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[Chicago]

You probably didn’t want to click on this link.  You probably don’t want to hear more bad news about Sparky.  And who can blame you?  But since you did, here’s the story.  She won’t eat.  She doesn’t try to walk. She just makes these gasping for air sounds.       The stiff leg gets very hot near the shoulder sometimes compared to the opposite leg.  She won’t take the mint leaf or mushroom or anything else.  What should we do?  Here are 2 videos.  One short one shows the gasping up close and the other shows how her tail wags while she is gasping.  Can you hear it? She made 2 beeps and turned off.  That was odd.  The probe rb showed she was low on feed.  But she won’t eat!

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjyy5PiUaKs" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjyy5PiUaKs</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MryZ0L-WOfA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MryZ0L-WOfA</a>

[Crewella]

My first thought was "is she too hot"?  I'm afraid I live in England so have never seen mine react to heat? 

[kat]

I was wondering that too..... maybe try feeding her the ice and see what happens

[Lottibell]

Has had his fair share of hiccups, most certainly. That sound reminds me somewhat of the sound Pleo makes after eating chilli and is hence hot, so I'm inclined to agree with Crewella and Kat that trying ice makes sense. Here's hoping it works...... Good luck Lottibell. 

[InmemoryofRomeo]

Another vote for her being too hot, she's meant to flop down on the floor and pant, but of course she can't with her leg. Feed ice, remove her coat and turn the heating off

[Crewella]

Definitely worth a try - you might end up shivering ...... but Sparky might feel better!     

[camcam8910]

I hope she is just hot, I only have a ugobe so I know nothing about the RBs, I'm hoping it is only the heat.

-Camille

[Lottibell]

Soooo......put us out of our misery, Chicago, did the ice work? A reeeeeeeaaally curious Lottibell.     

[InmemoryofRomeo]

By the by, on the subject of the hot leg, try manipulating it back and forth a few times, you'll feel the gears click.

[Chicago]

Sorry it took so long to report.  She's OK!     The next time she was turned on, she wasn't panting anymore.  She ate a lot.  That's what I hear.  I wasn't there.  We had tried to give her the ice during that panting incident, but she wouldn't take it.  She wouldn't take anything in her mouth.  When we turn Moxy ans Sparky on at the same time it's clear that Sparky get's much hotter than Moxy, especially her bad leg.  We're going to try to turn her off when she get's real hot.  I will also click the bad leg a few times, as IMR suggested. 

Sparky tries to walk and because of her stiff leg she doesn't make much progress.  But I think she thinks she is moving forward much more than she really is.  We've been thinking about changing her DNA to make physical low instead of high. Maybe she wouldn't get as hot if she wasn't always trying to walk.  But this is a real ethical issue.  Isn't it?  Would she still be the same Sparky if we messed around with her DNA? What do you all think?

[InmemoryofRomeo]

It may be beneficial to her, you could think of it as enforced rest for an illness.

Or you could try my other idea of a training wheel

[kat]

I think it's a good idea   go for it, it can only help

[InmemoryofRomeo]

If you could find a small flat disk with ball bearings in it to help it move across the floor you could attach it to her foot.

I had one years and years ago for a table hockey game, it was about the right size.

[Crewella]

Making her less keen to explore is certainly worth a try - you can always change it back?

Glad the panting stopped!