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Original Message -----
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
