Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone! I'm Liz... I have an Egyptian, her name is Losie... I'm really worried... within the last three days, she has become extremely "lazy". This really isn't like her... She is hiding all the time.. and I haven't seen her eat anything.. she wont even eat out of my hand.. I haven't changed anything... She is getting the same diet, her vitamins/calcium, the temps are correct.. everything... but she wont come out to bask.. at all... she is normally very active.... She is shedding... and usually when she sheds.. she does get a little "depressed" but not like this.... She is even "jumpy" when I put my hand in the cage... ( i handle her every day) The only difference is her cage.... I know they're creatures of habit..... but I finally found a rock cave and "log" that are larger enough for her...... so I bought them and put them in there for her... At first... she was great with it... she went right over got on top of the large "rock cave" and laid in her artificial "sun" not long after she climbed down and hid in the log and she has been there ever since..... HELP!!!! Is she ok? is it a combo of the shedding and new surroundings? WHy wont she eat? please help... should I take her to the vet?

She may be trying to brumate. I've noticed uro's will get instinctively defensive when they are in their hides. Maybe she just wants to rest for a while. If she was eating well before she can go a long time without eating, so I would not worry about that. How old/big is she? You don't need to take her to a vet, just give her some time. Keep us posted.

Peter

i agree with what georgio said. i recently had a monitor who decided to stop eating for TWO WEEKS just because i MOVED his cage. Needless to say, we were about 5 minutes from total panic when he finally started wolfing down his crickets like he used to. However, if you are really worried and/or uncomfortable after a few more days pass with no change, there's no trouble in taking him to the vet with a nice fresh poo dropping (my gravid uro was kind enough to supply us with one in the car on the way over .

good luck
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1.2 Mali Uromastyx (Ricky, Quinn, Anna)
0.1 Yellow Ackies (Roxie)
1.0 Timor (Zealot)

Emily
www.egomantra.com/npoh

I have noticed in my egyptians that a change in the decor can cause shyness.
Even a food stoppage.
3 days is not a great deal of time when you consider that healthy animals can live off fat stores for a long period of time-adult and juveniles....

If you don't already, get a measurement and weight of your egyptian. Monitor the situation for a week. Try not to disturb for a few days. Offer food, but make yourself scarce.
Maybe a change in food items is required-maybe a mealworm treat. All mine love these-even the adults...however they do not get them al too much.
Good luck, keep us posted.
Ed

Thanks so much for the help guys... I came home today.... and ALL the food I had left in her tank was gone!!!!! Yeah!!! and she had pooped in the empty dish..... She is still hiding quite often... but i have a feeling this may be due to the humidity here.... It has been chilly and rainy for weeks...and all of the sudden it has been extremely hot and humid.. could this trigger her behavior?

Great to hear!
My most humble opinion is these animals will have periods when they are not feeling themselves.
People have them. They are not a crisis. Just a phase.
My U. Acanthinurus just went through one too.

The weather....
I didn't believe that changes in weather caused bones to ache...but now all my hockey injuries tend to flare up when the weather gets bad....Barometric presure...could be the issue.
So go figure....