impaction? :/

[LarissaLurid]

My 6 month old Merauke has been showing signs of impaction the last 2 weeks about. Information of what is going on is below, and I am just wondering if there is anything else I can do and if this seems somewhat normal. I'm not sure exactly what caused his impaction either.

I've seen TINY amounts of feces in his terrarium 2 times more recently, but there is something definitely not right with his digestion. Usually he goes when he wakes up when I take him out, but lately he keeps trying to go, lifting his tail, and nothing comes out. I've tried warm baths, egg, and banana. Around the time I fed him the egg and banana is when he went just a tiny bit those 2 times and it was a really dark color which was unusual. I supervise each meal so I know he wasn't getting impacted from accidentally eating wood shavings (at least during meal time) and unless he accidentally got some in his water which does tend to happen more recently with how he is acting different (which I will get to in a second) and drank them which I don't really see a good possibility of happening just from drinking. I change his water every time he gets any substrate in it, and unless it's while I'm sleeping and might get some in that sits for a few hours until I change it when I wake up there is usually never any in there. He hasn't lost weight yet, especially since it hasn't been long and he will only eat about 1 bite of food every few days. I usually feed him his regular daily meals the same time every night, but he hasn't been able to eat them lately. I can see why he wouldn't want to eat when he is having a lot of trouble using the bathroom so I pretty much have just let him be without food a little more lately and not trying to feed him every night. I tried feeding him some banana and a little raw egg then cooked egg white the past 2-3 days about. He would only take a bite or two as previously mentioned. He is still acting perfectly healthy otherwise and active, comes out every day and is watching me type right now while roaming around the couch. Although he is acting pretty strange in his cage, ever since his last shed a few weeks ago he is still acting like he is in shed. By this I mean how he is pushing all around the cage like if he was trying to get shed off and acting really uncomfortable. Unless it is just him being stubborn and thinking that the couch where he is most of the day is comfier than his wood shavings, I find it strange behavior for him. His temperatures are 80-83 cool end and 95-99 hot end, he has been drinking still also. His diet is Merrick canned food along with greens/veggies and some apple or kiwi, etc usually.(all chopped very small) Would something like finely chopped broccoli or something be an issue for him to eat? I mean everything seems pretty normal. I know that right now there isn't too much I should worry about since they can go a while without using the bathroom and he is acting healthy and hasn't lost weight, but it's obviously not normal for him to keep trying to use the bathroom and nothing being able to get passed. :/

If similar has happened to others and they could tell me their experience that would help too. I just feel like a mother who sees their kid cough and brings them to the doctor, but I want to do everything I can to make sure my skink is healthy.

[Linnea]

can you please divide the message into paragraphs so the problem is easier to grip? >.<

general guidelines:

- sometimes they poop after eating. sometimes they dont.
- not pooping for a week is normal.
- not pooping for one and a half week before shedding due to inactivity is normal
- a skink that doesnt move around much wont need to go to the bathroom as often
- check temperatures

[Leigh]

As long as he's still drinking occasionally, not losing weight and is acting normal, all you can do is keep an eye on the issue, I will say that Broccolli was always on the "don't feed/don't feed often as it's high in oxolates.

[LarissaLurid]

As long as he's still drinking occasionally, not losing weight and is acting normal, all you can do is keep an eye on the issue, I will say that Broccolli was always on the "don't feed/don't feed often as it's high in oxolates.

yea i did feed it to him like a few times just as something different to give to him, so i am thinking it might have been that. he usually doesn't get fed it. :/

[LarissaLurid]

can you please divide the message into paragraphs so the problem is easier to grip? >.<

general guidelines:

- sometimes they poop after eating. sometimes they dont.
- not pooping for a week is normal.
- not pooping for one and a half week before shedding due to inactivity is normal
- a skink that doesnt move around much wont need to go to the bathroom as often
- check temperatures

i dont think i am allowed to edit this anymore.

it's been a few weeks and he hasn't the most he has was after being fed egg and banana he went a tiny tiny bit.

he shed weeks back, and usually poops fine during and after shedding.

he moves around all the time as stated and temperatures are correct as stated

[El Lobo]

Unless it is just him being stubborn and thinking that the couch where he is most of the day is comfier than his wood shavings, I find it strange behavior for him.

If he is spending a lot of time out of his enclosure is he having sufficient time under his heat lamp after eating to properly digest his food? I have noted with ours when they are fed at around 10am they will spend the rest of the day basking directly under heat for several hours at a time, right up until lights out.

Small and dark faeces are cause for concern, particularly if they are also very dry. It is suggestive of insufficient hydration. When the body dehydrates it draws liquid from the reservoir in the bowel, causing its contents to dry to the point of not being able to be dislodged.

Due to the firmness of the body a reptile's GI tract cannot be palpated like a mammal to detect any potential obstruction. Should he still not pass normal faeces in the immediate future or show signs of discomfort it would be prudent to have a radiograph taken to determine if there is a whole or partial blockage.

I don't think feeding broccoli would be a cause but reluctance to eat only a small amount is reason enough for concern.

[LarissaLurid]

Unless it is just him being stubborn and thinking that the couch where he is most of the day is comfier than his wood shavings, I find it strange behavior for him.

If he is spending a lot of time out of his enclosure is he having sufficient time under his heat lamp after eating to properly digest his food? I have noted with ours when they are fed at around 10am they will spend the rest of the day basking directly under heat for several hours at a time, right up until lights out.

Small and dark faeces are cause for concern, particularly if they are also very dry. It is suggestive of insufficient hydration. When the body dehydrates it draws liquid from the reservoir in the bowel, causing its contents to dry to the point of not being able to be dislodged.

Due to the firmness of the body a reptile's GI tract cannot be palpated like a mammal to detect any potential obstruction. Should he still not pass normal faeces in the immediate future or show signs of discomfort it would be prudent to have a radiograph taken to determine if there is a whole or partial blockage.

I don't think feeding broccoli would be a cause but reluctance to eat only a small amount is reason enough for concern.

He usually sleeps all day, so when he is out on the couch it's just cuddling under a blanket next to me. He sleeps ALWAYS on the cold end and I don't feed him till night since mine/my boyfriends schedule for sleep is weird with how he works nights and I end up being up all night. The cool end of his enclosure is always 80-83 degrees which is also room temperature in my house, and warmer if he is laying on or right next to me, so the temperature is no different. I make sure he basks a while before I feed him and he does the rest of the night after eating. I thought of this at first as well, but then I remembered how him sleeping in his cage which is never on the hot end, and him sleeping out here is the same temperature.

I do see him drink a lot and I've never seen him poop dry, the tiny piece I found was actually in his water bowl oddly enough so I had to end up washing that out real well after. He shows no signs of discomfort or any less active at all which is good though and yea I agree, if I do actually see signs of him being sick or unhealthy I will definitely bring him to a vet.

[LarissaLurid]

but reluctance to eat only a small amount is reason enough for concern.

Is this not usually seen in animals with impaction problems? I don't feed like they'd be able to or want to eat as much with what is going on with blockage inside them.

[El Lobo]

but reluctance to eat only a small amount is reason enough for concern.

Is this not usually seen in animals with impaction problems? I don't feed like they'd be able to or want to eat as much with what is going on with blockage inside them.

That was what I meant. Maybe reluctance to eat ALL BUT a small amount is better phrasing.

[LarissaLurid]

Oh I'm sorry, I misunderstood your wording.

[Coomassie]

If you are concerned about impaction (or any health issue) you should probably take him to the vet. They will be able to do an xray and see if there is any type of blockage. Better to be safe than sorry.

[LarissaLurid]

Well I've heard of them holding it for a month and such so for now I'll just see if it works itself out. I saw that he went a tiny bit the other day so hopefully it will be better soon. If it starts getting too long or I see any signs of him not feeling well I will.

Just was wondering if there is anything else I can be doing?

[Krippschick]

I hope he's doing better soon.

[LarissaLurid]

I hope he's doing better soon.

Thanks :[ me too. He ate a good amount of cooked egg white today and a little banana so that's good that he's still taking in food I guess. He tried to go to the bathroom but it was only pee. :/

[Vegasarah]

If you don't think it would stress him too much try a warm water soak. That always helps my guy poop! And even if he is only pooping a small amount, it's at least something! Impaction usually means NO bowel movement at all. So even little poops are a good sign

[LarissaLurid]

Yea I do give him warm water soaks. :] I found a tiiiiny piece of poo in his cage the other day also. So hopefully he will be ok but like both times I found a tiny piece, I'm talking like half a centimeter sized piece about. O.O Every time I see him go myself it's only been urates. :/ and i basically have an eye on him almost 24/7 he is still eating a little so that's a good sign too I guess. I just want him to be better already D: my poor baby

[Spindown]

yes, warm water baths. Keep in mine their poo dries up in their cage since its pretty warm in there, so it could be normal poo thats desiccating.

[LarissaLurid]

yes, warm water baths. Keep in mine their poo dries up in their cage since its pretty warm in there, so it could be normal poo thats desiccating.

ah yea true, although i have seen his normal dried poops before and they were about 3 times the size. I also saw one in his water bowl before that was extremely tiny too, so either way it still was a really small bm. Mine ends up getting stressed and wanting to come out after around 5ish minutes in the bath though, I wish I could have him stay in longer. :[

[LarissaLurid]

I'm just kind of worried that it was my fault bc I gave him brocolli a bit through the month. I forgot how it's high in oxalates i think it was and was stupid and put it into his meals. :[[[ Does anyone think that could be why he stopped going to the bathroom and when he tries only urine comes out?? :/

[Katrina]

I'm just kind of worried that it was my fault bc I gave him brocolli a bit through the month. I forgot how it's high in oxalates i think it was and was stupid and put it into his meals. :[[[ Does anyone think that could be why he stopped going to the bathroom and when he tries only urine comes out?? :/

A tiny bit of broccoli won't hurt anything. Unless you fed him only broccoli for months that has nothing to do with it. Could he have eaten anything else that might cause impaction? If not, I wouldn't worry too much. Is he still eating? An impacted skink won't eat. I throw broccoli into my skinks meals on occasion, it is good for variety.