Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Day before yesterday Fella never came out from her sleeping spot.
Which didn't concern me at first,because shes been laying around the last 2 weeks,not moving from her basking spot.
I figured she was trying to go into brumation.(Her tank temps in the cool spot is almost 89,so i new she wasn't just laying there because she was cold)
Anyhow,then yesterday,she finally came out from her sleep spot,but she stayed on the bottom of the tank. She just layed there all day. And i noticed that her back was kinda hunched.
So I thought,well shes gotta take a crap.
But this morning when she woke up,and tried to make it out from under her sleeping place,she was dragging her back legs.
Thats when i noticed at the base of her tail,it was sunk in. So I took her out of her tank,soaked her in warm water. Well while she was in the water,her left leg was touching the bottom,but her right leg stayed afloat.
Normaly when i pick her up,she crawls all around real fast,hard to hold onto her. But today,she just layed there.
Shes been eating really well. Everytime i drop a worm in there,she doesn't even wait for it to come awake,she gobbles it up.
I searched all of her tank,to see if maybe a rock had fallen on her tail,but nothings out of place. Everything is fine.
(I still think shes a HE because of her realy pretty dark blue coloring,but the orange spots that showed up a couple weeks ago has throwen me for a loop! LOL)
Heres the pics I took this morning. My camera is a great camera,that takes wonderful pics,but when ever i go to take pics of Fella,they always turn out blurry.
So I know these aren't great pics,but i was trying to show you how her tail and back looks.
I think I've covered all thats been happening to her.
Can someone PLEASE tell me whats wrong with her,and what I can do to make it better?
I looove this lizard sooooo much,and I've already cried this AM because of whats wrong with her.
Shes not going to die,is she/HE?

Lilmouthy, I'm thinking from the way your explaining, that he was fine, and ate alot of worms, then this happened that he may be impacted.

Impacttion does not have to be from sand /substrate. It can be from cooler temperatures, and not DIGESTING properly.
They will drag their legs, like paralized, and you can notice a bump in the spinal area, which you say you are seeing.

The fact Fella is very young yet, he may have had a bit much, with cooler temps its not good.
I'm going to leave a link for you to read on impaction, and what you may try.

I would also say, if he gets no better soon, call your vet, don not mess around long.

And Fella sure appears male to me. The orange is just his juvey orange color, they get it in natural for protection against BIG adult males, so they will not be killed.
To an adult male with the orange, these kids appeat like a gravid female and are not harmed. (Natures way of protecting the young)

I sure hope you can work with Fella right away, and he comes around.
Impaction Article * Symtoms

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Eve / PHEve

Thats what I was kinda thinking it was. Cause usualy I'll feed him 2 worms,then wait till he poops,then feed him again. Well My hubby had his son(from different marriage) up for the weekend. Well I feed Fella 2 worms,then the next day,hubby told me that while i was in the shower,they feed him again. The thing is,he knows how I am about that lizard,he KNOWS not to do that. When he said he feed him again,I told him,you know NOT to mess with my lizard,you know I ALWAYS wait till he uses the bathroom,before he gets feed again.
I know it sounds like I'm a B***h when it comes to my lizard,but if it were up to hubby,that lizard would be in a tiny cage,only eating what we could catch. He just doesn't GET IT! LOL
Anyhow,thanks for the link...Going to go there now and read.
Oh yea,by the way,thanks for saying Fella was a male,that set my mind at ease..LOL
Thanks!!

Obviously I am hoping it is just a treatable case of impaction!!

One more thing to consider.....
Is there any way possible that a rock could have fallen on his hips?

Just trying to think of everything.
Good luck!

Thats what i thought at first. Because of the way his tail looks,but Every rock in his tank is perfect. Not one of them is out of place or even moved any.
Hubby was wondering if maybe his son had done something to it. I sure hope not,if so,He better not EVER come near me again! LOL

I don't know much about collared lizards, but I'm always willing to learn more about a species I don't know a whole lot about. The species I am really into are bearded dragons, uromastyx, and leopard geckos (all three of which I own). I was just wondering why you would limit the food intake of a young growing lizard? In their growing stage, a juvenile bearded dragon will eat upwards of 50 crix a day. With uromastyx you basically just leave a lot of leafy greens in their tank and they eat as much as they want (that's actually the same with beardies too since their more omnivorous), and occasionally you feed a couple crickets. With leopard geckos you just feed until they're full. So I'm just curious as to why you wouldn't feed a collared lizard as much as it wanted? Perhaps maybe this is the reason? Mealworms can be very hard for a lizard to digest at times, especially if the basking temps are not hot enough.

If I were you I would take the collared to a good herp vet so they can properly evaluate what's going on and what you can do about it, instead of the guesses you're getting here (though they very well could be right).

Just my opinion.

your name really threw me for a loop! i am also in the uro forum alot. you have same the ultra-wide mali
even with uros you have to limit their intake of bugs, not because they are mainly herbavorous but because some would eat themselves sick on bugs and some collared lizards will do the same. i have also noticed with these types of worms that if they overeat on them they throw up much easier from overeating than with crickets. i only let them eat a couple supers at a time if i feed them to them at all. lastly my guys won't eat from a dish so i would not want to lose track of one of those things in the cage
as in any case you really have to feel out the lizard. some can control themselves, some can't
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vonnie
***There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it. Mary Wilson Little ***

My hubby used to ask the same question,"why don't you just throw a bunch of crix in there,and let him eat what he wants?" As with you,i'm sure you're familar with your lizards. Well back when i first got this lizard,I had feed him one too many crix,and he got to where he wouldn't move for a few days,but he didn't get this bad. Had me scared to death. So from then on,I've only feed him just a bit,till he used the bathroom. And hes been getting so pretty,and growing,Now this happens.
I'm just guessing here,but my lizard must have a not so good digestive system. Maybe thats the way it is with all Collareds???

About fella: I have used a wonderful vet that I found in Birmingham. I think the name of the office is Riverview Animal Hospital. It's on Highway 280. The herp doctor is Alvin Atlas. He's good. Even my local vet's office recommended him when the one I usually see was out of town. If you can, I'd take Fella there to be checked out.

Thanks for the info. on the Watermelon Festival, by the way. I did find a website for Russellville that lists details about the upcoming one this year.

élan
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0.2.0 Collareds
1.0.0 Mali Uromastix
0.0.1 Butterfly Agama
1.0.0 Green Anole
1.0.0 Chinese Dwarf Newt
2.0.0 California Newts
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