----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2004 2:46
PM
Subject: Re: [gecko]quarantine U. ebenaui
(update)
Hi Mike,
This very common, especially in wc Uroplatus. Some animals never show
symptoms,
other have runny stool, become lethargic and waste away. The level of
coccidia and stress
are two important factors.
Strict hygiene is important. I use only disposable materials in the cage
and clean completely
daily. Having two cages so you can move the geckos into one and clean the
other is a good idea.
I haven't found anything gecko-safe that can kill the oocysts (even
bleach doesn't work), so
thorough cleaning and rinsing is the best you can do. Be careful so
to spread it to any other
herps you may have.
I'm not familiar with Novotrimel, do you know the active ingredients are.
Do any vets on the
list use it? I've used Albon (sulfadimethoxine) many times for this.
Treatment was anywhere
from 9 to 12 days. Even if coccidia wasn't eliminated, it was greatly
reduced and most animals
recovered.
Good luck,
Neil
I took the geckos
into the vet on Friday and the vet said they looked good. They've been
eating as well (with no vomiting) so I was quite happy. I got the call today
that the fecal test test results came back and my geckos have Eimeria spp.
oocysts (coccidia) so now I have to medicate them. Poor things. The drug is
Novotrimel. He wants to see another fecal 3 weeks from the end of the
medication. I suppose this means I'll have to throw away all my fancy plants
that I was using for the vivarium. But I wouldn't want to risk
reinfection.
Anyway, that's the
update. I'm not really sure what coccidia does to geckos but it seems to be
a bad thing in poultry livestock.
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
