PLEASE ADVISE .... constipated gecko

shabbybird

shabbybird

New member
evening all ...

I have a leopard gecko who is just over a year old. He hasn't had a poo in 20 days!!!

He drinks regularly and eats 4 hoppers of recommended size 3 times a week. He last shed yesterday

He is still sociable and comes to the viv door every evening looking for some attention! He comes out every night and is very happy to be held, climbs up my arms or sits on my lap watching tv!

I'm really concerned that he hasnt had a poo in so long ..... i read online about a warm bath but he HATED it lol, so a friend who is a breeder suggested not to bathe him

any ideas??

thanks in advance xxxx

:cry:
 
shabbybird

shabbybird

New member
JIGSAW818 said:
He's pooping, your just missing it.
Click to expand...

i'm def not missing it

the last poo he did was on my other halfs chest (so funny)

the one before that was on the sofa .... (so smelly) lol

and all the ones before have been very obvious in the tank, usually in his warm hide .... i check so regularly that I wouldn't miss it, and not just in warm hide ... i lift the floor tiles and check all hides


again thanks the reply tho xx
 
Yoshi'smom

Yoshi'smom

New member
Any changes in the norm for your gecko? Housing changes, temp changes, etc? Sometimes big changes stress them out enough to not poo. I would try the warm bath again. I know he may not like it but it's really one of the best at home remedies that you can try without going to a vet. However, if this continues for another week or so, I would take him to the vet and explain everything. I hope he's not blocked up too bad. He's still eating, right?
 
shabbybird

shabbybird

New member
Yoshi'smom said:
Any changes in the norm for your gecko? Housing changes, temp changes, etc? Sometimes big changes stress them out enough to not poo. I would try the warm bath again. I know he may not like it but it's really one of the best at home remedies that you can try without going to a vet. However, if this continues for another week or so, I would take him to the vet and explain everything. I hope he's not blocked up too bad. He's still eating, right?
Click to expand...

Nothing has changed at all and the temp has always been the same, no loss in appetite at all

I'll try the bath and hope for the best .... thanks xx
 
D

Debbie7054

New member
Apart from the bath you could also try a drop of mineral oil on your gecko's nose or if you can't get that 2 drops of olive oil. I used a combination of bathing (warm water not too hot) and mineral oil and gently rubbing my lizards belly from front to back in the water. In addition check your temps are warm enough, that your gecko has enough water and calcium and that your gecko isn't eating food that's too big as these can cause constipation. If you're keeping it on sand or any other substate that they can eat - change it as ingestion could be causing your gecko to be impacted too. If there's still no poop you'll have to take your gecko to the vet 20 days with no poop is way too long. Can you see a big black mass of poop in your gecko's body - their skin's pretty transparent on their underside. Good luck with your poor little gecko I really hope it's better soon.
 
shabbybird

shabbybird

New member
thanks debbie!!

there is a black mass in his belly .... this evening i gave him a good soak in a warm bath for 15 mins (this time he seemed to like it!) gave him a little belly rub and also dropped a tiny dash of olive oil on his nose which he promptly licked off!

tonight was a feeding night and he ate 3 hoppers and 1 waxworm (his first ever waxworm)

he has now retreated to his wet hide which is his favourite place

a new question if i may .... is everyones wet hide warm or cold????

thanks again debbie xx
 
electrofelt

electrofelt

New member
Hmm... that's not good that he has a black mass in his belly. That is a sign of impaction. It's good that he liked the bath a little more this time. I agree with everything Debbie suggested. You will want to continue doing the baths and rubbing his belly lightly until he goes to the bathroom, maybe a few times a day. It's great that he is eating, although you may want to feed him less until all systems are cleared. It could make him more uncomfortable. Hopefully you can help him out and he starts going soon.

As for the wet hide, it is usually suggested that you have the humid hide either in the middle of the tank or on the warm side to prevent them from being wet and cold at the same time.

Hopefully that helps and I wish you the best of luck with him. Keep up the great work!
 
Z

zelda

New member
When I thought my gecko was constipated the vet told me to give her her liquid paraffin (medicinal), 2 times a day for 2 days. It worked.

Dosage for a 40 gram leo: 0,2 ml 2 times a day, for 2 days.
 
D

Debbie7054

New member
The vet gave me liquid paraffin for my constipated Beardy (she'd been kept on sand orginally as that's what we were told to do - our first lizard), but she hated it and it really stressed her forcing her mouth open. If you can get them to swallow it - it does work.
 
shabbybird

shabbybird

New member
ok, thanks all for your responses!!

Little HBK's breeder came over today, turns out I had the tempreture probe under the mat so wasn't getting an accurate reading meaning his "warm" hide was not warm enough :(

On the plus side, he did say HBK looked healthy and that with the change in tempreture he should be pooping soon!!

Thanks again for all you help and support .... such a great forum!

I'll let you all know when he does his buisness lol

xx
 
N

nater

New member
shabbybird said:
ok, thanks all for your responses!!

Little HBK's breeder came over today, turns out I had the tempreture probe under the mat so wasn't getting an accurate reading meaning his "warm" hide was not warm enough :(

On the plus side, he did say HBK looked healthy and that with the change in tempreture he should be pooping soon!!

Thanks again for all you help and support .... such a great forum!

I'll let you all know when he does his buisness lol

xx
Click to expand...
I wonder who will feel more relieved when he finally poops.
 
shabbybird

shabbybird

New member
Just came home from work, little HBK's head was popping out from his moist hide. Opemd the viv door to say hi, the stink hit me!!!!! There on the floor was the biggest poo I've seen (from a gecko lol) His little face looked proud and relieved and I'm pretty sure mine was the same!!

Thank you all for your support, help and comments!!!

You guys rock!!!! xx
 
shabbybird

shabbybird

New member
Elizabeth Freer said:
Just what I was about to ask: What substrate is he on? "Constipation" is a probable sign of impaction, sand or otherwise. :(
Click to expand...

he is on tiles, altough there was a problem with the temp probe meaning his heat mat wasn't quite warm enough for him. Also he has moved onto the next size of hoppers. The combination of the two seems to have fixed the problem but thanks xx
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
shabbybird said:
thanks debbie!!

there is a black mass in his belly .... this evening i gave him a good soak in a warm bath for 15 mins (this time he seemed to like it!) gave him a little belly rub and also dropped a tiny dash of olive oil on his nose which he promptly licked off!

tonight was a feeding night and he ate 3 hoppers and 1 waxworm (his first ever waxworm)

he has now retreated to his wet hide which is his favourite place

a new question if i may .... is everyones wet hide warm or cold????

thanks again debbie xx
Click to expand...


Glad to hear your leo pooped and things are alright now :yahoo:!

Waxworms have way too much fat and are not recommended as a feeder. Crickets, grasshoppers, and roaches are best; some people feed leos mealworms.

I definitely recommend placing your humid moist hide at the warm end of your tank.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top