Setup: Arcadia T5HO 12% @ approximately 16 inches above basking spot w/ reflector.
50w Floodlight for basking spot @ 98-106f, depending on time of day.
Small computer fan intake on upper right cold side, lots of ongoing circulation
-Above three are set to a 12/12 timer, which was adjusted for daylights savings approx 3-4 weeks ago.
Ceramic bulb w/ a temp controller set at 26.5c/79f, probe 2/3 of the way to cold side.
Four by two sized enclosure with closed off sides, ceramic tile base.
He's around a year and a half. Diet generally consists of rotating vegetables with mainstays being squash, kale. Bell peppers, turnip greens, spinach, cabbage, carrot, and a few other occasionally. Very rarely some banana. Anything hard served thin peeled.
Used to eat crickets like a mad man, but got picky against them months ago. Salad daily with hornworms every couple days, usually 2-3 medium one at a time. He had some small superworms about a month ago, also one at a time. Unfortunately dubia and roaches are illegal here and I'm unable to source any at the moment. He generally goes nuts over hornworms, but ate one about four days ago and before that a single one three days prior. I've been feeding him squash baby food mixed with calcium and vitamins by having him lick it off his nose. All insects get the calcium and vitamins alternating too.
About a week or two ago I noticed that he seemed to be straining when he was pooping, and it would last sometimes up to twenty or thirty seconds. He gets a bath every two-three days and usually poops in it, and still has been going even while straining and seeming lethargic. He's been getting daily baths since his behavior change, which he always and still loves, but hasn't gone in two days now. He was black bearding while pooping from this at first, but hasn't in the past week.
He's more responsive when in the bathtub and warmed up, and occasionally moves around his tank from one resting spot to the next. He's usually got his eyes closed, and even when they're opened it almost looks like he's squinting. His actual eyes still look bright and glossy though, and there is no discharge from any holes that there shouldn't be. No discoloration on the skin anywhere, or in the mouth. Vent is clean.
I brought him into the vet two days ago after coming home and seeing him lying on his stick in the middle of the day looking very unwell. She gave him a physical and said that he's a little smaller than she might expect overall (Not weight wise, overall size), that she can feel his clavicle more than typically, and that it felt like he has a moderate distention in his lower bowel which she suggested could be an impaction. She didn't do blood work, didn't do a fecal (something about cryo being too common now and her not knowing how to look for that?), said that the $600 x-ray would be done with a broken machine that usually comes out as a blur, and that he seemed fine other than his eyes being so tired looking and closed. Was basically a waste of money telling me nothing and making me more worried.
My girlfriend has been in hospital for the past three weeks, so most of my time has been spent there. I'm coming home whenever I can to take care of my little guy, but I don't really have an idea what I should be doing. I don't know if he's lethargic from a passed impaction, an ongoing one, if he's sick or sleeping, and the vet that I went to is the best one here for reptiles- So there isn't another option there either.
I'm hoping it's brumation related with it being so cold here still and having recently changed his light timing, but if that's the case I should be leaving him alone and not feeding/bathing him as the vet recommended. He's not looking for darkness or hiding away though, so I'm thinking that might get rid of that option? He still spends most of his time around his basking spot or on the upper middle where he gets UV/heat still. I only saw him change spots 5-6 times total yesterday, outside of when I moved him. Otherwise he's in one spot with his eyes closed.
Any advice that could be given would be a miracle right now, I don't know what to do. Thank you!
50w Floodlight for basking spot @ 98-106f, depending on time of day.
Small computer fan intake on upper right cold side, lots of ongoing circulation
-Above three are set to a 12/12 timer, which was adjusted for daylights savings approx 3-4 weeks ago.
Ceramic bulb w/ a temp controller set at 26.5c/79f, probe 2/3 of the way to cold side.
Four by two sized enclosure with closed off sides, ceramic tile base.
He's around a year and a half. Diet generally consists of rotating vegetables with mainstays being squash, kale. Bell peppers, turnip greens, spinach, cabbage, carrot, and a few other occasionally. Very rarely some banana. Anything hard served thin peeled.
Used to eat crickets like a mad man, but got picky against them months ago. Salad daily with hornworms every couple days, usually 2-3 medium one at a time. He had some small superworms about a month ago, also one at a time. Unfortunately dubia and roaches are illegal here and I'm unable to source any at the moment. He generally goes nuts over hornworms, but ate one about four days ago and before that a single one three days prior. I've been feeding him squash baby food mixed with calcium and vitamins by having him lick it off his nose. All insects get the calcium and vitamins alternating too.
About a week or two ago I noticed that he seemed to be straining when he was pooping, and it would last sometimes up to twenty or thirty seconds. He gets a bath every two-three days and usually poops in it, and still has been going even while straining and seeming lethargic. He's been getting daily baths since his behavior change, which he always and still loves, but hasn't gone in two days now. He was black bearding while pooping from this at first, but hasn't in the past week.
He's more responsive when in the bathtub and warmed up, and occasionally moves around his tank from one resting spot to the next. He's usually got his eyes closed, and even when they're opened it almost looks like he's squinting. His actual eyes still look bright and glossy though, and there is no discharge from any holes that there shouldn't be. No discoloration on the skin anywhere, or in the mouth. Vent is clean.
I brought him into the vet two days ago after coming home and seeing him lying on his stick in the middle of the day looking very unwell. She gave him a physical and said that he's a little smaller than she might expect overall (Not weight wise, overall size), that she can feel his clavicle more than typically, and that it felt like he has a moderate distention in his lower bowel which she suggested could be an impaction. She didn't do blood work, didn't do a fecal (something about cryo being too common now and her not knowing how to look for that?), said that the $600 x-ray would be done with a broken machine that usually comes out as a blur, and that he seemed fine other than his eyes being so tired looking and closed. Was basically a waste of money telling me nothing and making me more worried.
My girlfriend has been in hospital for the past three weeks, so most of my time has been spent there. I'm coming home whenever I can to take care of my little guy, but I don't really have an idea what I should be doing. I don't know if he's lethargic from a passed impaction, an ongoing one, if he's sick or sleeping, and the vet that I went to is the best one here for reptiles- So there isn't another option there either.
I'm hoping it's brumation related with it being so cold here still and having recently changed his light timing, but if that's the case I should be leaving him alone and not feeding/bathing him as the vet recommended. He's not looking for darkness or hiding away though, so I'm thinking that might get rid of that option? He still spends most of his time around his basking spot or on the upper middle where he gets UV/heat still. I only saw him change spots 5-6 times total yesterday, outside of when I moved him. Otherwise he's in one spot with his eyes closed.
Any advice that could be given would be a miracle right now, I don't know what to do. Thank you!