Tearing up the paper towels...

[Eilidh]

Please read; http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...haris/62025-leg-amputation-healing-issue.html
first,
or this quick summary (but I will not answer questions that are answered in the link, please check the forum for your answers first including the second page so neither of us waste time ); all specs for his husbandry are up to standard, as the name suggests I use paper towels/kitchen roll, temps/humidity/size/hides/etc etc etc all fine. So this is not a husbandry issue.

As the link explains, my gecko had a amputation from the pelvis six weeks ago, due to a femur breakage no fault of my own or any one in contact with the animal since we obtained him, his sutures were removed yesterday.

So heres my question; Since hes had the sutures removed, he's been tearing up the paper towels of the floor of his hide (there is no extra paper towels in there), presumably with his feet. Hes never had this issue before, the temp is right, his whole viv is the same (appart from its daily full disinfecting), so Im curious as to what have may caused this behaviour.

My herp vet isnt sure either.

I double checked the tempurature, as I know many lizards dig to get to sand that isnt heated up by the sun, as a precaution I have doubled the roll and lowered the temps slightly and provided a raised hide. He has a hide that extends along the gradient.

He also is not attempting to orally damage the wound.

Any ideas?

 

[Eilidh]

I do apologise for my grammar today, its 11pm here and I've had a very long day

 

[cricket4u]

I do apologise for my grammar today, its 11pm here and I've had a very long day

It might be a coincidence, but I have heard of this behavior in geckos post surgery and so my suspicion would be stress related, a bit of anger maybe. Just be careful be does not start eating pieces. Change to slate tiles if possible. As a matter of fact I believe I read an old post in which the gecko was eating paper. Try typing in the search button "gecko eating paper".

Found it. http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...-help-my-leopard-gecko-eats-paper-towels.html

 

[Eilidh]

It might be a coincidence, but I have heard of this behavior in geckos post surgery and so my suspicion would be stress related, a bit of anger maybe. Just be careful be does not start eating pieces. Change to slate tiles if possible. As a matter of fact I believe I read an old post in which the gecko was eating paper. Try typing in the search button "gecko eating paper".

Found it. http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...-help-my-leopard-gecko-eats-paper-towels.html

Ah hello again!:biggrin:
Hmm, thats interesting. Odd though he didnt show this behaviour till the sutures were removed. I'm a bit curious about these slate tiles, would they not heat up more? Yeah, I was concerned about him eating it. The bearded dragon in the Animal Unit at my college somehow got ahold of what we presume was paper towels and consumed it, only found out when it passed through him, theres some people in the college that arent careful :-x So I'll just have to see what he passes. Ill just go read that forum now. I cant switch his substrate tis now, I dont wish to lift him and possibly damage the open wound or cause more stress,also the rough surface of tiles could cause a big problem if he decided to rub the wound.
On that note, I do see him pawing at the towels every now and then and having a sniff, any chances its related?
I knew a tortoise when I was little that was given newspaper shreds for a bedding, he liked to eat it too. Strange what they do sometimes.:shock:

 

[Eilidh]

I had a root around the internet, only suggestions I can find are; problem with minerals/vitamins (I wouldnt think so, but the healing process may be putting things out of balance) , mistaking a shadow for prey and grabbing the towel instead resulting in having to swallow the lot, or eating it out of curiosity...


Despite the reason, littlefoot is looking quite depressed now.
I'm not familiar of the prognosis of paper-towel-eating with smaller reptiles.
Hope hes alright..

 

[cricket4u]

I had a root around the internet, only suggestions I can find are; problem with minerals/vitamins (I wouldnt think so, but the healing process may be putting things out of balance) , mistaking a shadow for prey and grabbing the towel instead resulting in having to swallow the lot, or eating it out of curiosity...


Despite the reason, littlefoot is looking quite depressed now.
I'm not familiar of the prognosis of paper-towel-eating with smaller reptiles.
Hope hes alright..

:sad: I feel so bad for him. I do not believe it's due to lack of vitamins/minerals. Do you change the paper towels after you place an insect on it? The smell of the insects can remain on the paper and they will dig trying to find it. I had an incident due to this years ago and now I never feed on paper towels. If it's a small amount chances are he will pass it assuming he is well hydrated. If it's large amounts it can remain in the gut and continue to absorb water and fluids leading to a bacterial infection. Hopefully he is just stressed over the whole deal.

 

[Eilidh]

:sad: I feel so bad for him. I do not believe it's due to lack of vitamins/minerals. Do you change the paper towels after you place an insect on it? The smell of the insects can remain on the paper and they will dig trying to find it. I had an incident due to this years ago and now I never feed on paper towels. If it's a small amount chances are he will pass it assuming he is well hydrated. If it's large amounts it can remain in the gut and continue to absorb water and fluids leading to a bacterial infection. Hopefully he is just stressed over the whole deal.

He only digs in his hide though, the bugs never get inside his hide he gobbles them up before they do haha. But that is interesting and not something I wouldve thought of! Its difficult to see how much he has eaten, or if hes just torn it up, its all rolled up into itself you see.

I change the towels twice a day to avoid infection of the opening, and he hasnt bothered to tear them up last night or up till now, so we'll just have to wait and see.