[gecko]Sick -- probably dying -- gecko
Leann Christenson
gecko@lists.gekkota.com
Sun, 30 Apr 2006 19:18:15 -0500
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One of the parasite that is often looked over by veterinarians is =
Cryptosporidium . This is because it requires a specific test that most =
veterinarians do not do in house. It must be specifically requested.
I mention this because you are describing two of the most common =
symptoms - wasting and regurgitation. =20
Regretfully, Crypto is becoming more and more common in the leopard =
gecko population, especially pet store leopard geckos. Crypto is spread =
by fecal contact that gets into the mouth. Leopard geckos eat crickets =
that walk on the bottom of enclosure. The crickets step into infected =
droppings (poop or what ever you call it) and then the gecko eats them. =
The infected gecko begins to waste away, usually over a long time =
period, regurgitates its food and finally becomes very weak and dies. =20
Many keepers think Crypto ends in death for any gecko who gets it. =
However, in a number of instances, the gecko can survive. Through strict =
quarantine, keeping the gecko's enclosure very clean (remove fecal =
matter the minute you see it), providing easy to digest food, and treat =
other symptoms can a gecko have a chance of survival. Quarantine is =
also very important in order to keep Crypto from spreading to any other =
geckos in your collection. =20
There is so much to say about Crypto. I am not a vet and cannot say =
that your gecko has this, but because of the rising incidence of Crypto, =
it should be considered. Whether or not you decide to test for Crypto, =
take all precautions just in case it is. =20
If you would like more information about Crypo, how to nursed the sick =
gecko, or necessary quarantine practices to safeguard other geckos, I =
would be glad to share more.
Leann Christenson
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Jamie A. Stine=20
To: gecko@lists.gekkota.com=20
Sent: Sunday, April 30, 2006 3:18 PM
Subject: Re: [gecko]Sick -- probably dying -- gecko
uhm.... Might I ask why you're feeding mealies in the first place? =
IMHO, mealies shouldn't be a staple food source for geckos -- they're =
too crunchy. The exoskeletons are very difficult to digest..
Anyway, that being said, what does her poop look like? IS she =
pooping? She could have an impaction from built up chitin from the =
mealies, that's why I'm asking.=20
Jamie A. Stine
On 4/30/06, Diane@animail.com <Diane@animail.com > wrote:=20
Thanks for the advice. I got her to eat about three mealworms last =
night,
even without cutting their heads off. I just dropped them into the
enclosure in front of her, one at a time. However, in the morning I =
found
them regurgitated. So I'm going to have to bite the bullet and take =
her to=20
the vet, although I don't have much confidence in any of the local =
vets as
far as leos are concerned. I cleaned her enclosure today and am =
waiting
for her furniture to dry off to put it and her back in it. Maybe =
that will=20
perk her up a bit -- or not.
Diane
--=20
Jamie A. Stine
Chat Host and Moderator, The Melleri Discovery=20
TankDiveGirl@gmail.com=20
TankDiveGirl@yahoo.com
Yahoo IM: TankDiveGirl
AIM: CalvusGirl
http://www.myspace.com/tmelleri
http://www.melleridiscovery.com
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>One of the parasite that is often =
looked over by=20
veterinarians is Cryptosporidium . This is because it requires a =
specific=20
test that most veterinarians do not do in house. It must be =
specifically=20
requested.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I mention this because you are =
describing two of=20
the most common symptoms - wasting and regurgitation. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Regretfully, Crypto is becoming more =
and more=20
common in the leopard gecko population, especially pet =
store leopard=20
geckos. Crypto is spread by fecal contact that gets into the =
mouth. =20
Leopard geckos eat crickets that walk on the bottom of enclosure. =
The=20
crickets step into infected droppings (poop or what ever you =
call=20
it) and then the gecko eats them. The infected gecko =
begins to=20
waste away, usually over a long time period, regurgitates its food and =
finally=20
becomes very weak and dies. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Many keepers think Crypto ends in=20
death for any gecko who gets it. However, in a number of =
instances,=20
the gecko can survive. </FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Through =
strict=20
quarantine, keeping the gecko's enclosure very clean (remove fecal =
matter the=20
minute you see it), providing easy to digest food, and treat other =
symptoms can=20
a gecko have a chance of survival. Quarantine is also very =
important in=20
order to keep Crypto from spreading to any other geckos in your=20
collection. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>There is so much to say about =
Crypto. I am=20
not a vet and cannot say that your gecko has this, but because of the =
rising=20
incidence of Crypto, it should be considered. Whether or =
not you=20
decide to test for Crypto, take all precautions just in case it =
is. =20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If you would like more information =
about Crypo, how=20
to nursed the sick gecko, or necessary quarantine practices to safeguard =
other=20
geckos, I would be glad to share more.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Leann Christenson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dtankdivegirl@gmail.com =
href=3D"mailto:tankdivegirl@gmail.com">Jamie A.=20
Stine</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dgecko@lists.gekkota.com=20
href=3D"mailto:gecko@lists.gekkota.com">gecko@lists.gekkota.com</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, April 30, 2006 =
3:18=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [gecko]Sick -- =
probably=20
dying -- gecko</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>uhm.... Might I ask why you're feeding mealies in the =
first=20
place? IMHO, mealies shouldn't be a staple food source for =
geckos --=20
they're too crunchy. The exoskeletons are very difficult to=20
digest..<BR><BR>Anyway, that being said, what does her poop look =
like? =20
IS she pooping? She could have an impaction from built up =
chitin=20
from the mealies, that's why I'm asking. <BR><BR>Jamie A. =
Stine<BR><BR>
<DIV><SPAN class=3Dgmail_quote>On 4/30/06, <B =
class=3Dgmail_sendername><A=20
href=3D"mailto:Diane@animail.com">Diane@animail.com</A></B> <<A=20
href=3D"mailto:Diane@animail.com">Diane@animail.com</A> > =
wrote:</SPAN>=20
<BLOCKQUOTE class=3Dgmail_quote=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: =
rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid">Thanks=20
for the advice. I got her to eat about three mealworms last =
night,<BR>even=20
without cutting their heads off. I just dropped them into =
the<BR>enclosure=20
in front of her, one at a time. However, in the morning I =
found<BR>them=20
regurgitated. So I'm going to have to bite the bullet and take her =
to=20
<BR>the vet, although I don't have much confidence in any of the =
local vets=20
as<BR>far as leos are concerned. I cleaned her enclosure =
today=20
and am waiting<BR>for her furniture to dry off to put it and her =
back in it.=20
Maybe that will <BR>perk her up a bit -- or=20
not.<BR><BR>Diane<BR><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR>-- <BR>Jamie A.=20
Stine<BR>Chat Host and Moderator, The Melleri Discovery <BR><BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:TankDiveGirl@gmail.com">TankDiveGirl@gmail.com =
</A><BR><A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:TankDiveGirl@yahoo.com">TankDiveGirl@yahoo.com</A><BR><BR>=
Yahoo=20
IM: TankDiveGirl<BR>AIM: CalvusGirl<BR><BR><A=20
=
href=3D"http://www.myspace.com/tmelleri">http://www.myspace.com/tmelleri<=
/A><BR><A=20
=
href=3D"http://www.melleridiscovery.com">http://www.melleridiscovery.com<=
/A>=20
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