So several months ago, I bought a male and female jeweled curly-tail. I have fed them both crickets and mealworms, and they have ravenously devoured both. But it seems the mealworms have given the female impactions. She has been constantly sleepy and did not eat or drink. Now after about a month of this, she is becoming slightly more active, though still occasionally falling asleep, and is drinking. She still doesn't actively chase after crickets (I've completely taken meal worms out of all my lizards diets), but i have been able to hand feed her bits of lettuce. She has defecated since her activity levels have increased. My question is, does this sound like she is improving?
Hello and welcome to the forum. Can you give more detail about her enclosure and set up? Temps,what you're using to measure the temps, size of cage, substrate, etc. Do they they live together or are seperate? I'm not all too familiar with that species but perhaps it was from brumation?
Hello. Temps are between 70-80 F, I'm using an Exo-terra thermometer. Cage is a 30 gallon, substrate is a mix between sandy topsoil and wood chips (I made sure they will be too large for the lizards to even attempt to swallow). They were together when i got them, curly-tails are a somewhat colonial species. From what i understand the impaction is due to consuming mealworms, and not being to digest their hard shell properly. the male did not eat very many, i assume hid did not suffer any problems because of his larger digestive system? The female was a very eager eater.
Do you have a UVB bulb? If so, what brand is it, what style/strength, etc.? (If you can post a link to the exact product being used that would help a lot.) How close can they get to the UVB bulb? Are you supplementing their diet with a calicium powder of any kind?
I do have a UVB bulb, also Exo-Terra, Repti-glo 5.0, not sure on UVB %. They can get within a few inches of the lightng system. i have been dusting the insects with calcium powder.
