URGENT Leo impacted by Eco earth
- Thread starter Emma55
- Start date
Welcome Emma and Athena!
I think that is impaction, I occationally see dark spots on stomachs when geckos digest food, pass waste or just organs. But it is very concerning when her entire midsection is a blotch. Even if it isn't impaction, better be safe then sorry. Have you exhibited her eating the substrate?
1.) Remove the Eco Earth immediately and lay down some paper towels. You will need to monitor her poops more closely and prevent her from ingesting any more.
2.) Provide us of a rundown on her entire habitat, the size, current substrate, all hides, temperatures, heat source and what it is controlled by.
3.) Tell us her normal eating schedule, what she eats, what suppliments you use, if she is pooping, what her poops look like, etc.
After you remove the ecoearth, closely moniter the area she poops. You then need to start baths, every night.
Tips For Impaction
•Take a tupperware container or a sink and fill with lukwarm water a little over the belly of the gecko.
•Gently massage down the length of your gecko from throat to vent in order to help get things moving.
•Allow a soak and massage session to last around 30 minutes before returning the gecko to the tank.
•Do NOT feed your gecko any more until they begin to pass the impacted substance. You don't want them anymore backed up than they already are.
•Drop a few drops of olive oil on their lips every other day to act as a laxative.
•MONITOR THE GECKO AT ALL TIMES.
Hope this will help you, hopefully you can get us some information back on the gecko so we can further assist you.
I think that is impaction, I occationally see dark spots on stomachs when geckos digest food, pass waste or just organs. But it is very concerning when her entire midsection is a blotch. Even if it isn't impaction, better be safe then sorry. Have you exhibited her eating the substrate?
1.) Remove the Eco Earth immediately and lay down some paper towels. You will need to monitor her poops more closely and prevent her from ingesting any more.
2.) Provide us of a rundown on her entire habitat, the size, current substrate, all hides, temperatures, heat source and what it is controlled by.
3.) Tell us her normal eating schedule, what she eats, what suppliments you use, if she is pooping, what her poops look like, etc.
After you remove the ecoearth, closely moniter the area she poops. You then need to start baths, every night.
Tips For Impaction
•Take a tupperware container or a sink and fill with lukwarm water a little over the belly of the gecko.
•Gently massage down the length of your gecko from throat to vent in order to help get things moving.
•Allow a soak and massage session to last around 30 minutes before returning the gecko to the tank.
•Do NOT feed your gecko any more until they begin to pass the impacted substance. You don't want them anymore backed up than they already are.
•Drop a few drops of olive oil on their lips every other day to act as a laxative.
•MONITOR THE GECKO AT ALL TIMES.
Hope this will help you, hopefully you can get us some information back on the gecko so we can further assist you.
Last edited:
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
Has Athena been pooping? How does her belly feel, firm or soft?
Her soaking water should be about 86*F/30*C. That's a leo's PBT (preferred body temperature).
Last edited:
Hello everyone, on the night I posted this I bathed Athena and she pooped a whole lot, I am bathing her again tonight. The dark splotches have almost dissipated and moved around a bit. I will keep you all posted. I have replaced her substrate with damp paper towels in her cool/moist hide. I have no idea why, but she never uses her open bottom cool hide, so I removed it. She eats every 3 to four days, mainly crickets . she was previously on mealworms though. Athena's tank has a heat pad
Hello!
I am so happy to hear she passed some! :yahoo: Could you tell if it was ecoearth?
Are you saying her entire substrate was ecoearth or just her moist hide? Either way, we should go through your husbandry, a Leo eating that much usually points to an issue in care.
•Do you have a thermostat with your UTH?
•What do you suppliment with?
•Do you have three hides?
-Warm DRY hide
-Warm MOIST hide
-Cool DRY hide
As you mentioned, keep doing the baths for a few days after to make sure everything has passed. Does her belly now feel soft? Only after a few more days and the splotch has dissipated (Sounds like it almost has!) would I feed her.
Wishing her a smooth recovery!
I am so happy to hear she passed some! :yahoo: Could you tell if it was ecoearth?
Are you saying her entire substrate was ecoearth or just her moist hide? Either way, we should go through your husbandry, a Leo eating that much usually points to an issue in care.
•Do you have a thermostat with your UTH?
•What do you suppliment with?
•Do you have three hides?
-Warm DRY hide
-Warm MOIST hide
-Cool DRY hide
As you mentioned, keep doing the baths for a few days after to make sure everything has passed. Does her belly now feel soft? Only after a few more days and the splotch has dissipated (Sounds like it almost has!) would I feed her.
Wishing her a smooth recovery!
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
I'm glad Athena is improving.
Mealworms contain chitin. Mealworms could also contribute to impaction if temperatures or hydration are inadequate.
Last edited:
Zux
New member
You will need to completely review every aspect of your care in order to be certain issues will not arise in the future.
For a Gecko to become seriously impacted with something like Eco Earth - it is almost certain there are one or more serious underlying husbandry issues at play.
Simply replacing the substrate with paper towel, will not address this so please do ensure core husbandry is appropriate.
Some things you can look at right away are as follows:
For a Gecko to become seriously impacted with something like Eco Earth - it is almost certain there are one or more serious underlying husbandry issues at play.
Simply replacing the substrate with paper towel, will not address this so please do ensure core husbandry is appropriate.
Some things you can look at right away are as follows:
- Temperatures on both warm and cool sides, aswell as how this is measured.
- Hydration and how this is provided, both in terms of standing water and environment.
- Supplementation aswell as the volumes and methods of provision.
- Varied and balanced diet and ensuring prey is well fed and hydrated at all times.