Constipated??

[GeckoCorral]

I was hoping someone might be able to give me some help with a problem? I'm having with one of my females.

She is a 2003 hatchling, normal, has two hides, one on the heat and one cool, this second one is also the water dish. She's in a 3 US gal/11.4L rubbermaid and is heated with heat tape.

She always lays with her belly up and is VERY tense. She is not the friendliest but I wouldn't be either if I was "stopped up". I had thought originally she was just very stressed so I left her alone except on feeding days. She has always been a bit strange with eating too, she strikes at her food as though she is pissed about it but if the feeder is left in with her she does eventually constrict around it and eat, when she was eating of course.

Her info is as follows:

Brought her home on April 24th, 2004
April 27: 1 rat pup and 229g
May 1: 2 rat pups
May 5: 2 rat pups
May 14: 0 and shed
May 17: 1 adult mouse
May 25: Refused and 323g

She has refused ever since and on July 7 she weighed in at 314g. I've tried soaking her a couple of times and, at the suggestion of Ralph Davis, tried to squeeze it out of her. I tried that last night but she is so tight that it was hard to do this. I couldn't feel anything in her and did not get anything out of her. I know she should have pooped right after she shed but nothing.

Maybe she is just waiting until the rats come in from Walter again? Could it be that simple?

Any advice, ideas, or what have you would be greatly appreciated.

Diana.

[Big Mike]

What are the temps on the floor in her enclosure. Laying with her belly up does not sound good.

I wouldn't worry too much that she has not pooped. How long has it been? I may be wrong but it seems they sometimes digest almost all of their prey...especially when they are young and in a growth spurt. When mine was younger, he was fed every week and only seemed to poop when he shed, which was every 4-6 weeks.

It shouldn't hurt to see a vet. Dr. Jackson would have been the best vet to see but I have heard that he is no longer taking appointments. I once took a snake to the Mills Haven Vet clinic. (I think that's what is was called (near Baseline & Broadmore)). They didn't seem to have taken many reptiles but the lady vet was very good with my snake.

You could also talk to Niel & Michelle Weldon. They would be able to offer some knowledgeable advice and/or help.

[GeckoCorral]

I know lying with her belly up is not a good thing, that is my concern. I don't know when her last poop was as I did not have her until April 24 and she has never pooped for me.

Her temps are fine, she is in a rack system and all the others are happy to move back and forth between the hot spot and the cool side. Generally though, 90 - 92 hot spot and 79 - 82 cool side.

I was told to give her about 2 cc of mineral oil as this will pretty much clean out anything that is in her, usually within a day.

I'll give this a shot and see what happens. I thought maybe the reason she lays with her belly up is because of the discomfort of laying directly on it?? She does still move from heat to cool but will always lay with her belly up.

Does anyone have any other suggestions as to why she would be laying with her belly up, or her possibly being constipated?

I have a reptile vet here in Sherwood Park, Dr. Kwantes, he's no "specialist" but he has done a great job with my leos thus far and he is very informative when he diagnoses anything.

I will take her to the vet if it should come to that but for now is there anything else anyone can think of?

Diana.