I have a Jackson that is approx 6 months old. He ate and drank great until a bump showed in his lower lip corner on Friday morning suddenly (and I check him each misting). I took him to Vet and he has a infection as well as quardia. He is on Baytril with Nolvasan for cleaning first & then Silvedene after the .1cc Baytil every 12 hours. My question is that he is not back to green fully and I know he is stressed. He received a subcutaneous injection of fluids and an injection of the Baytril before my bringing him home and instantly shed and was almost black! He squints his eyes it seems but is taking water which I treat with Reptisafe and mist at leaast twice a day. If he drinks with one "test" spritz in the interim of a day I give him more water then. He looks so nauseous and I know the Baytril can do this to him but so far no throwing up that I can see. I worry about him eating though. I cannot find the cricket I gave him dusted with Reptocal so I hope he ate it but I wonder can I give him a cricket directly after I give him his Baytril if he will chew it? He used to go down and after a cricket the minute I put them in but he is sick now and I see him watch them but not go after them. How long without food? Its important that he eat with this treatment so do I get mealworms & put in his mouth myself or put in a bowl? Have read that babies do not do well with mealworms or wax (I know high fat content so use sparingly)as they do not move much but I was thinking that they are smaller for putting in his mouth. He si going through so much and I also fear stress of giving him food instead of him going after it... Will he choke if I put something in his mouth that he did not go after naturally? I fear crickets with their biting and squirming could stress him further and or hurt him when he is vulnerable now, so mealworms are wimps and may be better? Maybe the wax worms fat would be good for him right now? I am very worried but he has lasted since Sat 07/23 until now 8:45 am 07/25. He actually looked a little better when I held him for his medicines last night at 9pm and turned green in my hand. Is dark green to brown in cage. Any help in nutrition while I follow Vets instructions "to the letter " regarding the treatment for guardia & infection in his mouth would be appreciated.
He has a Reptisun (I think 3.0) flourescent full/broad spectrum atop his cage that he stays under a lot and it is 72 to 75 in there and humidity is at 50 regularly and goes to as high as 80 when misted. Just checked him and cage is 69/70 so put on a halogen 60 watt for a time. Vet said to keep him a little warm to help fight infection. So anyway food... put in cricket and he is acting a little more interested than yesterday but as I said I cannot find the others so maybe he ate them. River stones in bottom of cage so they may be hiding under but I cannot get to back of cage to see and do not want to stress him by moving cage (in corner of room with plenty of plants surrounding him for comfort outside the cage). Have real pothos in cage with vines of brown something soft and lumpy around them approx half inch in diameter and palm plant in sterile potting soil with two succulents stick looking plants in there too. Checked on toxity before buying and safe for people but ....No sharp object on them or elsewhere. Giving you everything I can so questions towards habitat, lighting, etc are not asked back. any help please regarding eating.. can they go a week without eating? Can I force feed him sorta by putting in his mouth? Crickets to mean for now? HELP HELp HELP HIM and me with anything! Anything!