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Thread: My Black n white Tegus is impacted

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2009
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    Auburn,CA
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    Default My Black n white Tegus is impacted

    My 3 year old Tegus Lucy is impacted for just about a week.Temps are around 95 with basking around 105 or so.She has never been impacted for this long before. She has a huge area to soak and eating regularly.She has been picky and eating mostly protein like rats, raw chicken,and eggs.I am doing 20 minute warm baths a day with rubbing on her side and her belly.I have given her small dose of vegetable oil with a syringe 2 times in in the last few days.She will only relieve a small bit of urine.I have heard of enema but don't know how to do it.If that doesn't work then I'll have to bring her to a vet. Any info would be great and thanks in advance. Bryan :(:(
    Last edited by axeslinger; 08-13-2011 at 01:00 AM.
    0.1 Black & White Argentine Tegus
    0.1 Kahl Super Sunglow Red Tail Boa
    1.0 Het for Snow Red Tail Boa
    1.1 Pastel Ball Python,
    1.0 Butter Albino Corn Snake
    0.1 Russian Tortoise (RIP Terdis)
    1 Sulcata tortoise (RIP Jr.)
    1.1 dogs
    1.2 cats
    rat's

  2. #2

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    Is she shaking or swaying her back half when trying to go and obviously straining, passing a lot of small urates? Enemas are not to hard to do, if you feel comfortable with doing it you just need a small syringe (one you would use to give small children medicine) put a generous amount of lubricant on the end and put it in. Don't force it to far but get it in far enough it just doesn't come back out. I just used warm water in mine and after a couple my female had a BM. (She is notorious for them while Gravid) Continue with the Baths and stomach massages,
    You mentioned your temps in your post but what the impaction is from is probably dehydration. Look into the humidity of your enclosure and her drinking water. Make sure to look into the causes for this or it will only happen again and will help her in passing it.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Auburn,CA
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    Default

    The humidity is an issue.Plus it's been hot where her enclosure is in the garage.I had cypress mulch in it to help,but it still drys out.I had been misting the cage with a hose nozzel.I am planning on getting a humidifier and using only filtered water instead of tap water.I am also picking up mineral oil this weekend to give her instead of the veg oil I gave her recently.I'm sure your right about the dehydration. Thanks for your input!..Bryan
    0.1 Black & White Argentine Tegus
    0.1 Kahl Super Sunglow Red Tail Boa
    1.0 Het for Snow Red Tail Boa
    1.1 Pastel Ball Python,
    1.0 Butter Albino Corn Snake
    0.1 Russian Tortoise (RIP Terdis)
    1 Sulcata tortoise (RIP Jr.)
    1.1 dogs
    1.2 cats
    rat's

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Washington
    Posts
    131

    Default

    Ya mineral oil is definitely what you want to use, but only a small amount. I think veggi oil can be broken down by our stomachs and doesn't quite make it to the other side :/
    1.0.0 B&W Argentine Tegu (Dio)
    1.1.0 Crested geckos (re homed)
    0.1.0 Tartar Sand Boa(re homed)
    0.1.0 Axolotl (Smaug)
    1.0.0 Tabby Cat (Dippy)
    Madagascar Hissing roaches

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
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    Earth
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    Default

    There can be a number of issues that would lead to impaction. Hydration, type of food, temperatures, etc. A very simple preventative treatment I've recommended many times, but which no one seems willing to try for themselves, is Metamucil or other such digestive fibre supplements. If you're using ground meat, you simply mix it in with the meat.

    If you're not a trained veterinarian/nurse/doctor/technician, you may wish to check the laws in your area, giving an enema may be considered a medical procedure that if you are caught administering such to animal WITHOUT having a licence, you may be in violation of the law. Even if this is not the case: try giving yourself an enema first before giving one to a tegu. I'm certain you'll find that a syringe is rather highly uncomfortable and potentially damaging. An applicator should be entirely smooth and rounded.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
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    I like using the Metamucil as a fiber additive the tegu diet, but I think it works best with fruit added, too because it needs moisture to work best. I agree that enemas are best left to the vet. They use a very aseptic technique as to not introduce pathogens to the cloaca or intestinal tract. I have not seen the inside of a tegu cloaca, but I wouldn't want to be inserting a syringe into anything concerning the reproductive tract and possibly contaminating that area. I'd stick with increasing temps, humidity, fiber, fluid, and exercise first.
    Laura R (FL)
    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu
    1.4.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    1.2.0 Red Tegu
    1.2.0 B/WxRed Tegu
    1.0.0 Green Ameiva (yet another teiid)
    7 other lizards
    1 little gator
    3 FL box turtle
    1 Sulcata tortoise
    16 snakes
    5 fuzzy pets
    4 little frogs
    a bunch of creepy bugs
    and a partridge in a pear tree

  7. #7
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    you're absolutely correct, laurafl. In fact, I'd argue if people trained their tegus to accept more plant matter in their diet, there'd be less need, perhaps none, to resort to fibre supplements.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Auburn,CA
    Posts
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    Default

    She passed several stools yesterday! She is doing well and eating.I will do all the things you guys suggested! I am glad this problem was cured all by her self and not having to pay doctors .Thanks again!!! B
    0.1 Black & White Argentine Tegus
    0.1 Kahl Super Sunglow Red Tail Boa
    1.0 Het for Snow Red Tail Boa
    1.1 Pastel Ball Python,
    1.0 Butter Albino Corn Snake
    0.1 Russian Tortoise (RIP Terdis)
    1 Sulcata tortoise (RIP Jr.)
    1.1 dogs
    1.2 cats
    rat's

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Citrus Heights, CA
    Posts
    815

    Default

    Congrats!!

    Sometimes a nice soak and a few tummy rubs can do wonders. Try to find the root of what caused the impaction and adjust any husbandry issues accordingly.

    It's amazing how happy you can be to see poop, isn't it?
    "Why do blessings always come in disguises? If I were a blessing, I'd run around naked."

    0.1.0 Bearded Dragon; Spaz (aka "Monkey")
    1.0.0 Bearded Dragon; Leonidas (aka "Jaba" aka "Fatty)
    0.0.1 Ball Pythons; Lil' Bit

    0.1.0 Argentine B/W Tegu; Bozski - *rehome*
    1.0.0 Argentine A/A Tegu; Oscar - *rehome*
    1.0.0 Ball Python; Moose - *rehome*

    0.1.0 Bearded Dragon; Knuckles (aka "Kitteh"), RIP
    0.0.1 Baby B/W Tegu; unnamed, RIP

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