is my AFT cooling herself? or is it more serious?

[Dark_Angel_25]

My AFT whom I believe to have been impacted because she was on sand... has become worse.

She shed about a week ago, and since then, hasn't eaten willingly except to eat 1 cricket 2 days ago. her tail has lost weight. I have hand fed her a couple times, mealies, crix and CGD + water in a dropper, the last came out the same way it went in... liquid.

She is also very lethargic, and sleepy like... when I pick up her hide, she doesn't move, only when i pet her she opens her eyes. she doesn't explore or move around much.

her first poops when she was eating, had the sand in them. I keep her on tile and paper towel I thought that it would be ok..

Someone mentioned to me that she may be going into cooling' mode herself, even if I am not doing it... but because (if this is the case) of her staying on the warm side, I expecxt this is why the weight has come off... they suggested keeping her at 70-75 (to simulate the cooling) so the weight doesn't come off, but she doesn't have enough weight to go into cooling to begin with! he also told me to get a fecal done which I was planning on anyway, but there is nothing I can take in...

Anyway, I kept a sample of the runny poo to take in, I will also be taking her in to see the vet.. but has anyone else noticed this? or heard of it? any ideas on what to try? her hot side is at 90.2 - 94.3 and the cool side is at 70.3-72.5. she has a hide on both ends, but never uses the cold one.. I am at a loss and don't want to loose her. also she isn't a baby... I would say she is maybe a year old, give or take a couple of months...

Please give me your input... :(

[Dark_Angel_25]

no one can help me out

[drewlowe]

I don't know much about fat tails, but i know they are pretty close to leos. I wouldn't attept putting her through a cooling with her not having much weight. She could be suffering impactation from the sand. I would keep her temps up and get her in to a vet as soon as you can. Remember to take a FRESH fecal in, no older than 24 hours old. If it is any older it can be hard to see the ocdisis (parasite eggs). The ocdisis dies off pretty quick that's why it's important to have the freshest stool sample possible. Sorry i can't be more help, but i don't want to give you wrong info because i know their care is slightly different than leos.

Jamie

[drewlowe]

Forgot to mention if she's not eating you can try some Slurpies...

Recipies goes something like this:
12 crix
12 mealies (but being impacted i wouldn't add mealies because the chitlen may be hard for her to break down at this time)
12 supers (same as mealies)
12 waxworms
12 silkies
12 butterworms
1 can ensure (i used Strawberry)
1 jar chicken baby food
1 jar peach baby food
1 teaspoon calcium
1/2 teaspoon herptivitamin

Blend well preferably in a old blender place in icecube trays and freeze. Once they're frozen you can place them in a baggie and keep them in your freezer and take out what you need when you need it.

Jamie

[Dark_Angel_25]

took her to the vet she is perfectly healthy... no parasites nothing. she weighs 21 grams. they gave her a shot of vitamin b5 to help stimulate her appetite... but, still no interest in food... anyway I have dropped her temps and simulated her cooling... I can't think of anything else that would be causing this.. and regardless, she hasn't eaten so if she stays on the hot spot, she looses more weight, putting her in cooling is the only solution.... I will watch her closely and see how it goes. if all is well I will take her out of cooling in Mid March... wish me luck.

[Linds]

Let me first state I am not experienced in AFT's, however...

I have experience with cooling and brumating several different reptiles (mainly snakes), but leos as well. None of them exhibited any behavioural differences as you described, even those that were brumated (55 degrees). They were still just as responsive, and not AS active as usual, however they were still active. Also, if she were cooling herself she wouldn't be losing weight, especially over a shortened period. They also do no rapidly lost weight if they are healthy, even if they do not eat. Sorry I cannot be of more help in to your girls problem :(

[Dark_Angel_25]

hey linds thanks.. but I think she was self cooling in mind, but she stayed on the hot side and that is why she lost weight, because the heat was metabolising her fat. now I am keeping her at 68-72 and am monitoring her closely. if all goes well I will be heating her back up in March...

[Sean Day]

You may want to get a few more fecal checks done. If there is something there it doesn't always show on the first one.

[Dark_Angel_25]

hey sean.. well it was a fresh fecal.. less than an hour old.. and it was normal looking too.. anyway I will wait a week see how she goes and go from there. everything checked out, she was well hydrated, her eyes and mouth and nose were clean, no mites, clear fecal.. it just seems to me if it was something physically wrong with her well there would be more symptoms.
Since 'cooling' her she sleeps, but other than that seems fine... anyway I will have to watch her anyhow to make sure no more weight comes off, I am getting a scale to use to keep track every couple days of her weight. I don't want her to loose more because the vet said if she does then they will have to tube her. and if she IS just cooling herself, then I don't want to stress her out with that if all I ned to do is cool her temps down and let her be.