Siezure :(

[Uroguy43]

So I picked up a new male saharan uro last week and last night he had a siezure, likely hypocalcemia as he looks a bit malnourished, there's no exotic vets within 4 hours of where I live so I've been giving him calcium/D3 solution with water orally(as much as he'll take). He won't eat anything I give him and is fairly weak. I've been taking him outside to get natural sunlight as well as a t5ho arcadia about 18" from the floor with no blockage and 2 E27 100w arcadia basking bulbs in his 65gal enclosure substrate is eco earth mixed with round tumbled sand as they like digging. High side of basking spot is about 130 low is about 110 hot side is at around 97 and cool side about 80, whole tank 80 at night. Im offering millet and collards, calcium and D3 dusted. He doesn't want to come out of his burrow under the basking rock even to eat. He's looking a lot better since the siezure but the previous owner says he's 3 years old and this lizard is only about 8 inches long so I'm concerned about MBD, though there is no visible bone or spinal nodules or deformation. He's a lot more alert but still shaky when he walks around and doesn't like the heat and just immediately rushes to the cool side or his burrow and falls asleep unless he's outside in the sun(hence why im taking him out there to get his uv). Suggestions?

 

[xp29]

@Claudiusx has experience with them, maybe reach out to him.

 

[Claudiusx]

Hi there,

Can you post a picture of your setup and your Uro?

Do you know what his care was like for the prior 3 years?

As long as you are measuring your temps with an accurate device, temps are good.

You've only had him for a week, just like beardies, it's not uncommon for them to not eat for a bit as they settle into their new home. I get the worry of wanting to get nutrients in him because of what you saw, that's why rescues are so difficult because they are already compromised but now have the added stress of a new environment.

If he truly isn't eating anything, it might be best to remove the hide but also give him his space (EG don't keep him in a busy room).

-Brandon

 

[Uroguy43]

Hi there,

Can you post a picture of your setup and your Uro?

Do you know what his care was like for the prior 3 years?

As long as you are measuring your temps with an accurate device, temps are good.

You've only had him for a week, just like beardies, it's not uncommon for them to not eat for a bit as they settle into their new home. I get the worry of wanting to get nutrients in him because of what you saw, that's why rescues are so difficult because they are already compromised but now have the added stress of a new environment.

If he truly isn't eating anything, it might be best to remove the hide but also give him his space (EG don't keep him in a busy room).

-Brandon

I took the enclosure the PO had it was a pretty good setup. I put I all new bulbs arcadia 24" t5ho 12% and arcadia e27 100w halogen uva/b spot basking lamps in a twin housing. The reptile looks skinny and the PO said he hadn't eaten much in the last month. This morning I took him outside again and he drank 1ml of water mixed with about .25g calcium/d3 from a syringe. He also ate a few bites kale leaf from my hand which is an improvement. He doesn't seem skittish at all and will crawl all over me. Il put the photos as soon as I get home tonight. I do have a photo of the lizard which I'll post here. He looks a bit skinny and dried out still. The siezure was hi arching his back inversely till his tail touched his head, mouth gaping open, then he fell over completely limp and did not move for 15-20 seconds. He has not had another one still. His pores look clean and he doesn't seem to have any scale rot but does have stuck shed

 

[Claudiusx]

Hi there,

That's a scary event to witness i'm sure.

If that is a recent picture, he doesn't look TOO bad. It's good that he is supporting his chest off of his hide. He at least has the energy to do that. He definitely looks skinny and is not displaying his happy colors. I wouldn't worry about the shedding though. They are slow growers and shed sticks around for a LONG time on Uros.

Keep offering him daily salads, with a light light sprinkle of multivitamin powder two times a week. He likely won't eat, or won't eat much, but don't get discouraged, just keep offering the fresh salads.

I would be cautious with the want to force feed and give the supplemental calcium. Based on your description so far, I don't feel like he's really in a life or death situation right now, and can likely pull himself back to good health with the proper care and time. If he's been malnourished his whole life, you need to go slow with the nutrients. You don't want to overwhelm the system. If he is willing to drink a little bit of water every other day or so, go for it. But I'd only give him the oral calcium once a week at this point.

-Brandon

 

[Uroguy43]

Hi there,

That's a scary event to witness i'm sure.

If that is a recent picture, he doesn't look TOO bad. It's good that he is supporting his chest off of his hide. He at least has the energy to do that. He definitely looks skinny and is not displaying his happy colors. I wouldn't worry about the shedding though. They are slow growers and shed sticks around for a LONG time on Uros.

Keep offering him daily salads, with a light light sprinkle of multivitamin powder two times a week. He likely won't eat, or won't eat much, but don't get discouraged, just keep offering the fresh salads.

I would be cautious with the want to force feed and give the supplemental calcium. Based on your description so far, I don't feel like he's really in a life or death situation right now, and can likely pull himself back to good health with the proper care and time. If he's been malnourished his whole life, you need to go slow with the nutrients. You don't want to overwhelm the system. If he is willing to drink a little bit of water every other day or so, go for it. But I'd only give him the oral calcium once a week at this point.

-Brandon

Okay sounds good, should I continue offering millet? Or does that risk overly dehydrating the Uro?

 

[Claudiusx]

The millet is fine. Has the protein and other nutrients that your Uro will need. If he's eating it, that's great. If he eats it more than the salad, you might want to put a light sprinkle of calcium on that instead of the salads.

-Brandon

 

[Uroguy43]

The millet is fine. Has the protein and other nutrients that your Uro will need. If he's eating it, that's great. If he eats it more than the salad, you might want to put a light sprinkle of calcium on that instead of the salads.

-Brandon

Both are lightly dusted, he ate outside but not in the viv so I'm gonna try to feed him outside again later even though I don't want him to get in the habit of it

 

[Uroguy43]

Here is a top down photo of him that was taken last night. Im very concerned about his size if he is really 3 years old, he's the size of a 6-8 month old Uro

 

[xp29]

Wow he is a beautiful boy. Please keep up posted on his progress. Hopefully he makes a speedy and complete recovery. He ar least has a fighting chance now!

 

[Uroguy43]

Sorry for the late response, here is the enclosure, wonky photo because I had to use a panorama as it's very long(also had to turn off the basking bulbs so they didnt wash out the photo). The siezures have become more frequent and happen primarily when he gets warm and continue untill he cools off, though they are less intense(rather than locking up and curling, his tail and legs will shake rapidly, he still seems alert during these siezures)edit for clarofication, today while basking outside(shade and hide provided, though he did not attempt to enter) under supervision he suffered from 4 siezures in a 20 minute window lasting between 10-15 seconds each. First one was full body lockup 15 seconds, second one was all limbs shaking with flailing tail and back curved to side for about 15 seconds, third was flailing limbs and tail for 12 seconds, fourth was flailing tail and hind legs for 10 seconds. On the final 2 siezures he was alert and on the very last one he was actively trying to drag himself while flailing(walking with forelegs, chest up, head and eyes alert, licking the ground), the first one happened as he tried to take a bite of greens, i removed them from his mouth to prevent choking and he did not go back and try to eat. I'm very concerned and like I said before there are no vets for over 100 miles that will take him. Should I add a second uv tube to add more coverage to the tank?

 

[Uroguy43]

Another update, he appears very happy and healthy today(other than being skinny) I believe the cause of the siezures may have been found. Today while warming up his legs shook again and his tail lifted, bit this time he had a very large(nearly half the size of his tail) excretion with a massive urate(about 2 inches long and half inch in diameter) It was yellow with some small uric acid crystals, however I believe this was the cause of his not eating and his siezures(pushing against the spine) and if it's been in there for a month I would expect a large buildup of uric acid. I would have never expected impaction as the stomach seemed normal as did the curvature of the spine but it appears this may have been the case. Obviously I will keep monitoring him closely but I'm really hoping this was his issue(i feel a bit bad for dosing him with calcium now, i hope his kidneys are okay).

 

[xp29]

Wow i bet he feels MUCH better. Do keep us posted. Hopefully he gets back to normal now

 

[Uroguy43]

Completely regained appetite, made a new burrow in his enclosure, and is happily running around and basking now. No siezures witnessed today and he's displaying much more orange than before as well(don't worry I'm not letting him eat the grass)

 

[xp29]

That is great news!!!
He is even prettier than in the other pic.