caplin my old skink

[yulyani]

Dear Friends,

I post the pics and story about my 10 years old Caplin, the small skink.

He is having the heart problem since about 2,5 years ago, signed by the exercice intolerance and gapping the mouth if he tires. First we think he has the respiratory infection, and I ask the vets to do the complete examinations including culture and sensitivity test of mouth discharge, and the x ray of the hearts,....finally we find he has the big heart,...and until know he is still on heart medications.

He lis stable until about 3 month ago and he lost his appetite....and I want to make him better, so I order the more naturalistic vivarium and I put him in since about 5 days ago.

He seems to be better and happier, because this new place has water pump, retaints humidity more, and it is important for him because he can still get humidity withhout basking at the water pool...

but I noticed the gravels at his stool 2 days ago....he should have eaten it when nobody there....

I am confious to change the substrate, because I can not use any other like peat moss in this naturalistic enclosures, it will make the water dirty always....my friend the reptile seller told me it is still ok, because the one he eats usually the small gravel,....but i still concern about it.

I hope it is only the temporary behaviour because of the new cage.....

I appreciate any input/suggestions from you all

many thanks, yuli and caplin

 

[frost]

well on the gravel eating subject some animals will ingest things like that if they are bored or sometimes it helps with digestion. reptiles like bearded dragons eat substrate often and is usually recommended that you use something else. i only have around 3 or 4 years of experience and research so i dont have as much knowledge about these things as other members on here.

 

[dragonmetalhead]

If he's eating gravel, I'd recommend A) changing the substrate and B) find out why he's eating it in the first place if you can. Perhaps there is food or something in it that is attracting his attention. You certainly don't want him ingesting gravel, as that can cause a whole mess of issues.

 

[yulyani]

well on the gravel eating subject some animals will ingest things like that if they are bored or sometimes it helps with digestion. reptiles like bearded dragons eat substrate often and is usually recommended that you use something else. i only have around 3 or 4 years of experience and research so i dont have as much knowledge about these things as other members on here.

thank you Frost....yes my friend who I bought this new viv said it is ok, because many lizards like berdie and others also eating gravels,...If you see the pictures closely you will noticed Caplin has the bigger abdoment compared with normal lizards and it is caused by the gas and oedema related from the heart weakness,....and I think probably he ate the gravel to make his own stool bulkier so it will make the defecation faster.......I am monitoring him closely to see if this habit harm him.......thanks again for your input

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If he's eating gravel, I'd recommend A) changing the substrate and B) find out why he's eating it in the first place if you can. Perhaps there is food or something in it that is attracting his attention. You certainly don't want him ingesting gravel, as that can cause a whole mess of issues.

thank you. Do you have any alternative idea which substrates I could use,..I have been thinking of changing it into peat moss but the whole water will be always dirty and damp because of the dust,....or using the very fine usual sand,.....but he can still eat it I think......... his old cage used peat moss but it doesn't have the water pump so it was still neat and clean.............but this new cage retaints humidity better than the old one......thanks again and I send Kodo regards

 

[frost]

coconut husk is a pretty good substrate unless you were already using that.

 

[yulyani]

coconut husk is a pretty good substrate unless you were already using that.

is it the same with Cocopeat/ peat moss? thank you

 

[frost]

you mean coconut and peat moss? the coco husk usually comes in a bag and it is shredded husk with some of the shells.

 

[yulyani]

you mean coconut and peat moss? the coco husk usually comes in a bag and it is shredded husk with some of the shells.

thank you,...frost if you can see,... in the pictures below MJ cage has the cocopeat as substrates. I usually buy it at the big package....is it the same, or the coconut husk is the bigger shreded of coconut sheel....

 

[Dana C]

I have been using peat moss in one of my big vivs for a few months now. I switched to provide a diggable, moisture holding substrate that hopefully won't impact the lizard in that Viv. It also is affordable in a big enclosure.
Peat moss is decomposed plant matter that is at least partly digestible. I have looked closely at my Tegu's feces and haven't seen much if any of it. I know it is there however as his poo in a bathtub with water will separate from the solids.
My theory is that the fibers are so small and light that they pass through him easily.
Yes, it does get into his water which I change daily but so far I have not seen any ill effects from it.

I am not in favor of gravel as it is heavy enough to not pass through the gut. The turn around time between ingestion and pass things etiher in or as feces is very short in Tegus, around 24 hours, ( my own tests). If you see your reptiles eat something non digestable one day, you should be able to see it the next.

 

[dragonmetalhead]

Zoo Med's Eco Earth is my substrate of choice, but I do not know the specific requirements for your species of skink. I do know this substrate is passable (Kodo occasionally swallows a mouthful).

 

[frost]

i use apsen for my blue tongue and he likes to burrow in it.

 

[yulyani]

I have been using peat moss in one of my big vivs for a few months now. I switched to provide a diggable, moisture holding substrate that hopefully won't impact the lizard in that Viv. It also is affordable in a big enclosure.
Peat moss is decomposed plant matter that is at least partly digestible. I have looked closely at my Tegu's feces and haven't seen much if any of it. I know it is there however as his poo in a bathtub with water will separate from the solids.
My theory is that the fibers are so small and light that they pass through him easily.
Yes, it does get into his water which I change daily but so far I have not seen any ill effects from it.

I am not in favor of gravel as it is heavy enough to not pass through the gut. The turn around time between ingestion and pass things etiher in or as feces is very short in Tegus, around 24 hours, ( my own tests). If you see your reptiles eat something non digestable one day, you should be able to see it the next.

thank you Dana....I have been using cocopeat and it was great,...also quite safe if ingested....I will consider to change the substrat into cocopeat, if I notice Caplin eat the gravel again...

thanks again, yuli

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i use apsen for my blue tongue and he likes to burrow in it.

thank you frost,...I haven't used aspen but I will search for information about it

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Zoo Med's Eco Earth is my substrate of choice, but I do not know the specific requirements for your species of skink. I do know this substrate is passable (Kodo occasionally swallows a mouthful).

thank you Grayson,...I appreciate your input and I will search the info about it.....

 

[yulyani]

Dear friends,

I just want to let you know about the progress of my lizard Caplin. Yesterday i didn't work so lucky I noticed him did the poo at the water container,...and this time didn't have gravels on it,....any other signs is the same, he is still weak and not eating by his own,...but I will try my best to find out how to make him feel better,...I will make him get the mild sunshine through the windows so he can get energy from it....thanks for all your input I appreciate it and so do my lizard.....