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Post by MasterYoda on Jan 29, 2007 14:18:43 GMT -8
I have a question. I feel that I know the answer but I am not sure so i want to run it past you all. OK U all know that I recently got Master Yoda. In a previous post in the Photo Gallery I noted that he had been fed a diet of iguana pellets and that is pretty much it. I am also trying to ween him from those to the veggies that he should have been fed from the get.
The problem is he isn't eating well. He isn't not eating, but he is just kinda picking on his food throughout the day. I have several theories and i will list them here and you all tell me what u think.
1. I have only had them for 2 days, so stress from his new environment is hampering his appetite.
2. He is showing seasonal colors and this has slowed his appetite plus I am pretty sure he is in season because when given a bath today he had a loose piece of ejaculate on his chlocal plat that i gently removed, and examined Definitely ejaculate
3. He is so used to eating pellets that he is overlooking the greens.
A few bios
He has a UVB (Reptiglo 5.0) 6 inches from his basking sight
His basking spot is 90 degrees
The rest of his enclosure is 80 degrees.
I have examined his body and he is showing no signs of any irregularities
His tail is plenty plump at the base.
He is very active
He pooped for the first time today and it is well formed and not to wet not to dry.
Urates nice and white with clear fluid
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Yungair23
Senior
My Best Friends An Iguana!
Posts: 209
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Post by Yungair23 on Jan 29, 2007 14:39:18 GMT -8
My Yoda doesnt eat much also. Its not the he doesnt eat but he doesnt come running per say when food is offered. I think its just their appetite and nothing you can really do. I kow the UVB lighting brings out to the color in the food and can sometimes attract them. Also check out reptileuv.com and i personally highly reccomend the mercury vapor bulbs as they have a higher producing amount of uvb comapared to any brand on the market. Some also last over a year without losing much uvb.
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Yungair23
Senior
My Best Friends An Iguana!
Posts: 209
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Post by Yungair23 on Jan 29, 2007 14:40:01 GMT -8
Also he may have parasites.
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Post by MasterYoda on Jan 29, 2007 14:45:58 GMT -8
His stool dosent show any signs of parasites but if it dosent subside by the end of the week i am gonna make him a vet appt. I paln on doing this as soon as the weather gets better anyway but I dont care much for taking them out in the cold if i can avoid it. Warmth should be right around the corner so hopefully I can hold off untill then.
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Post by MasterYoda on Jan 29, 2007 23:18:21 GMT -8
Well it seems that he answered my question for me. I was watching him tonight and he came down from his perch, unloaded a few iggie poops, flashed his hemipeni's dropped his ejaculate load walked over to his food dish, ate a little, then gave me the waddup head bobbed, (As to say damn are u happy now) turned around and climbed back up to his basking spot and fell asleep. So I'm guessing that all my theories were answered in less than five minutes. lol what a night  What a good boy I have.  Prior to all that he has been a little more moody tonight and has been pacing allot. It seems that his orange is a little brighter tonight as well. |
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Post by crazybaby on Jan 30, 2007 5:06:50 GMT -8
I'd be leaning towards the breeding season/aclimation being the cause but, just to be on the safe side I would have at least a fecal test done by the vet. This way, you don't have to take him out in the cold and can still get an analysis on what's goin on inside. If it turns out there's nothing bad, all the better you found out.  It's likely he's stil just getting used to everything (especially the food) so it might take a while before he's gobbling down piles like mine does. lol No jokes...Dinner plates heaped with food will be cleared! I'm actyually pretty shocked that he can fit it inside him...Although, he does leave piles several times a day to make room. lol:D Just a quick note for the UV bulb, you might want to add another tube (preferably one of the 4ft'ers, more surface area) over Yoda's basking spot, this way he can benefit the most output possible with those tubes. Personally I'm very fond of the Reptile UV if you're interested in a long lasting output bulb. Invest once and replacement bulbs will cost you less in the long run than the UV tubes in a pet store which normally need replacing every 6months. Check them out here : www.reptileuv.com Glad to hear you're new greeny is adapting nicely. |
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Post by MasterYoda on Jan 30, 2007 8:07:43 GMT -8
The only problem with gettinga fecal done and not taking him to the vet is that my nearest reptile vet is almost 2 hours away, and if i am gonna travel 2 hours i would rather take him to so that he can get the whole work up
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Post by Merlin on Jan 30, 2007 8:13:10 GMT -8
Intestinal parasites may not be visible to the naked eye in the stool.
Any vet can look at a fecal to check for parasites.
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Post by MasterYoda on Jan 30, 2007 8:28:44 GMT -8
Any vet can look at a fecal to check for parasites. Really, hmm i called my local vets around here a little while back and they said that they couldnt do any panels on reptiles they only messed with animals with fur. thats after calling six local vets. well Ill just have to call them all back again. I even asked them if they would just do fecals. I just think that maybe they just dont want to mess with them at all |
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Post by prism_wolf on Jan 30, 2007 10:59:57 GMT -8
A fecal for a reptile is done exactly the same way it is for a furry. This is a no-brainer for any vet who cares at all. All they need is a fresh sample in a ziplock baggie and they can do a fecal float on it. It doesn't even need to be very much of a sample. Most places only charge around $15.
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Post by MasterYoda on Jan 30, 2007 16:14:39 GMT -8
Yeah Im gonna call arround tomorrow again, One of the vets here is calle Paws and Claws Domestic and exotic animal Vet hospital I even called them since it said exotic in the title. they told me that their idea of exotics were horses and miniature ponies. Their advertisements even have snakes and birds on them. go figure.
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Post by Merlin on Jan 30, 2007 16:15:42 GMT -8
Panels usually refers to bloodwork and they may not have felt confident to do it (or just didn't want to bother)!
Checking for parasites is realtively simple
They are either there or they are not.
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Post by MasterYoda on Jan 30, 2007 16:20:50 GMT -8
I think they just dont want to bother. But i am gonna call arround tomorrow and see if I can get this taken care of
Hell even if i have to drive 2 hours away this weekend i guess i will. Ill just pack up my kids and Wife and make a day of it
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Post by prism_wolf on Jan 30, 2007 17:32:13 GMT -8
As cold as it is all over the country...including SWV...you'll want to make sure you can keep him warm. Heat packs and a running vehicle with the heat blasting while you're somewhere he can't go into will be your only option IF you have to bring him with you. If it's just for the fecal...then leaving him home will be best until spring. Of course, you already know that...:-)
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What a good boy I have. 
Prior to all that he has been a little more moody tonight and has been pacing allot. It seems that his orange is a little brighter tonight as well.
It's likely he's stil just getting used to everything (especially the food) so it might take a while before he's gobbling down piles like mine does. lol No jokes...Dinner plates heaped with food will be cleared! I'm actyually pretty shocked that he can fit it inside him...Although, he does leave piles several times a day to make room. lol:D
