Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So a couple days ago I took my rescued collareds to the vet after trying to get them to eat for 3 weeks...
They wouldn't touch anything [wax,butter,meal,super worms, crickets,grasshoppers, luna moths, mealworm beetles & roaches]
& since they weren't eating they were going "potty" either.
They are still active as ever but visually you can tell that the not eating strike has made them thinner as if they weren't skinny enough! I've been soaking them every other day.
The texas desert one seems to have kinks in his tail that keep getting worse and the vet said it is probably metabolic bone disease from before I had them yet he wouldn't take xrays to make sure... and now the tip of his tail has shrived up and is dead.. I can pinch it and he doesn't feel a thing...
The vet also said they felt impacted but wasn't "sure" and he didn't want to worm them until he recieved a fecal, even though I'm unable to get a fecal because they aren't going.
He gave me a herbivore powder to mix with water and syringe feed them twice a day... and said the herbivore mixture will flush out their systems rather than the insectivore mixture. It seems to be doing alright although I have yet to notice any feces in the cage... and they have learned not to open their mouths for me anymore. They are on paper towels right now so I can keep a close watch on what goes in and out.
The vet was not much of any help has he refused to take any action what so ever until i keep doing the same thing I've been doing for 3 weeks for one more week and then said to come back...
so I can pay another $75 office visit...
I was not happy with the outcome of that day.. and clearly he was not sure of anything.
Any suggestions on what to do? or what should have been done? etc
I'm running out of hope.

feeder lizards?
Is this nessicary and if so... does anyone know of any good websites for ordering???

Thanks everyone

No, I really don't like the suggestion that you get "feeder lizards." They do just fine on insects, and do not require lizards to remain healthy.

I think my first approach would be to deparasitize them. I doubt they're impacted. One maybe, but all of them? That just sounds suspicious to me. Besides, if you are soaking them regularly, that is as good as anything to keep their bowels moving.

I don't know what's wrong with your lizards, but if they were mine I'd treat 'em with Flagyl and Panacur, and I might start them on Baytril, too. I have had Baytril turn them around when I thought for sure they were going to die and it wouldn't do any good. It shouldn't hurt to give it (.01 cc once daily for a week), and it just may help.

Good luck,

élan
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5.6.0 Collareds
1.2.0 Leopard Lizards
1.0.0 Mali Uromastix
1.2.0 Green Anole
1.0.0 Chinese Dwarf Newt
1.0.0 White's Treefrog
1.0.0 Fire bellied toad
1.0.0 Treefrog (Alabama native)
Even More Felines
1.3.0 Canines
1.0.0 Equine

i have never fed feeder lizards because they wouldn't be feeders for very long after i saw them, they would be pets!

there is this stuff called mineral oil. it's sort of like liquid vasoline and it's in the laxative section at a drug store. it has no medicines in it, just lubes you up. i have used it to help lizards go to the bathroom and i also use it to help them peel. if you need some poop, that might help.

i would either get the A/D stuff elan talks about or switch to chicken baby food. i can't imagine herbivore food pumping them up. if they don't open their mouths either plug their noses, they open their mouths immediately or pull down their lip on the side of their mouth and just put a little food in there at a time. it can seem cruel but if they live, they will thank you in the long run.

i would either ask the vet about a recheck price, like if they tell you to come back, they only charge you like a portion of the cost or i would find another vet who maybe knows more. try this site

http://herpvetconnection.com/
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vonnie

***I have learnt silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers. Kahlil Gibran***

Personally I'd be inclined to keep them too, and I might be wrong, lets face it we aren't vets but if something has an empty gut it could do without squeezing something as big as a lizard in there right?
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Kel

www.collaredlizards.co.uk
0:0:1 Timor Monitor
2:2 Collared Lizards
1:6 Green Anoles
1:0 Dune Scorpion
3:0 Imperial Scorpions
2:0 Desert Hairy Scorpions
0:1 Mexican Red Knee Tarantula