always in hide? update 12/16 *PICS*

[Judah'sHuman]

That sounds really good! yeah sounds like the 75 watt will be a little better. but if you can get him to bask with what you have it is progress! Obviously you dont want to keep it lower than 97 deg for too many days, as he can develop respitory problems..but it sounds like you are getting much closer!

If he is basking try laying the prob on his back and get a reading, sometimes it will be differant that whatever is absorbing heat.

 

[s1393]

ughhh!!! got home and his temps now are - basking 94 - cool side 81 - dont have my thermostat in hide anymore because i forgot to buy batteries for the new acurite so i took one out of other. but im betting lower than 81 and of coarse he was in hide , greens still not touched.
got him out and he felt super cold, gave him a bath and he just sat and didnt really swim around like normal but he drank a good bit of water and no poop. (been about week and half since last poop and been in new viv for 2weeks now)
put him in the tank i use to feed him with his dusted crickets and he took down about 15-20 really quick. and while he did that i changed his basking bulb to a 75watt hosehold and temps up to 100 basking and 81 cool side after 30mins from changing bulb.
put him back in on his basking spot and been about 15mins and he is still perked up on spot - we will see how much longer he will stay there.

 

[diamc]

How frustrating for you. Make sure the probe end is actually touching the basking spot, just wanted to mention that. Did you find the one with the dual readings? If so, did you put the thermometer part way over on the cool side? The "out" reading would be for the basking side and the "in" reading for the cool side. What is the humidity reading?

How long did he stay on his basking spot?

So, as far as you know, he hasn't pooped in about 1 1/2 wks? Are you sure he hasn't gone somewhere in his tank, perhaps in his hide? If not, it's important that you get him cleaned out. When you give him a bath, make sure you put a wash cloth or hand towel down in the bottom of the sink or plastic container you're using as that will help him feel more secure. Then you will need to massage his right side gently from his armpit to vent area. Do you have any baby food applesauce or squash on hand? Those will help with the pooping too, you heat one or the other up so that it is quite warm and add a few drops of vegetable oil to it. Use a plastic medicine dropper & put drops on his nose for him to lick off.

 

[s1393]

yes i got the one you posted the picture of.
temps are now after couple hours and changing to 75watt is 103 basking and 82 cool side.
he was out for about a hour and half, and actually went back into hide about 5mins before i posted this.

ill get some baby food tomorrow and try that, and ill give him another bath.

i want to just close off his hide but i know i shouldnt

 

[diamc]

Great that you found that exact thermometer. Those temps sound very good. That's the longest he had been under the basking bulb since moving him to the larger tank, right? What is the humidity in the tank?

Since he is staying out longer now, just try to keep the hide as it is. He sounds a little stressed so he feels that the hide is his safe domain right now. If he stays in it a lot when the temps are all straightened out and enough time has gone by to show that he isn't suffering from relocation stress anymore, then you may have to block it.

Hopefully tomorrow he'll have a nice poop now that he had some good basking time.

 

[Judah'sHuman]

How frusterating for you! Im sure very soon it will all be streightend out though. Just wanted to check how long have you had the Repta sun? It doesnt maybe need changing does it? They are suppose to be good for 1 year, but with all the stuff that is going on with bulbs lately! :roll: it could be giving of lower levels of uv if it's more than 8 or 9 months??? maybe... perhaps?? :|

Also to help him poo, when he is sleepy you can put him on a warm rice sock or a heating pad on low. Then just place him on you chest with a cover over him and massge his back in a slow downward motion. Do this the evening after you give him the baby food mixed with the oil. The heat on the belly along with the food and a massage can get things moving. Watch out he doesnt poo on ya while he's sleeping...I have had it happen. Just do this for about an hr. or so whiel your watching tv or whatever, if he doesnt poo just put in back and try again the next day if he still hasnt gone.

 

[s1393]

the humidity is 36%.
i got the uv bulb back in april and it was off for about a month while viv was vacant so i could clean and what not.
he has never had an issue with pooping before thats for sure but ill try those things tomorrow

 

[s1393]

i think everything good now finally!!! g/f got home at about 3 and he had pooped, but i feel bad cause there was a small gap between the fake rock and wall from where i didnt line it up just right and i thought i had it where he wouldnt fall down it, but he did and was stuck behind it and dont know how long, so now im fixing that now, but he is out basking now, not sure on basking temp since g/f didnt put probe back after getting him out.

 

[s1393]

and i spoke to soon....
fixed the gap in the back and whole time he just sat on basking spot watching me(no stress marks either) as i was pulling arm back and forth to fix, then as i was about to walk out door to get him more crickets and he runs back into cave...but he was out for a good bit and pooped so getting better.

 

[diamc]

the humidity is 36%.
i got the uv bulb back in april and it was off for about a month while viv was vacant so i could clean and what not.
he has never had an issue with pooping before thats for sure but ill try those things tomorrow

That's good that your humidity is 36%. So, you've been actually using the UVB for about 4 months then. Even though the box for the Repti-Sun tubes says they are good for a yr, they actually should be replaced about every 6 months. Testing has been done on them with a UV meter and at about 5 to 6 months they do decline so we recommend changing them then.

That's great that he pooped. Was the white part (the urate) hard like chalk or rubbery or yellow rather than pure white? If it was, it means he needs to be hydrated more.

That's a shame that he fell in the small gap and he got stuck. Does he seem to be hurt at all, are there any scrapes or cuts?

Sounds like he is basking a lot more and certainly a good sign that he pooped. He may have gotten a little stressed by the things you were moving around so he retreated to his cave for a little white. Definitely some improvements though.

 

[s1393]

umm i didnt look at it to closely but there may have been a touch of yellow tint to it but it was rubbery.
no he was hurt there were acutally some rags behind it which i thought were in there to keep him from going doing there so he was sitting on the rag in the hollow area behind it. and it is just grout with no sharp edges on it just some texture to it.

yeah i was getting ready to order another bulb in a couple more weeks.

 

[s1393]

no signs of him being out today...so when i got home i got him out and put him up on basking to get some warmth before i tried to feed him but he immedietly ran back into hide.
basking still 100-101 and cool side 81.
couple more days then i think im gonna try closing off his hide

 

[s1393]

sorry to bump this again but i dont understand why he is acting the way he is.
after i had temps worked out and everything was right for about 5 days he didnt change at all. he stayed in his hide where it was 78 and no light at all and got angry anytime i tried to get him out. so i got him out and blocked of entrance into his hide. now he bask more and he will run around scratching the glass, and there are a couple small gaps between fake rock that are very small and no way he can get through but he tries and scratches at the gaps. today i came home and he was all bunched up in this little notch near his basking and up against the wall where one of the gaps are.
he has always curled up to go to sleep before his light goes off too. and since he has been in his new viv i get him out and set him in my lap with a blanket and he will borrow into it and curl up, infact as i type this he is in my lap curled up.
i dont want to open his hide up and him stay in it all day not getting any uv at all and not get warmed up so he cant digest.
anyone have any suggestions???

 

[diamc]

Wow, this is really puzzling. This may sound strange but do you have any pictures of him in his 20 gallon? I want to make a comparison from his perspective. Also, what substrate did you have down in the other tank?

Have you tried putting a hand towel right on top of his basking spot to see if he will lay there then?

Another strange question, do you have a ceiling fan in the room where he is?

 

[s1393]

no i dont have of pic of when he was in the 20gal, but i still have the 20gal sitting in same location cause i feed him in it, so i can take a pic and post it tomorrow if want to see it?? but it was up on our counter above sink(it is like a bar) and he was on carpet in the 20 gal.
now he in living room and on floor (live in small apt so really kitchen counter where he was to where is now is like 10feet) and no ceiling fan.
and just to see what would happen i put in a log hide on cool side and after about 2 or 3 mins he ran and got under it, but i took it out after.

i havent tried the rag on his basking spot, but i just put one in.