Water induced shock in Leopard Geckos?
Harfmil
I witnessed a strange event the other day, and I was hoping that someone
could shed some light on it. I have two baby leopard geckos that I hatched
a few months ago, and they are in the stages where they are growing rapidly,
so they are eating a lot, but staying fairly thin. I keep them on
calci-sand, which is supposed to be digestible and also provide a calcium
supplement. Knowing that young Leos are especially susceptible to
impaction, I take the precaution of "bathing" them about once every couple
weeks. This process consists of a large plastic container filled with a
little less then 1/4" of water that is roughly the same temp as their tank.
They sit in that for a few minutes, usually splashing around a little, then
I sit them on a paper towel to dry a little and then return them to their
cages.
The other day I noticed the one had a little sand stuck to his "butt",
so I figured I'd give him a quick "bath". After setting up the water I
placed him in and he immediately went stiff and stopped moving. At first I
thought he just dropped dead, but after a moment or two, he started moving a
little, and then slowly but surely, over the course of about an hour, he
regained complete mobility. Any idea what might have caused this? Any
information would be wonderful, thanks in advance.
--
Harfmil
PS: I haven't had much free time, so I haven't been able to research it on
the web hardly at all.
Snake Whisperer
later,
Pete
Live by the Golden Rule. Pay it forward.
http://community.webtv.net/SnakeBusters/SnakeBusters
Brian B
paper(no ink) or reptile-carpet.
Calici sand does not digest fast enough to be safe for Geckos.
"Harfmil" <kingp...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Hg9n9.8063$lV3.7...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
Harfmil
calci-sand. They were kept on paper towels for the first few weeks, but
after they get on a steady diet, I move them to the calci-sand. Do you have
any websites or info on the calci-sand being bad for them? I thought the
purpose of it was to be digestible and also provide a supplement. In
addition, I've read of a lot of herps suffering from calcium deficiency
after being moved off of calci-sand. Thanks again
--
Harfmil
"Brian B" <bbl...@lvcm.com> wrote in message
news:GSnn9.105801$S32.7...@news2.west.cox.net...
fr0glet
> Well, they are from the desert, and I've never had any problems with
the
> calci-sand.
You may not know a problem is developing until it is too late.
> They were kept on paper towels for the first few weeks, but
> after they get on a steady diet, I move them to the calci-sand.
Do they eat insects that are on the sand, like crickets? If they are not fed
in a seperate feeding container they may be ingesting more sand than you
think.
> Do you have
> any websites or info on the calci-sand being bad for them?
This topic has been debated here many times. Different herpers make
different decisions about how to keep their pets. Generally you will read
sand is OK for adults but less safe for young herps.
Try the Google Groups advanced search for rec.pets.herps and calci-sand, the
conversations are extensive.
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?hl=en
> I thought the
> purpose of it was to be digestible and also provide a supplement.
One problem with this statement is that it is marketing hype printed on bags
for mass petstore sales. There is no regulating agency who is actually
testing to see how it digests in reptile's stomachs. There are numerous
herpers who have lost pets to impaction on sand, and numerous who have had
no problems for the life of their pet.
> addition, I've read of a lot of herps suffering from calcium deficiency
> after being moved off of calci-sand.
Calci-sand should not be used as the sole source of calcium. Calcium
supplementation for leopard geckos is recommended REGARDLESS of the
substrate you use. Again, different herpers use different methods and there
is a LOT of information on the web about this.
Personally, I am raising insects on high-calcium diets and once per week I
dust them with calcium and reptivite supplements before feeding. Snake
Whisperer would tell you to buy a cuttle bone and shave it down to powder
and offer it in a calcium dish.
fr0glet
Harfmil
fed
> in a seperate feeding container they may be ingesting more sand than you
> think.
seen them ingest a good bit of the calci-sand quite a few times, but since I
was under the assumption that it was ok for them to ingest it, I didn't
think much of it, I just made sure they drank some water soon after.
>
> This topic has been debated here many times. Different herpers make
> different decisions about how to keep their pets. Generally you will read
> sand is OK for adults but less safe for young herps.
told by numerous local herpers that once they were on a good diet and were
growing, that was the best time to move them.
>
> One problem with this statement is that it is marketing hype printed on
bags
> for mass petstore sales. There is no regulating agency who is actually
> testing to see how it digests in reptile's stomachs. There are numerous
> herpers who have lost pets to impaction on sand, and numerous who have had
> no problems for the life of their pet.
the people I know, I have really heard no bad things about it. Other then
the fact that herps that are kept on it can suffer from deficiency after
being removed. And its expensive :-P
>
> addition, I've read of a lot of herps suffering from calcium deficiency
> after being moved off of calci-sand.
are also fed carrots and occasionally greens.
The calcium supplementing raises another question I had. I've heard that
using both the rep-cal calcium supplement and the rep-cal herptivite
together can have negative effects on the reptile. Even though it states on
the packaging to use them together, I was told that this may cause problems.
I have been alternating using them to avoid this. Is there any truth to
this?
Thanks once again for all your help
--
Harfmil
Jeff Wagner
impaction, for these few sand of any type will be a problem. Most
geckos are not overly prone to impaction and will do just fine on any
type of sand. It is something that is a personal choice IMO. You will
find countless stories telling both sides as gospel.
Do what you are comfortable with and don't obsess about it.
Jeff
In article <Hhon9.9422$lV3.8...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net>,
Jenn
> Long running debate. Bottom line is some lizards are prone to
> impaction, for these few sand of any type will be a problem. Most
> geckos are not overly prone to impaction and will do just fine on any
> type of sand. It is something that is a personal choice IMO. You will
> find countless stories telling both sides as gospel.
> Do what you are comfortable with and don't obsess about it.
>
> Jeff
I've got a question regarding Calci-sand. I just got an African
fat-tailed gecko to halfway house this week (hopefully to eventually
adopt myself) and she came in a posh tank with Calci-sand for the
substrate. She was having a bit of a humidity issue and I had to soak a
little dried skin off her toes, so I need to give her a humidity box.
If I put the standard sphagnum moss box in, will she step out and get
sand stuck to her feet? I'm afraid that will happen, and then she'll
lick the sand off her toes and get a big dose of it. Is there a better
way to provide humidity? I read that fat-tails need higher humidity
than leos. I'm tempted to get rid of the sand, but then I'll have to
buy another rheostat so her UTH doesn't cook her (my other two tanks
with UTHs have to be set below "low" or they get too hot with the thin
carpet). If it's the best way, I'll do it.
Please let me know what you think. I've never actually dealt with sand
before. :-)
Jennifer
shimbathesnake
"Snake Whisperer" <SnakeB...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:308-3D9...@storefull-2356.public.lawson.webtv.net...
Newspaper is cheap,clean, safe and cheap.
Total clean outs and no half baked spot cleaning!
clem...
Snake Whisperer
came back and found him floating rigid in water that had gotton too hot
from the tap. I did an immediate rinse with cold water and after a
minute, the gator was fine. I was very lucky. (actually, so was the
gator.)
Jeff Wagner
seen such a thing.
Jeff
Snakela...@webtv.net
boxes with sphagnum moss. My leopard geckos will often fill their
humidity boxes with Calci-sand when they lay eggs. However I've never
had problems with the sand sticking to their toes or any other problem.
It does stick to freshly laid eggs but this hasn't caused any problems
with them hatching. I've yet to see any problems with impaction
secondary to the use of calcium sand. snake lady
"Medicine to produce health has to examine disease" Plutarch
http://community.webtv.net/SnakeladysFarm/SnakeLadysReptile0
Brian B
are raised on paper towels by breeders. My Leos live in the desert now. But
we have very little sand in Las Vegas. Lots of paper towels. Even out of
town we have very little loose sand. The desert is not all loose sand. very
little loose sand. mostly dry hard dirt and rocks with scattered brush.
"Harfmil" <kingp...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Hhon9.9422$lV3.8...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
Jenn
Thanks! (And thanks to Jeff, too, for answering my question.)
Jennifer
B
first,also after even a half hour that water temp has come way
down........B