My Sick Ackie

[PhilK]

Haven't posted on here for a little while, but thought I'd jump on and tell you about my ackies.

I have had a bit of bad luck with them - one has always been smaller and a fussier feeder than the other. I went overseas for a few weeks and my brother and parents were looking after them. While I was gone the smaller of the two was found dead in the cage... absolutely no idea how it had happened, no marks of a fight or anything, had been eating well... Bizarre.

About a week and a half ago the other ackie (who has always had an amazing feeding response and been the perfect little goanna) had a huge feed of meat dusted with calcium/vitamin powder (as usual). The light in his enclosure blew while I was down the coast for two days and we had an unseasonably cold couple of days. Parents didn't notice (I am staying with them at the moment) and when I got back he had been without heat for 2 days.

He was pretty lethargic but otherwise OK and I made a note to get a light in the morning.. well the next morning he vomited his meat up. The smell was something I haven't smelled since dissecting a bloated dugong in vet school! I replaced the light within a few hours, but since then he has not shown the slightest inclination of feeding or even really moving around he just lies in one spot the whole day... He has eaten maybe one cricket in a week!

I have been treating him with warm water baths twice a day and recently obtained some oral antibiotics for him so fingers crossed! I'll update as he goes along.

 

[Chicken]

Hey Phil, yes the regurgitation will be from lack of heating causing him to not be able to digest properly.
What heat globes are you using? How hot is the basking spot?
I'd say give it a few more days of a hot basking spot and even night heating if you can, the baths will help. When he is in the bath stroke firmly down his belly to try encourage him to get it out of his system.
Once its out of his system feeding should go back to normal, start very small maybe 1-2 crickets a day then slowly progress.
I had the same issue when accedently feeding too many mealworms, which caused regurgitation.
Good luck keep us posted.

 

[phatty]

Good luck hope all goes well

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[oOLaurenOo]

I would be possibly looking into some fortum injections for him. If he has had rotting food in his belly then the stomach may be infected or damaged. It is possibly not absorbing the oral antibiotics as well as it should? Just a thought. I hope he picks up for you. And as Chicken said, I would be bumping up the heat and try to keep him heated over night as well. That will help.