or hit the plunger before it was fully inserted. I had had her for like a month was still nervous just handling her, let alone sticking her with a needle. I'm going to stop by the vets after work to get the meds and the details on the results so I'll post more later. Maybe someone here has some experience with these particular nasties.

I was hoping it was going to be a simple "Just take this instead!" fix but it looks like it more difficult than that. I'm pretty bummed.

 

[LilA]

Hopefully another round of antibiotics does the trick!!!! Good luck!

 

[Gecko united]

I'd recommend, silkworms,phoenix worms the usual typical food.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Good wishes for Round Two of the antibiotic shots.

 

[Britt005]

Thank you, Elizabeth. I hope so too.

So the bacteria they found was Serratia Marcesecens, Citrobacter Freundii, and Coagulase Negative Staph. The medicine they gave me was ceftazidime, just 3 shots this time. Last time they gave me 7. I don't expect anyone to know these things, but figured I'd document them in case someone else needs this information or goes through the same thing. Got the first shot in last night, poor thing is so used to me torturing her that she barely even squirmed when I got the needle in.

I was hoping to get silkworms to see if something new would stimulate her appetite. I finally found a store locally that sells them last week, but they were out of stock. Just by chance I called Wednesday and they had them in! But by the time I got there last night, they were all gone lol. They said they had them in stock for like three days. Apparently I wasn't the only one eagerly awaiting them!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

You're welcome.

How have the shots been going?

I hope your local shop gets more silkworms soon!

 

[Britt005]

I asked the next time they'd have silkworms in and they said probably not again this year. :roll: We'll have to make due to with dubias and mealies for now.

The shots have been going ok. Shot number two was last night, only one more to go hopefully. I REALLY want it to take this time, so I've gone a bit nurse crazy. I've simplified her environment, cleaned and disinfected everything, replaced the carpet with paper towel, replaced the moss in her moist hide with damp paper towel. Per the vets instructions I have been soaking and syringe feeding her daily. He also recommended I switch from a turkey/chicken baby food to a chicken+veggie. I harass her till she eats a least a ML.

I don't know if its the different food, the daily feeding, the shots, the clean environment, or all four combined, but her poops are a lot less runny. No solid food yet, but I'll be trying tonight. Fingers crossed!

 

[muffin_song]

Thank you, Elizabeth. I hope so too.

So the bacteria they found was Serratia Marcesecens, Citrobacter Freundii, and Coagulase Negative Staph. The medicine they gave me was ceftazidime, just 3 shots this time. Last time they gave me 7. I don't expect anyone to know these things, but figured I'd document them in case someone else needs this information or goes through the same thing. Got the first shot in last night, poor thing is so used to me torturing her that she barely even squirmed when I got the needle in.

I was hoping to get silkworms to see if something new would stimulate her appetite. I finally found a store locally that sells them last week, but they were out of stock. Just by chance I called Wednesday and they had them in! But by the time I got there last night, they were all gone lol. They said they had them in stock for like three days. Apparently I wasn't the only one eagerly awaiting them!

As a fellow Bay Area resident, which store actually had silkworms in? I was able to get some at a reptile show a few weeks ago, and Scooter loved them. I had just resigned myself to ordering them online!

 

[Britt005]

It's called Pet's and More, in Campbell. It's a tiny place but they probably have the best reptile supply/food collection I've seen so far in a brick and mortar store.

 

[muffin_song]

Good to know! I think Campbell is too far for me (I live in the East Bay), but it's always good to know what resources are around.

 

[Britt005]

Have you been to the Reptile Room in Hayward? There is also Shedskin Reptiles out in Tracy. I've never been to either, but they have been on my radar for a while. I have a friend out in Tracy so I'm gonna stop by when I visit her in early July. Since they cater specifically to reptiles, they might have a better variety of feeders!

 

[Britt005]

Ok, no luck on the food yesterday. She was hiding out sleeping in her cave all evening and finally around 9pm I lifted it up to find her fast asleep. She was very groggy and showed no interest in anything but closing her eyes and going back to sleep! She's usually kind of sleepy right after the shot, but typically she perks up the next day. hhmmm..but I didn't worry too much because she perked up once I got her on my shoulder. I got her to eat nearly 2ml of food with minimal prodding and then she had a nice run around on my bed for about 30 minutes. Just as hyper and annoying as ever (Oh, you don't want me to go to the window? Well, that's now where I want to be the most!). I noticed with the daily feedings her tail has been plumping up nicely, I need to get scale to get her exact weight.

Anyway, will try again tonight and update!

 

[Zux]

You're doing a remarkable job, particularly for a first time keeper. My compliments on that.

 

[Britt005]

Thanks Shane! Although it's a lot more work than I expected (Leos are easy, they said! Low maintenance pet, they said!) she is still sweet and good tempered so it's not too bad. She could be trying to bite me every time I pick her up, and honestly with whats she been through I wouldn't blame her!

 

[Britt005]

Alright, so again no luck with food. She was hiding again all last night, but again around 9pm I decided to be loud and annoying till she finally came out to see why I won't shut up. And then I realized she was very close to shedding which is probably why she has been hiding! I skipped last nights feeding as she was about to get a meal of skin (ew). She did leave a nice solid poop before hand however! Well...there was still a little mucus but it was smaller and not nearly as watery. Last shot is tonight! Fingers crossed that this does it!

 

[Britt005]

I feel like I'm repeating myself but still no go on the food. Sigh..this is so frustrating. I don't know if she's still sick or maybe is starting to rely on the syringe feeding? I didn't have time to do a lot of feeding on Wednesday, so she only got about half a ml. Yesterday she must have been hungry because she ate 2.5 ml. She obviously likes the syringe feeding! I'm thinking of taking her off of it for maybe two or three days and seeing what kind of response I get. Or maybe I should get that repashy grub pie to retrain her on eating insects? It seems like of expensive though. I know pets cost money, but she is bleeding me dry lol.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I feel like I'm repeating myself but still no go on the food. Sigh..this is so frustrating. I don't know if she's still sick or maybe is starting to rely on the syringe feeding? I didn't have time to do a lot of feeding on Wednesday, so she only got about half a ml. Yesterday she must have been hungry because she ate 2.5 ml. She obviously likes the syringe feeding! I'm thinking of taking her off of it for maybe two or three days and seeing what kind of response I get. Or maybe I should get that repashy grub pie to retrain her on eating insects? It seems like of expensive though. I know pets cost money, but she is bleeding me dry lol.

When do you anticipate an "All clear! " on her health issues? Until then I would continue syringe feeding. Since she's luvin' it, that's the least stressful option right now.

I have a captive hatched gliding gecko who's turning 13 yo on the 25 June 2016! For a long time I handfed her crickets. It took one to two months last fall (and "tough love" as well), but eventually she is "hunting" crickets from her feeding bowl. :cheer:

 

[Britt005]

I don't know when or how I'll be getting an all clear. The only symptoms she ever displayed were not eating and slimy poo. Her poo has definitely looked better, but she still isn't eating on her own. She's been physically examined and given the all clear three times in the last four months, so no point in taking her in again. I think the only way to know for sure is to run another culture which is sooooo not an option right now. That, or she starts eating! I should probably call the vet again, the vet tech just says "Hello Britt005" when I call now lol

What tough love did you give your gilded? I just googled those and wow, those are some interesting looking geckos! lol

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

.....I think the only way to know for sure is to run another culture which is sooooo not an option right now. That, or she starts eating! I should probably call the vet again, the vet tech just says "Hello Britt005" when I call now lol

What tough love did you give your gilded? I just googled those and wow, those are some interesting looking geckos! lol

Ptychozoon is a very special genus! Just recently another discovered species within that genus has been classified.

I have 4 Ptychozoon kuhli. I had to withhold crickets that I otherwise would have handfed her while I waited for her to eat on her own. She did not adapt to eating from a food dish very quickly. Now she eats crickets from her food dish!