Sandstone spitting?

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amazoncat

New member
I just wondered if anybody had ever witnessed their sandstone gecko spitting (it was a nasty black gooey ball).

I moved my sandstone to a new naturalistic viviarium yesterday and since then have witnessed some interested behaviour including drinking large quanities of water from his water bowl (he did always drink a lot when sprayed though) and on one occasion displaying followed by spitting.

Has anybody else ever noticed this? I'm just trying to ascertain how 'normal' it is.

Cat x
 
Graham_s

Graham_s

Super Moderator
what substrate have you got in the new setup? it could be that he had ingested the substrate and was trying to wash it down with water or spit it out?
 
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amazoncat

New member
I did wonder that at first Graham, but it was drinking almost as soon as I put it in (I think they just ned more humidity than I was first told). I'd be amazed if he had managed to eat any of the eco-earth as there wasn't any food in the tank at the time so he had no reason to eat the substrate (which was firmly pressed down anyway). He doesn't appear to have done it since so I'm just going to keep an eye on it I think.

He's also got a lovely habit of licking his vent? Any ideas on this one? I wonder if it's because he's wild caught and possibly still harboring nasties. Or could it be territorial - a kind of display or something?

Thoughts?
 
Graham_s

Graham_s

Super Moderator
amazoncat said:
I did wonder that at first Graham, but it was drinking almost as soon as I put it in (I think they just ned more humidity than I was first told). I'd be amazed if he had managed to eat any of the eco-earth as there wasn't any food in the tank at the time so he had no reason to eat the substrate (which was firmly pressed down anyway). He doesn't appear to have done it since so I'm just going to keep an eye on it I think.

He's also got a lovely habit of licking his vent? Any ideas on this one? I wonder if it's because he's wild caught and possibly still harboring nasties. Or could it be territorial - a kind of display or something?

Thoughts?
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sometimes vent licking is something they do right after they have gone to the toilet. Is it just eco earth on the bottom of the tank? If you could post photos of tha tank and the gecko in the new setup it could help.
 
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amazoncat

New member
Unfortunately I'm not at home so I'm not going to be able to get a set-up photograph for a couple of weeks but I think you could be right about it being an 'after toilet' activity as I've often seen him doing it.

It is just eco-earth on the bottom, pressed down with a small brick.
 
Graham_s

Graham_s

Super Moderator
amazoncat said:
Unfortunately I'm not at home so I'm not going to be able to get a set-up photograph for a couple of weeks but I think you could be right about it being an 'after toilet' activity as I've often seen him doing it.

It is just eco-earth on the bottom, pressed down with a small brick.
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ok. If he isn't losing weight, is eating fine, stools are ok, and is still active, then I don't think its anything to worry about.
 
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amazoncat

New member
well as you know, he's never been a great eater for me (I don't know what you did differently) but he always leaves me plenty of droppings so I guess he must eat something. Otherwise he is his normal self, if anything a lot happier and more active in his new home.
 
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amazoncat

New member
Unfortunately Pebbles was found dead this morning. We really can't work out what could have killed him so quickly as he has been fine.

It could have been anything really, he was wild caught and of unknown age. He was a rescue that I took in as he was being housed incorrectly and with other species in a small tank. His pervious owner had kept him on small bark chips and fed him black crickets so it seems possible he may have been suffering from impaction the whole time I've had him. Being completely unhandleable I knew there was never much I could do for him if he became ill - a vet would not have been able to examine him without complete sedation and it would have been near impossible to administer medication so I suppose it is a blessing he went quite suddenly.

I feel quite bad, perhaps it was something I did or didn't do that he needed but whatever it was it happened quickly as he has been lively and inquisitive as ever over the past few days.

RIP little one. I tried to give you a better life.
 
Graham_s

Graham_s

Super Moderator
amazoncat said:
Unfortunately Pebbles was found dead this morning. We really can't work out what could have killed him so quickly as he has been fine.

It could have been anything really, he was wild caught and of unknown age. He was a rescue that I took in as he was being housed incorrectly and with other species in a small tank. His pervious owner had kept him on small bark chips and fed him black crickets so it seems possible he may have been suffering from impaction the whole time I've had him. Being completely unhandleable I knew there was never much I could do for him if he became ill - a vet would not have been able to examine him without complete sedation and it would have been near impossible to administer medication so I suppose it is a blessing he went quite suddenly.

I feel quite bad, perhaps it was something I did or didn't do that he needed but whatever it was it happened quickly as he has been lively and inquisitive as ever over the past few days.

RIP little one. I tried to give you a better life.
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we're both really sorry to hear that. Gina really got to like him. I really really think a PM would be beneficial. I know it may be hard to do but it will help you learn more about what really happened.
 
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amazoncat

New member
I had already thought of that and given the option I would - I could probably get somebody I know to do it for me for nothing as well but I'm not at home so it would be near impossible to arrange and I imagine he has already been buried.
 
Graham_s

Graham_s

Super Moderator
amazoncat said:
I had already thought of that and given the option I would - I could probably get somebody I know to do it for me for nothing as well but I'm not at home so it would be near impossible to arrange and I imagine he has already been buried.
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if he hasn't been buried yet then try hardwick vets, he does PMs and he's an excellent vet.
 
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amazoncat

New member
I've heard he's good. Unfortunately my father isn't going to travel to Cambridge to get the gecko cut up (he's not the biggest fan of them). I will try my veterinary contacts for a list of things that can kill a gecko that quickly.
 
Graham_s

Graham_s

Super Moderator
amazoncat said:
I've heard he's good. Unfortunately my father isn't going to travel to Cambridge to get the gecko cut up (he's not the biggest fan of them). I will try my veterinary contacts for a list of things that can kill a gecko that quickly.
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I hope you manage to find out what happened. If he was originally WC it could be something underlying from when he was in the wild.
 
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amazoncat

New member
I figure it's either that, old age or impaction from the way he was kept at some point.

I can't think of anything in his current set up that could kill him that quickly and without signs of illness.
 
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