Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just stay wrinkled and thin????

Many of you know that I just rehabbed a group of these, and though they are all bright eyed and self feeding, and gaining some weight slowly, they just stay thinnish and somewhat dehydrated. I soak them daily and they all drink in the bath. I have treated for mites and there is no sign that there are any. They are processing just find with good temps, MVB, hides, etc. I had a fecal done, whcih came back negative.

I worry about this group, but there is an ad in the classified section selling the same type easterns, and his male looks the same! He has good weight in the middle and front limbs, but has bags for back legs, and looks generally dry! I compare these to my C. Bicintores, and he is just round and shiny all over. Shouldn't they at least be round all over even if their colors are naturally less vibrant? Here is my beefy C.Bic.

They look like they're on the right track. I would keep doing what you are doing and they should gain the weight that they need. To answer your question they should not be skinny, looking at their hips in the pics I'd say they could gain some more weight. One thing that I've always done when I soak my dehydrated lizards is add regular pedialite to the water every third soak. And anyone let me know if they have had any experiance with this but that will add the electrolytes that the lizards need as well as rehydrate them.

I'll try that. These poor things were so emaciated when they came in that I had to give sub Q fluids for several treatments to two of them, and tube feed fuids and reptiaid (stress/recovery formula, similar to critical care) for three. The female was never in such bad shape as the males, and she drank like crazy the day they arrived.

But the one in the classified section doesn't look any better than these recovering ones. Thats why I asked. Hopefully, mine will fair better than those.

Hey Donna, just be careful of relapses with these guys. Just when ya think they are out of the woods, one decides not to eat again, or bask as normal.

I hope you are over that hump, but sometimes it's a longer haul than a couple weeks.
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PHEve / Eve

Yeah, I know. Thanks for the reminder. Reptiles are the hardest group to rehab because of that. No matter how many critical lizards I rehab, I always get frustrated at the slow pace at which they recover compared to mammals and birds. I am watching carefully. I make sure that I see each of them eat everyday, and do the bath. The thinnest and most wrinkled one is the biggest pig. I think I will have the vet do another fecal. Sometimes the first one doesn't tell the real story, especially when the animal is getting replacement fluid therapy or critical care.

I just asked because I saw that other one in the classified section that looks almost as bad, and I am sure that person probably posted the best of the bunch. I just wondered if there isn't an illness or condition common to these particular collareds.

In my opinion since they( Same locale rescues ) started my problems end of last season, I feel they are loaded with mites from that area.
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Eve
Suncharmers

Yes, and are anemic because of that. Then they are vulnerable to loads of other secondary problems. I have family in that area, and I have to say that you can't step off the beaten path without being covered in bugs. Its worse than here, SE Texas!

We turned a corner!

The skinniest one shed today and he is purdy! The others look less wrinkled too. I hope its not just a fluke!

hey i was wondering if you were having problems with your new lizards. i havent been on the forum that much, but i know you got new lizards, and i thought i read a few that you seemed worried about them. I hope their doing alright. the two that i have gotten have doing great, they eat every day, so much so that im running out of food 4 times faster. its crazy. they have decimated my once great mealworm population. im gonna have to replenish them!! but i hope your new lizards are doing good.
im windering though, if your lizardsarent sodoing so well, but mine are ok, why is their such a difference? why do some lizards do better than others? im sure yours will be fine, but im guesing they got off to a rocky start. sorry!! i hope they are doing ok now? good luck with them!!
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Guy LoPresti
2.2 collared lizards (Lizzy,Stevie 2,Ike,Adrien)
1.1 firebelly toads
1 baby emperor scorpion (ceasar "caligula" )
( if you know what caligula means you'll get it)
4 dogs (groucho charles bugs Gracie)

My lizards are all improving now. I don't want to share specifics on a public forum, but yes, these Easterns were all emaciated when they arrived here. I'm glad that you aren't having troubles with yours. I think these are all from a particular area, mine and others that I have seen and heard about, and they have similar problems.

But thanks, Guy. After nearly losing two of them and working diligently on them for weeks, I do think they are finally starting to thrive. Cross your fingers for us!

U have to be vigilent. I got in a trio of Easterns 2 wks ago and the add said "they're feeding and in good condition" but when I got them they were a little dehyd. and emaciated. I gave them Panacur and started FF them Critical Care and Pedialyte (1.1). I thought they were recovering but 2 days ago I found 1 of the females dead (I think she stressed and succumb). Surprised (and saddened) the hell outta me...she REALLY looked like she was on the road to recovery? I hope things turn out well....goood luck.

Amazing how attached I've gotten to them already...they REALLY do have ALOT of personality.

Yeah, these do continue to go up and down. Two are completely stable, but two keep backsliding. I watch them carefully and handfeed the reptiaid when they seem to be wrinkling up again. Reptile rehab is painfully slow. It can take as much as a year to fully rehab some reptiles with certain conditions, and some people say that once a reptile gets seriously dehydrated, it will have some degree of renal damage and will eventually die from it. I hope that isn't true. I have several lizards here that I adore that came to me in grave condition. All but these easterns are stable now, but as I said, it took a few several months to a year to get to that point.

seems to me that the males tend to remain skinny, and the females tend to gain weight. idk why but my females seem to be really chuncky. maybe cuz they carry eggs. the males eat alot, but they never seem to gain weight. they seem to reamain, but they are really fast. kinda like a big macho athlete. the females and the males and females to me seem very different, in mentality and body shape and size. i may be wrong, and maybe my males just arent eating right, but thats what ive observed. sorry i couldnt help. good luck with your guys.
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Guy LoPresti
2.2 collared lizards (Lizzy,Stevie 2,Ike,Adrien)
1.1 firebelly toads
1 baby emperor scorpion (ceasar "caligula" )
( if you know what caligula means you'll get it)
4 dogs (groucho charles bugs Gracie)