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Thread: Help! I think my young tegu swallowed a piece of orchid bark!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    southern california
    Posts
    22

    Default Help! I think my young tegu swallowed a piece of orchid bark!

    Betelgeuse, he is about 14 inches long nose to end of tail was making some weird sounds in his enclosure. I went to investigate and saw him with a piece of substrate in his mouth, it was slightly smaller than his head. I tried to reach in and grab it but I think he swallowed it, it all happened so fast. This just happened like 5 minutes ago. Again he is about 14 inches long and ate a piece of orchid bark about an inch long. What do I do? PLEASE HELP!!!!
    jesus owned a tegu

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    1,233

    Default

    Go to the vet for an x-ray.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    southern california
    Posts
    22

    Default

    ok so went to the vet and they said that because its bark that it wont show up on the x ray. They told me that they dont think that he could have eaten one that size, as he is still kinda small. They said if he starts acting strange or wont eat then to bring him back. Also to give him canned pumpkin and soak him in luke warm water. What do you think?
    jesus owned a tegu

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Reno, NV
    Posts
    266

    Default

    check his stools as bark wont be digested...mine eats substrate often too, he is crazy but thne i read an article about them eating pebbles too...i guess it helps push everything along better i donno. mine has never had a problem with it and unless i put him on newspaper or something he wont stop but then with newspaper comes other problems...id just monitor his stools and make sure he is getting it out

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    San Antonio,TX
    Posts
    9,505

    Default

    Do you feed him inside the enclosure ? If not, do you clean off his feet before you put him back inside the enclosure ( in case he stepped into the food ) ? What you can do is give him one or two luke warm baths a day. For right now in case he did eat the bark and is going to be impacted I wouldn't give him any solid food like rodent's. You can give him some chicken baby food. Or if you do give him some ground turkey mix it up with just a few drops of cod liver oil. This will help to lubricate the food and helps go through the intestines more smoothly. Please keep a eye on him to see if he stops eating or doesn't move around as much. Also when he is trying to poop see if he wiggles his hips side to side ( like my Tegu did in the video below ). If he is going to wiggle around like this than he is impacted. If he is pooping fine and is very active and doesn't look bloated ( like my Tegu in the video ) than he is fine. Please keep us posted.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBEoZOxVxQI
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
    Posts
    4,349

    Default

    I think they gave you good advice. If he did in fact eat it, all you can do is wait.
    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
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    4 little frogs
    a bunch of creepy bugs
    and a partridge in a pear tree

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