Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,
I have a female PTS that is almost a year old. She eats great and has proper temp/humidity. I have not seen any feces for,at the very least,two weeks. I know PTS do not poop very often, but I know she should have gone be now. The last time she pooped was like a couple of weeks ago, but it was a very very small turd. I have been putting her outside so she can get plenty of exersize, raising her temps, and raising her humidity. I have been giving her daily soaks in warm water. I have been giving her a lot of bananas, but her normal food items are also being offered. I am using the information posted a while back when zeteki's 'King' was 'going vertical'. She is looking rather plump, but she seems more energetic than ever. Should I be doing something I am not? Is a vet visit needed? Should I stop feeding till she poops or should I keep feeding to help force the poop out? I do not think this is the case, but would a PTS swallow a rock? I have some rocks in the potted plants to keep her out of the dirt. Most are too large to fit in her mouth, but she may be able to swallow some of them. I can't see why she would eat a rock, but it would explain her being plugged up. I figure she will poop sooner or later, but I still want some advice to make sure. Thank you very much for you help, Josh

The absolute safest thing to do in this situation is take her in to the vet. However, if you feel confident in your ability to monitor her closely you can possibly wait. If she stops eating or changes her behavior in any way (becomes lethargic, changes her activity patterns, etc) take her to the vet immediately, do not wait.

The fruit and the daily soaks are a good idea. A gentle stomach massage wouldn't be out of order either. If you think she wouldn't be stressed by it, you may want to try soaking 2x/day. Other things that have been known to work are to add a few drops of mineral oil to her next meal OR (not and) if you're sure that she's drinking plenty of water, sprinkle a bit of metamucil over her food. If she isn't getting enough water this can be problematic though. I would also suggest that you check and recheck your husbandry and diet. These are often the cause of ailments, even when we think we've got everything right.

Good luck!

-Z