Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi there...

I have 3 patternless leos in a 30 gallon long tank, equipped with an UTH pad and a nightglo bulb. Decor wise, alot of rocks and two sandwich hide boxes filled with Sphagnum moss. They also have a water dish and a clacium/vitamin dish. ( I just removed the moss in fear they may have ingested it, causing the runny poop. )

Tonight I came home to see a runny portion of feces in their "pile", which is normally hard. I was worried, so I looked in my book collection, and all 4 said to take them to the vet immediately.

Oh, and by the way: I feed a staple of superworms with the occasional cockroach or cricket. I have been slacking lately on dusting their food because I know they have been licking their supplement dish....which is probably irresponsible of me.

All three have nice, fat tails and are active as usual. So besides the one sight of runny feces, I've had no problems.

Well, I noticed their harder poop smells bad, but I figured that was normal. I'm also going to replace the tile I have them on with carpet because I think the tiles play part in the smell. ( Going into the cracks where I can't clean as well. )

Anyways, all the books I read said that it is a sign of parasite infection. They said it should be seen by a vet ASAP, and dehydration can occur very quickly.

I don't have a problem with taking them to the vet if I have to...but I want to know if I'm overreacting or not. Should I wait until I see it again, and then act?

Or move ASAP?

Thanks,
Zeb

Collect the suspicious poo and take it to the vet. They can do a fecal exam to see if there are any parasites or other bugs in the runny poop. It could be tricky to find out who made ‘it’, so I’d start thinking about separate cages if the fecal comes back positive. I’ve used sphagnum moss for 5-6 months now without problem. I have seen runny poo’s with a few of my leos, usually if there is a dietary change. After a day or two at the most, they are back to normal. They could be getting accustom to the un-dusted food, although I’d suggest a light dusting of all food items. It would be a good idea to get the fecal test done; it shouldn’t cost much at all. This can put your mind at ease, and give you a chance to become friends with your local vet. Best of luck, and keep us posted.