Bevluvsrats
New Member
Hi all. First of all I need to say that I'm in the UK, so I might not be able to acquire certain medications or foods. I've got two 18 year old Leopard torts named Pie (male) and Pastie (female). We noticed that she (Pastie) hadn't been moving around her cage at all, and her appetite was a bit bad, so about a week ago I jumped on it, did some research via the internet, and it sounds like she's got an impaction or constipation. Pie has slowed down over the last couple of days, but is still eating and is still pretty strong in his legs and is moving around. I've been soaking them for half an hour to an hour every other day, Pie moves around in the bath but Pastie just stays where I put her. I've got Oxbow critical care herbovire, and she's had two 60ml syringes over the last couple of days. Their normal diet consists of curly kale or spring greens with a mixture of red, yellow or green peppers, carrot, cucumber, courgette, occasional cauliflower or broccoli, either baby corn or corn on the cob, and they've also got timothy hay as a constant. The substrate they're on is Megazorb, which is normally used in stables, it's a recycled paper/wood pulp kind of thing. We had been feeding them in an area away from the megazorb because I'm aware of the possibility of them eating it and maybe getting clogged up, but since Pastie stopped moving, I've had to move the food to her. We feed from a dish so hopefully she hasn't eaten any Megazorb. Earlier in the month it was particularly cold here, and part of their cage heating relies on our central heating in the home (although they do have their UVB light and basking lamp), and I had wondred if the lower temperature could have caused a long term problem, but their cage is now between a low of 80 degrees and a high of around 95 to 100 degrees. Could I give her natural laxative like syrup of figs? Senna? Lactulose is not available in the UK without prescription, I believe. Cod liver oil? I would attempt an enema if it would be beneficial. I'm seeing a lot about 'mineral oil', but I don't understand what that actually is. I'm seeing it online as either something to rub into wooden chopping boards, or something that's used with cars and bikes, neither of which seem edible. I'm doing everything I can, and the problem at the moment in the UK is that we're on lockdown and aren't allowed to travel, local vets here aren't experienced with reptiles to my knowledge, and the vets that are being recommended to me are too far away. My usual vet is 36 miles away, and were it not for Covid, we would have taken them straight there. Many thanks for anything you guys can suggest, I'm getting quite worried about her now.