Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone know of a good way to get a female panther to go the bathroom? I've got one who hasn't gone for a long time and she's gained a LOT of weight (20g) and earlier she had her mouth open like maybe it was a problem.... Ideas appreciated. Vet not available tomorrow.
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Tyler Stewart
Las Vegas NV
1.2 Nosy Be Panthers
2.2 Sambava Panthers
1.0 Tamatave Panther
1.0 Nosy Be X Unknown Cross
1.1 Veiled Chameleons
0.0.2 CBB Desert Tortoises
0.0.1 Sulcatta Tortoise

if he/she is not drinking; misting their mouth if he/she gaps helps to get things moving internally.i have had success with this proccess with my 6 yr old female jacksons who has had 2 liters!!! IM SO PROUD OF HER!!!

hold this helps tyler?..

sorry i didnt read it correctly;;;; she panther chameleon

Tyler-

How many days has it been since she defecated? How long has it been since she ate and drank water? Is she gravid? Have you tried to feel her abdomen for any large pieces of feces in the intestines? What were you feeding her? Anything in the cage you see her eat that is not meant to be ate (dirt/sand/rocks/moss...)? Dose she bask more then usual? Does she get natural sunlight?

Offering lots of water will help to loosen things up inside. Also liquid foods like baby food works good, green foods like vegetables gets things moving. The last option is to do an enema. There are other factors depending on the answers to the above questions. Hope this helps!
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John W. Lucas

CHAMELEON PARADISE

CHAMELEONS ONLINE E-ZINE AUTHOR

Feeding Baby Chameleons
Caging Baby Chameleons

F. pardalis

Ambilobe Locale
Nosy Be Locale
Sambava Locale

Rhampholeon uluguruensis

Eggs Incubating-

F. pardalis - Ambilobe Locale

got SILKWORMS!

Photo © Chameleon Paradise 2003

The situation with this girl is kinda a long one.... She's laid a few clutches of eggs... Recently, she had laid 34, then about 5-6 weeks later, August 28th, she laid 12, which is by far the smallest clutch I've ever had. The eggs were very small and after 2 weeks all but 2 had died (infertile). So now I have only those 2 eggs, which are doing fine. But a long time ago, she had laid 31 eggs and the next day acted like she needed to lay again, so I put her in the egg laying container and she laid 2 more eggs the day after. That was like 6 months ago or more. So I figured this time maybe she had more eggs, because 12 small eggs was incredibly small. I tried her in the container a few days ago and nothing happened. She had gravid colors, and has for a long time. I seem to think it's some sort of combination of eggs and constipation. She's very big, but doesn't really look gravid.... It's like her whole body is kinda rounded, not just her rear half. It's probably been about 7-10 days since she has defecated and she has been eating lots, crickets, super's, roaches and a few waxworms. She's kinda stopped eating the last 2-3 days. Everything else about her husbandry is fine. She's my oldest female panther and she's been fine up until now. She still acts normal and I wasn't really worried about it until I saw her opened mouth today (breathing). I know that egg bound females can suffocate if they don't lay, I'm just afraid the same thing could happen with her from being constipated. What does an enema consist of? I'll try the baby food tomorrow and schedule a vet visit for Monday. I think even if she goes the bathroom, oxytocin might be a good idea cause I still think she's got some eggs in her, and they're getting pretty old. If she only laid 12, that's 20-22 less than normal. The 12 eggs was her 4th clutch. She's had gravid colors ever since before she laid the 12. She gets natural sun 2-3 times a week for a few hours each time and has full UVB lights (2 tubes) and my supplements are fine. I don't think it's a husbandry problem, unless maybe just a lack of water. I see her drinking every now and then (whenever the water turns on it seems she's drinking). I'll give baby food and water a shot tomorrow. Thanks for the responses.
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Tyler Stewart
Las Vegas NV
1.2 Nosy Be Panthers
2.2 Sambava Panthers
1.0 Tamatave Panther
1.0 Nosy Be X Unknown Cross
1.1 Veiled Chameleons
0.0.2 CBB Desert Tortoises
0.0.1 Sulcatta Tortoise

Tyler-

Were the eggs uncalsified (yellow) or just infertile? 12 eggs is a very small clutch. I am not sure about oxytocin, it doesn't seem to be to effective. If you think there is a combo of dystocia and constipation can you feel anything unusual in her. What concerns me is that she is noted for retaining eggs, as you noted, so she very well could be filled with eggs and food. An x-ray could tell you if there are eggs or not if you cant feel them. Also your vet may have to do an operation to remove any eggs if the oxytocin doesn't work. If this is the case breeding her in the future may not be a good idea. An enema is when the vet uses a small tube and inserts in to the rectum, then squirts water through the tube in the rectum to help break up any blockages. (Not eggs!) Natural sunlight can do wonders, I would expose her to as much as possible right now. If she has not defecated in over a week then I would get her to the vet ASAP. In the mean time try the water and or baby food. If you do get her to defecate it will be big. Was she gaping while basking, if so I would not think much of it. Right now until you get her to a vet getting liquid in her is key. Hope this helps!
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John W. Lucas

CHAMELEON PARADISE

CHAMELEONS ONLINE E-ZINE AUTHOR

Feeding Baby Chameleons
Caging Baby Chameleons

F. pardalis

Ambilobe Locale
Nosy Be Locale
Sambava Locale

Rhampholeon uluguruensis

Eggs Incubating-

F. pardalis - Ambilobe Locale

got SILKWORMS!

Photo © Chameleon Paradise 2003

No, the eggs she laid were very good looking besides being small, but after a little time, the infertile ones went bad. They just started turning yellow, then brown and I got rid of them. But 2 of them stayed bright white. I can't feel anything in her because of her size.... Her body's just so big that if I put any pressure on it it feels like it would pop. So I can't tell from feeling her. Even if I felt something I wouldn't know if it was eggs or not. I'll keep on the sunlight too, but she got quite a bit already. Probably a total of 10-15 hours a week how it is, spread out every other day or so.
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Tyler Stewart
Las Vegas NV
1.2 Nosy Be Panthers
2.2 Sambava Panthers
1.0 Tamatave Panther
1.0 Nosy Be X Unknown Cross
1.1 Veiled Chameleons
0.0.2 CBB Desert Tortoises
0.0.1 Sulcatta Tortoise

I got her nice and hydrated this morning, but while I was doing so, I peeked in her cage to see if there was any cleaning that needed to be done, and there was a fresh "deposit." It was the normal size and looked fine. Maybe she's just full of eggs. I weighed her again and she's still extremely heavy. Currently about 18 grams heavier than ever before and all they weight has come in the last month. She's stopped eating though, and maybe she'll be laying in a few days. If so, there will be like 50 eggs. We'll see I guess.
-----
Tyler Stewart
Las Vegas NV
1.2 Nosy Be Panthers
2.2 Sambava Panthers
1.0 Tamatave Panther
1.0 Nosy Be X Unknown Cross
1.1 Veiled Chameleons
0.0.2 CBB Desert Tortoises
0.0.1 Sulcatta Tortoise

Tyler-

Sounds good! Keep us updated!
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John W. Lucas

CHAMELEON PARADISE

CHAMELEONS ONLINE E-ZINE AUTHOR

Feeding Baby Chameleons
Caging Baby Chameleons

F. pardalis

Ambilobe Locale
Nosy Be Locale
Sambava Locale

Rhampholeon uluguruensis

Eggs Incubating-

F. pardalis - Ambilobe Locale

got SILKWORMS!

Photo © Chameleon Paradise 2003

Here's a pic of her... It's kinda hard to tell by the photo, but she's just really round in the body, like baloonish. She's also 20 grams (a fifth of her weight) heavier than she's ever been, even when she was full of eggs.

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Tyler Stewart
Las Vegas NV
1.2 Nosy Be Panthers
2.2 Sambava Panthers
1.0 Tamatave Panther
1.0 Nosy Be X Unknown Cross
1.1 Veiled Chameleons
0.0.2 CBB Desert Tortoises
0.0.1 Sulcatta Tortoise