Will my reptile get impaction?

Will my reptile get impaction? #

Will my reptile get impaction? A question we are asked often here at SAReptiles, “will my gecko get impaction”, “the vet/breeder told us to use paper towels / repticarpet because of the risk of impaction”. I’ve even had variations of “you shouldn’t use loose substrates because the animal will get impaction”, shouted at me, angrily, while I’m speaking to a customer about something completely unrelated. So, before we do anything else, let me make this bold statement…. In its natural environment, where your pet originally comes from, there are loose substrates everywhere.

What is Impaction in Reptiles #

A brief interlude from what will probably turn into a rant….. What is impaction in reptiles? Impaction is when a substance forms a blockage in the intestines which prevents the normal passage of food and fluid through the gut. This blockage is more serious than just a touch of constipation – it can be incredibly painful and potentially fatal. So, what causes impaction? The shortest answer is anything that goes into the mouth and, for many reasons (as we will discuss) can’t get out the other end. This mass in the gut puts pressure on nerves and blood vessels, causing not only stress and discomfort, but true pain. This can force the animal into clinical shock which will, inevitably, lead to death. As any veterinarian will undoubtedly tell you, impaction can kill animals. Every vet has a story of opening an animal up (to either attempt to save or performing an autopsy) to remove a stinking mass of undigested food and substrate, so the answer is obvious. Remove the substrate, you remove the danger, right? I can guarantee you, if you look closer into any single case of impaction on the internet, you will find far more husbandry issues than “my animal ate the substrate”. I have been a part of more than 100 cases involving impaction of some description, from crested geckos and anoles to tegus and monitor lizards, and in every single instance there were husbandry discrepancies which led to the decline of the health of the animal in question.
Reptiles inhabit every continent on the planet (with the exception of antarctica), they are one of the most adaptable and versatile families in the animal kingdom. Having evolved for more than 250 million years, reptiles have a glorious history and, thanks to their versatility and ability to thrive in close proximity to us, a promising future. So please explain to me (and use little words, I beg you) how these animals can’t handle a loose, soil-based substrate??

What Causes Impaction in Reptiles? #

As I’m sure you’re aware, nothing is ever that simple. Impaction can be caused by any one or a combination of the following issues –
• Incorrect temperatures (normally too low)
• Dehydration
• Internal parasites
• Infection
• Physical trauma
• Neurological issue
• Tumors or growths
• Mineral deficiency

Healthy animals will be able to pass any indigestible matter through their gut without incident, a reptile or other animal with a pre-existing health issue or poor husbandry will potentially suffer from impaction. Removing the substrate from an animals enclosure is akin to paracetamol administered for a broken ankle. You are dealing with the symptom of a problem but not addressing the problem itself.
Aside from accidentally picking up substrate while feeding, why would an animal deliberately eat substrate? Have you ever seen nature documentaries on TV? Where animals of all shapes and sizes (elephants, tapirs, birds and lizards) will have a well-used specific spot to (literally) eat dirt and mud? These spots are rich with minerals, sometimes missing from the animals diet. When their body realizes the deficiency, they will descend on these mineral deposits and eat dirt. Quite a simple equation; low in minerals, eat dirt, absorb and replace minerals. This is one reason that our captive reptiles will pick up and actively eat their substrates, they are mineral deficient.

However, this process requires other factors to allow for mineral absorption. Specifically, heat, UV exposure and hydration (there are a whole bucket load of chemical and physiological processes that take place too, but I’m not smart enough to explain them!). If your reptile is at the correct temperature and has access to UV but too low a mineral content to the diet, it becomes deficient. If it is at the correct temperature and has correct mineral supplementation but has no access to UV, it becomes deficient. If it has minerals and UV but is too cold, it becomes deficient. If any of these parameters are missing, the animal cannot process the substrate, and it sits in the stomach doing nothing. Because the animal can’t absorb the minerals its brain still demands that it consume more substrate to replace the lost elements. The animal gets weaker and weaker, the stomach swelling and unable to move the indigestible substrate through the digestive tract. All of the animals internal organs begin to suffer from a lack of vitamins and minerals and the whole system sputters, stalls and then struggles to restart.

The next most common cause that we see is dehydration. Reptiles – especially the desert dwelling lizards most popular as pets, leopard geckos and bearded dragons – have an amazing ability to make the most of any available moisture. They are able to reclaim a large amount of the hydration contained in their food and rarely have to drink; in fact, many reptiles don’t appear to drink from still water at all. Unfortunately, this can lead to chronic dehydration which brings with it many highly unpleasant and life-threatening conditions. Despite the fact that so many of the popular species available today are from parched and arid environments, they have adapted to find alternative forms of hydration, for example the moisture from early morning fogs and dew to supplement their fluid intake. This can be replicated by misting your reptile regularly, especially if you don’t see it drink. For example, we do his with our bearded dragons on a bi-weekly basis. Twice a week we will spray around the animal (preferably the cooler section of the viv) and let him or her drink as much as they want.

Reptiles have a highly developed water reclamation system that operates in the intestines as the food is moving through it. If the waste sits in the colon for a long period of time water will continue to be drawn from it until you are left with a solid mass (much resembling a stone) in the gut which in itself becomes a blockage. This mass is known as a “fecalith”. Dehydration reduces the colon’s muscle movement, allowing excessive water absorption from faeces and leading to hardening and the ultimate solidification of faecal matter.

Neurological problems always raise most questions when mentioned in conjunction with impaction. How does an animal with a neurological issue suffer with impaction? Simple answer is this, they eat rocks. But not just rocks; paper, cardboard, dirt, elastic bands, clothing, hair bobbles, toys, batteries….. the list goes on and on. Animals with neurological issues will often be seen eating anything they can get their jaws around, a wonderful example of this is one of our very own animals here at SAReptiles – Blue. Blue is a 10-year-old melanistic leopard gecko, and he is (as my dad used to say) not the full shilling. He will hunt his food, find water, dig, climb and explore his enclosure to the fullest extent, doing everything a leopard gecko in his prime should do. But the second he sees something new or something different in his house, he’ll try to eat it. It begins with an exploratory touch of the tongue (to explore and understand their environment by tasting and smelling it with their Jacobson’s organ), once he’s done that it moves into full blown “I’m gonna eat this thing” mode. Further observation of his behaviours has shown that he suffers from a slight neurological problem, nothing so severe as Enigma, Blizzard or Aptor morphs, but enough star gazing and twitching that you can see the problems.

Internal parasites are not something you often consider with captive reptiles, or indeed any pet, but they can be a problem. Particularly if your animal spends a lot of time outside grazing, is partial to the occasional snail or slug snack, is wild caught (still a thing in this day and age, unfortunately) or has shared accommodation with a wild caught/rescue/rehome animal. Internal parasites are incredibly good at finding their way into animals to complete their lifecycle. Impaction is caused if there is an especially high concentration of parasites or, in some cases, the animal has been wormed and there is a heavier than expected parasite load; the number of dead parasites causes a blockage.

Preventing impaction in your reptile #

1 – Temperature. Make sure that your habitat is at the correct temperature. Basking spot, cool end and an appropriate temperature gradient.
2 – UV exposure. Species specific levels of UVB. We have guides available in store and all the equipment you need.
3 – Supplementation. Make sure that your pet is receiving the mineral and calcium supplements that best suit their particular requirements. We can help you with any and all the supplements you need!
4 – Hydration. Keep your reptile well hydrated and familiarise yourself with how your chosen species would stay hydrated in the wild. Would they drink from bodies of water, raindrops on leaves, morning dew? And no, they don’t soak it up through their vents when bathed, another myth busted 😊
5 – Reduce the likelihood of accidental ingestion. Feeding a horsfield tortoise wet greens on fine sand is probably not a good idea – use a bowl or slate.
6 – The internet is a marvelous tool, but there are online “experts” who have all of 5 minutes experience and feel that it is appropriate to criticize other keepers. Avoid Facebook groups and other forums dedicated to the “care” of reptiles. They’re nothing but bullies. We have to get it right for the sake of the animals and we constantly research the animals, their behaviours and their natural habitats to get it right!

As always with reptiles and amphibians, prevention is the best cure. Having the correct heating and UV lighting, appropriate supplements of calcium/vitamin and minerals, good levels of hydration and a clean, healthy lifestyle will ensure that your scaly or slimy friend will stay happy and healthy throughout the entirety of its life with you. And, dear reader, don’t be tempted by Facebook or the like, you’ll just end up frustrated and angry.

Why not check out our YouTube channel for some cool videos on our reptiles and helpful tips on husbandry!