Runny Poop

[makaveli]

I just seen my male leo poop and it was mushy and wet and I wanted to know if this happens sometimes?

[geckomom]

Ahhh, I've had that happen a couple of times, and not being a leo expert, or immediately having a fecal (I'm an idiot!), the geckos didn't make it. Lesson learned: fecals are important, and I now have a qualified vet!

I'm sure you'll get some much better advice than mine. My main point was, just from my limited experience, when something unusual like that occurs, the best thing to do is have it checked out IMMEDIATELY by a qualified vet!

Good luck to you!

[asphyxia]

Are you sure it not just "Fresh"? is it the same shape when it dries?

[makaveli]

Yes, it was the same shape when it dried it it looked like a patty not real runny just looked mushy, but this morning it was gone. maybe the crix ate it? I will see if the poop stays the same tonight. What could cause this? I have had him for a month and a half now and this is the first time this has happend.

[asphyxia]

"Yes, it was the same shape when it dried "

In that case I personally just think it was just a fresh poop.

[drewlowe]

if it was a little mushy i would get a fecal done, they are normal only 15 USD (if you can drop them off for testing without the animal being seen). better to be on the safe side. Plus it's recommend to get a regular fecal done at least once a year. as a side note i wouldn't leave crix in the cage all the time because they will eat the feces and if your leo has anything then crix eat it then your leos eat the crix. It's a bad cycle to go through.

[makaveli]

Tonight if the poop is back to being "normal" should I still get a fecal done? What are some of the diseases, that causes moist poop? Could this not be something serious, just some kind of phase? Like people and animals go through sometimes?

[Tim and Julie B]

Definately get that fecal done. I want to give you some info on what can cause this problem.

Diarrhea is not in itself a disease, but a possible syptom of something much worse. A normal "poop" should consist of two things: a brown or black feces and a solid chalky white urate. If is is soft or liquid, contains mucous or blood, is discolored, smells badly, or if your gecko is also vomitting then you should get a fecal immediately! Many things can cause diarrhea.
1.improper temperatures (causes bad digestion)
2.too large of meal or food items (cannot be digested at all)
3.feeding bad or old food items
4.sudden change in diet (everything should be given gradually)
5.foreign body or impaction
6.parasites (internal)
7.bacterial, fungal, or viral infection
8.wrong type of diet
9.stress

If you think any of this applies to your leo then be sure to have a vet take a look and do some tests. It is important when you notice problems to record them so that you can give your vet every available bit of information possible. I hope your leo is okay, but why chance it, especially when a fecal is so inexpensive. Just pick it up, put it in a ziplock of something similar, and take it in. If your leo shares an enclosure with any others, seperate them all into rubbermaids or tanks, clean them daily and gets fecals on all of them. Better safe than sorry:D

Julie

[geckomom]

Julie, I wish I'd been on this board to get your advice when I first started with leos. Lost 4 of them, all of them had "runny poop" but no other symptoms (at least to my untrained eye), and I had no clue that fecals could/should be done on leos.

I've now got 3 babies, and I think I could say I've become an obsessive "poop watcher" (altho I did find a herp vet before I got them, and the first fecals were neg).

Good advice, and I'm going to print it out and keep it with my leo health library. Thanks!

[Tim and Julie B]

No problem "mom". I have been obsessed with leos since I got my first one. I have become even more obsessed now that so many people keep them, and there seems to be even more problems popping up. I am constantly on the net looking for new information, or old, and then figuring out what info is accurate. I don't have a lot of spare time, but most of it is devoted to my leos, at 60 breeders:D:D I still sit and watch them all eat, usually a good 2 hrs (I like to hand feed most:D) and can tell when something is amiss. I hope to have a more accurate caresheet available soon, to dismiss all the bad info out there. Maybe if people are more informed there will be less fatalities. After all, you only know what you know, and unless someone passes on info, you won't know any more than you do already! Good luck with you new babies, I am sure they are in good hands!:D

Julie

[makaveli]

How long hould I leave the mealies in the tank? I read somewhere that after a day goes by the loose all thier nutrition, Is this true? Should I change the mealies everyday? I have changed thier diet alittle I use to feed them waxworms every feeding time but I read that you shouldn't do this because they love waxworms and won,t eat anything else after awhile. Tim&julie what caresheet do you recommend for people to read?

[eyespy]

That's true, makaveli. Most of the stuff we use for gutload is nutritious for the reptiles but the mealies' bodies don't need it and don't process it. So once they poop, the gutload is gone. It's best to put just a small amount of mealies in, what you figure they will eat in a day and then a couple extra in case they are especially hungry.

[Tim and Julie B]

There are so many caresheets out there, it can be hard to determine which are useful and which are useless! I am in the process of forming a new one, but until then I would say Melissa Kaplan's is the best. There is also Tremper's. I will post a link for you. It is fairly comprehensive, but does lack a few details. Information is changing frequently and I have been studying all available information and performing my own tests over the last year or two. Things like housing, temperatures, feeding, breeding and medical concerns. I hope to complete my caresheet soon, maybe within the next month or so, and will provide it to anyone interested. Take care!:D

Julie

The link won't work so go to www.leopardgecko.com and go to the care information section at the bottom of the page!:rolleyes:

[makaveli]

Thanks