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Hi, Neil,
Well, the female does actually look better than I
thought. Those pelvic bones are more emphasized by her ornamentation so they
look worse than they really are. She's "ribby" like the juvenile satanic on page
66 of your Reptiles article and ribby like the mating male on page 69. So I
suppose she isn't bad. But my male is "full" like the satanic on the lead page
(pg. 62) which lead me to worry. If the geckos hadn't eaten when I got them I
would have been more worried but I think they should be fine. Is this quarantine
supposed to go for 3 months or just until I get 3 false readings (hopefully 6
weeks, max)? I've never quarantined before but the only other WC gecko I ever
had was a A. persica, and he's still alive and breeding after 3+
years.
I did find brown paper towel. I didn't even have to
steal it! But now I have so much it'll last a million
quarantines.
Now I just have to figure out how to disinfect the
plants in the vivarium. The substrate I'll just throw out.
Sorry, one more question: Can these geckos scale
glass and plastic like a Bibrons or house gecko? I've been taking it for granted
that they haven't tried but they do have really sticky feet.
Mike
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 3:21
PM
Subject: Re: [gecko]how do I quarantine
LTC U. ebenaui
Hi Mike,
I've been through this many times.
If you can identify the problem soon enough, there is a reasonable chance
you
can treat it. Many of my breeders had to be debugged when I got
them.
For now, offer only one or two crickets as smaller meals are less likely
to be
regurgitated. If they don't eat within a couple days, assist feeding
crushed insects
and supplements with a dropper might be a good idea. Force feeding is
very stressful
and is not often a good idea.
Neil
Thanks, Neil. I
wasn't given an exact length of time the gecko has been captive. When I got
it I mistakenly thought it was a CB gecko since the breeder does have groups
of breeding U. phantasticus.
My vet appointment
is for Friday. Fecal samples went out today. I was able to collect another
one this morning. I hope it was fresh enough.
I will try your
quarantine method. I don't know where to get brown paper towels but I
suppose I could swipe a few from a public bathroom ;o)
Thanks
again.
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: Neil A.
Meister
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 10:10 AM
Subject: Re: [gecko]how do I quarantine LTC U.
ebenaui
Hi Mike,
Quarantine for LTC is the same as for WC. It is definitely
worth finding out what the problem
is before treating as the wrong meds will do no good and
stress a weakened animal.
How long is LTC in this case?
What you're seeing is not uncommon. I suspect protozoa of some
sort, coccidia is the most common
problem. If your gecko is vomiting, it does need help. Keep
collecting fecal samples in case
the first one is negative. Repeat fecals at least 3 times if
negative to be sure nothing
is missed. One negative only means there was nothing found in
that particular sample,
no that the gecko is free of parasites.
your temperatures are a little cool. 60's is good for night,
but a few degrees warmer (72-76)
is better for day temps. A weak basking light placed over a
cork tube or similar hide spot
should work in your situation.
I quarantine small Uros in critter keepers or tall rubbermaids
that are easily washed and rinsed.
Bedding is paper towel (brown if you can get it) with a few
bits of dried leaves or moss
on top. Add a few climbing branches and a papertowel tube for
hiding. Clean out feces daily.
If you find parasites, cleaning will have to be more rigorous.
Having two similar cages set up
so you can move the geckos to a clean one while disinfecting
the other is a good idea.
Mist 2-3 times per day and cover part of the lid with a piece
of plastic to keep in humidity
if required.
Do not use vermiculite for a substrate. It could be ingested
when the geckos lunge at prey.
I'm not crazy about using more than one med at a time. I like
to use one, wait a few days, then use
the other if more than one is necessary. Definitely get a vet
opinion if you have to medicate.
Good luck,
Neil
Let me first
apologize if this is long-winded.
Late last week I picked up a pair
of LTC Uroplatus. After reading about care of recent imports I got the
general idea that people didn't like to medicate their geckos for no
reason and since I didn't have a fecal sample I wasn't in a rush to call
the vet for debugging meds.
The evening after I brought them
home they ate. The evening after that, they ate again. This was
obviously a good sign but the crickets I was feeding them, although
appearing small when I put them in the enclosure, were sort of big for
the geckos (1/2-3/4" crix, 4" geckos). It's been 3 days since they ate
but they still go into hunting pose when they see crickets. They just
don't strike.
Today I found two crickets vomited
up (2 crickets in the same vomit so from one gecko). The other gecko
passed feces and I collected this for the vet for tomorrow <crosses
fingers that he's there>. I took both geckos out of the enclosure and
let them walk on my hands so I could examine them. The male looks decent
enough but the female seems "ribby"; not tremendously, but ribby
nonetheless. Her pelvis seems boney, too. She was the one that vomited.
They jump around from hand to hand, though.
I might also mention that the
temperature in the enclosure is mid to high 60's. I don't know if this
is a problem. A friend suggested I use a small red bulb to bring
the heat up to the low 70's but I'm afraid to try that. I also thought
about a low temperature heat tape but that also scares me a bit :o) Come
summer, I know the temperature will be perfect.
SO, I now want to quarantine these
geckos in a "sterile" environment so I can closely monitor them and
collect clean fecal samples if I need to. What I would like to know is,
how can I create such an environment? Sterile enclosures are generally
dry, IME. Would something like moist vermiculite be a good bedding with
a few plastic branches for the geckos to climp on? How do other
Uroplatus keepers quarantine their animals?
Thank for any help or suggestions.
I'll suggest Flagyl and Panacur to the vet for a debugging regimen and
see what he says. That seems to be the general
method.
Mike
--
Neil Meister
Promotions
Secretary
Global Gecko Association
http://www.gekkota.com
http://www.gekkota.com/html/gecko_night_2002.html
President
Nova
Scotia Herpetoculture Society
http://users.eastlink.ca/~nshs
--
Neil Meister
Promotions Secretary
Global
Gecko Association
http://www.gekkota.com
http://www.gekkota.com/html/gecko_night_2002.html
President
Nova
Scotia Herpetoculture Society
http://users.eastlink.ca/~nshs
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