somethings wrong

[james.w]

The last few days I've noticed my tegu drags his back end around instead of lifting up on his hind legs. Any idea what the problem might be or do I need to visit the vet??

Enclosure is 8x3.5x3
Temps 110 basking, ambients 77-90 measured with a proexotics temp gun
Humidity 45% warm side 75% cool side
Bulb 160w powersun bought 6-20-11
Diet- rats, chicks, chicken necks, chicken gizzards/hearts and tilapia filets.

He hasn't eaten in over a week, but has pooped twice in the last week, but it was slightly runny.

 

[Rhetoric]

He's not over weight is he? He doesn't look it in any of the pictures but its a fair question. Any blockage around the vent? Unusual bumps?

 

[james.w]

I don't think he looks overweight.

 

[Rhetoric]

Is there any swelling on him?

 

[james.w]

No, he has been sleeping an awful lot too, I thought he went down but then he will pop up and bask for a bit.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

As long as it's not constant and he's able to walk normally I wouldn't worry too much about it or you can keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get worse.

Natsuki and Dino did it when they were tired, not quite warmed up yet and or when they were just marking their territory on a daily basis. He maybe just coming into his own and starting to mark his territory.

 

[frost]

sounds like hes constipated..give him some exlax..lol j/k i would try a soak in warm water.=]

 

[kellen.watkins]

My extreme does it too I think its because she's lazy lol cause she can sure move for food

 

[spidersandmonsters]

^^ I've noticed ALOT of heavy lizards do this. It always seems like their back legs are just dragging but when they want to get up go its no problem.. is it constant like every time he walks or just when he moves a little way to a different spot?

 

[james.w]

saturday and sunday I took him out and soaked him and took him outside for some sun and he did it the entire time.

 

[jdpFL]

How's he doing? Still dragging?

 

[james.w]

He hasn't been out since Sunday.

 

[kellen.watkins]

I know paralysis in the limbs is a sympton of impaction, look for bruising on the abdomen and/or bumps on the spine, you do feed a lot of whole prey some believe that this creates a high risk for impaction how true that is I don't know? My extreme walks that way but only really short distances. If yours is walking like that a lot something is probably most definintly wrong

 

[Rhetoric]

^ I wondered about that too but the tegu also hasn't been eating as much which would help explain why its not pooping. Sometimes I'll see Rango kind of rubbing his butt around (its hard to explain) but he's rubbing his scent on what he thinks is his.

 

[herpgirl2510]

Tonka will do this when he is shedding. He scared me the other day he was walking funny and dragging himself around I helped peel his shed off off his vent and tummy and legs and he stopped.

 

[james.w]

Tonka will do this when he is shedding. He scared me the other day he was walking funny and dragging himself around I helped peel his shed off off his vent and tummy and legs and he stopped.

This is definitely a possibility, when I took him out on Wednesday he was shedding. I put him in the tub for a bit and outside for some sun. Haven't seen him since, so I'm not sure how he is doing.

 

[kellen.watkins]

Keep us updated I hope the nevadan tegu is ok ;-)

 

[spidersandmonsters]

If he's shedding then he was probably just trying to drag off that bottom side haha

 

[herpgirl2510]

It is amazing how weird tonka behaved I thought he lost the use of one of his front legs scared the hell out of me. He rubs his back end all over my floor to scrape it off. Sometimes he will just rub his back end all over my house I think he is marking his territory.