Impaction in reptiles

Impaction - what is it and how do I treat it?

Impaction is a condition that affects reptiles. It is a common problem in geckos and Bearded dragons, although can occur in most reptiles. It is when a foreign object that it cannot digest becomes blocked in the digestive tract. It can, if not treated, be fatal.

Causes of impaction

Impaction is caused by swallowing objects that the animal cannot digest, such as substrate plastic plants and unsuitable food items. Most commonly they are swallowed by accident, when the reptile attacks prey. Mostly sand, small rocks and parts of décor are to blame as they aren’t something you’d think your lizard would eat, even accidentally! Giving the wrong type of food at the wrong stages is also a threat.

Preventing impaction

The first line of defence against impaction is prevention. Don’t use fine sands with young geckos or beardies; instead use chunky wood based substrate, ceramic, newspaper or slate that is labelled suitable. Avoid calcium sand with young geckos too; as they will ingest it to get the nutrients from it, unfortunately they can’t fully digest it leading to a risk of impaction. You can supply a small bowl of calcium supplement for the young gecko to dip into from time to time.

Be careful with your décor, especially with young lizards. Quite often the young reptile will mistake the authentic looking leaves for real vegetation! Although most reptile décor is durable enough to withstand this attack, aquarium décor or old décor may not. Checking that there are no bits coming off of plastic plants is a good routine to get into, better still avoid plastic plants all together until your reptile is bigger.

Food items can also pose a problem. Harder foods are often a problem for younger lizards, especially geckos. Avoid black crickets (sometimes called field crickets) and mealworms until the animal is older. Instead feed brown crickets and wax worms, which do not have the hard casing black crickets and mealworms have, which can cause impaction.

How do I know if my pet is impacted?

Usually refusal to eat is the first sign. However this shouldn’t be taken as a symptom alone, many reptiles go off food for periods of time and sometimes it may be down to the wrong environment. So the next symptom is to see if your pet has been passing regularly. If not at all or infrequently you should check the abdomen, which may be swollen, distended, black or blue coloured or puffy. Your pet may also seem sluggish, hiding up and refusing to drink.

I think my pet may be impacted, what do I do now?

Firstly, don’t keep feeding, as the reptile is unlikely to take food. If he or she feels better they might but that doesn’t mean the impaction is cleared and therefore may add to the problem. Secondly you will need to bathe your pet. Take a shallow dish, separate container (or if your reptile is large, even a bath!) and fill it just enough to rest the reptile comfortably in. The water needs to room temperature. Allow it to soak for 10 to 15 minutes; this should encourage the reptile to pass waste and the impaction along with it. You can do this twice a day, but if in a couple of days nothing has happened it may be best to seek a vets advice.

Crested Gecko's

Crested or Gargoyle Geckos

The Rhacodactylus ariculatus species is often referred to as the gargoyle gecko. Unlike other gecko species the gargoyle gecko tends to eat a large amount of fruit such as Bananas, Plums, Apricots, etc. (Apricots are higher in calcium). Provide a shallow water dish . Feed fresh fruit if possible although baby food can also be used as a substitute when fresh food is unavailable. Gargoyle geckos will also take insects such as crickets, or mealworms. Mealworms should not be fed to animals under six months of age. All foods should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement such as Repton.

Gargoyle geckos have raised bumps on the top of their heads, large teeth and resemble the stone gargoyles found on churches and old buildings, hence the nickname gargoyle gecko. The gargoyle gecko originates from New Caledonia and is the smallest of the Rhacodactylus species growing to a length of around five inches.

Screen type cages are best as they provide more ventilation and a more natural environment than normal vivariums which tend to keep the environment too moist, this can lead to problems with bacteria breeding in the cage and cause ill health. Ventilation is very important when housing these geckos as they require misting regularly. Only one male should be placed in each enclosure although you may keep up to four females with a single male.

Daytime temperatures should reach 74 degrees F.in the centre of the enclosure. Use a basking lamp on top of the screened enclosure to give a temperature up to 82 degrees F. in this spot for the animal to warm itself. Gargoyle geckos are arboreal and need branches or plants for climbing. It is also beneficial to provide hide places with a moist area for the gecko.

The substrate should be a mixture of potting soil and sphagnum moss or Orchid bark chippings may be used. Gargoyle geckos do not need the high humidity that other Rhacodactylus species require. A daily misting of the substrate is all that is required to keep the humidity levels ok.
Female gargoyle geckos are attracted to moist areas to lay their eggs, although they rarely breed in captivity.

Breeding season is from September to January. These geckos are also relatively long lived with captive specimins living 15 up to years. Incubation temperature for their eggs should be around 78 deg F. At this temperature you would produce both male and female offspring. Incubation medium may consist of slightly dampened vermiculite or slightly dampened peat moss. Incubation time for the eggs is around fifty to sixty days.

Accurate sexing of gargoyle geckos may be done at the age of seven to eight months of age. The males have an obvious swollen tail-base.Coloration is achieved by multiple generations of selective breeding.