crypto or birth mark?

[bob_thesnowman]

hey,i recently aquired a blizzard leo,she has a dark spot on her left side,she didn't want to eat today,but she's eaten every other day i've fed her,and seems just as active as any leo,but still the spot....can anyone show me a good clear pic of a leo with crypto in the early stages??does anyone this this is definately crypto or just a birthmark?please help any confirmation of my beliefs,or reassurance would be greatly appreciated!!

[bob_thesnowman]

sorry the first this should be think

[bob_thesnowman]

can anyone take a guess??please?? :(

[Rebecca]

It could be just her insides. Is she young?? I believe that crypto spots come late in the problem. After they've stopped eatting and have lost weight. I could be wrong though. There is another thread here somewhere that discusses the exact same thing.

[drewlowe]

It's most likely her one of her organs. The black mark for crypoto doesn't start showing until around the end. When the leo is very sick & thin thats when you will see a black mark on the tummy.

[Youkai]

It could be either the liver or...feces. Easy to see through the gut on young leos. :)

[Ixidor]

what is crypto ?

[Tim and Julie B]

Cryto is the reptile version of our Beaver Fever. Can cause a severe lack of appetite and damage to the internal organs. Almost always fatal and highly contageous. I don't believe there is any cure either.

Well bob:D I would think that it is probably just feces. I often used to worry about dark spots, especially on albinos and blizzards because their skin is so translucent, then realized the next day when the poop was still fresh that I was being paranoid! Keep an eye on her and keep us updated!:D

Julie

[bob_thesnowman]

hey guys thanks!!!lol,i feel a bit better now,but that spot never seems to go away,and it's on the side,not underneath it,do you still think it's not crypto?

[drewlowe]

Is the gecko REALLY skinny and not eating or drinking. Is it laying around and not really moving. That's when the black comes in. The black will ONLY show towards the end of crypto. Never have i seen or heard of a case where the black comes in towards the begging of crypto. Crypto can also stay hidden for a while. Say if you had a new aquire and you did the proper quarintine then introduced it into an established colony with one or a few of the leos having a weaker immune system the crypto will get to them alot quicker. your leos may also not show any signs at all of having it and live there live long and happy without any side effects.

If your uncertain find a reptuable vet in your area or even if you have to travel a bit (i drive an hour to mine). Ask them to check her out have them run a fecal (if possible) and ask (only if it's a qualified herp vet) if it is possible for them to do a stomach wash and have them send off the sample for a lab to be tested. The only other way is to have the leo euthanised and have a necropsy done to show whether or not it is crypto (i suggest doing that only if you have a colony of leos and the vet cannont find outs what going on and the situation is not getting better and they are nearing the end.)

if you have any other question i will try to help.

[bob_thesnowman]

thanks drewlowe,i feel a bit more confident now,she's eaten since she's come here,is quite active(lol,quite cranky to she's the only one who freaks out and bites me when i pick her up!!)and she is not really skinny,thanks guys!

Chris

[drewlowe]

No problem i think alot of people misunderstand the signs of crypto. They try to pay too close attention to the black dot thing but they don't relize it doesn't show until the bitter end and they are just seeing organs. I'm glad you took the time to ask though. if you ever have any other questions about crypto in leos i will try to help.

Jamie

[bob_thesnowman]

thanks Jamie,i'm just paranoid i guess