Unexpected and heartbreaking. :(

[Mindibun]

I don't even know how to begin this post, really.

The crocodile skink that I just got less than two weeks ago ( here's the thread with all the info on her: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=69046 ) passed away unexpectedly today.

I was going to do a major cleaning on the tank today, but when I opened it up and pulled her out, she was dead. (I know they play dead; but this time she really WAS dead.) I've scheduled an appointment with the vet to have a necropsy done and find out what happened. Everything was exactly the way it should be. Her cool side was at 74* and the warm side at about 79*. She was eating regularly and moving about - thermoregulating and swimming frequently. She was doing everything normal, healthy lizards do.

I don't know what caused her death, and it makes me nervous because I don't want it to be something the snakes may have caught. Even though I've only had her for 11 days, she meant a lot to me; she was helping me to get over a life-long fear. I tried to do everything right for her. It was just ... unexpected.

[Laooda]

Oh sweetie! I am soooo sorry... I'm sure it wasn't anything that you did.

[gothkenny]

Oh gosh. I am so very sorry for this troubling loss. =( I'm gonna guess that it wasn't your fault though. Animals are just very fragile. Anything could have happened.

[cassandra]

Sorry about your loss. *hug*

[dr del]

Hi,

Sorry to hear this.

And everything seemed to be going so well. Wild caught lizards can be a nightmare to work with and any stressors can tip them over the edge if they haven't settled and got some reserves behind them.

I have seen the stress of a move from bad conditions to perfect conditions cause an animal to go back before they de-stress and start to get the benefit of the new environment.

The fact she was eating well for you kind of argues against this to me though - would be intrested to see what the necropsy comes back with.

Don't let this discourage you though as you have come so far already.


dr del

[blackcrystal22]

I bought a skink a long time ago that died in my hands. It was only 3 days after I bought it and I thought I had everything right.

I think it was probably the move, sometimes fragile animals like this can't survive such a stressful thing.

:[

I'm terribly sorry for your loss. I know how excited and happy you were with her.

[ADEE]

Im so sorry for your loss... I hope its nothing that can be passed to your snakes

I have also learned the hard lesson about WC creatures.. my tokay passed away not long after i got her.

[TheMolenater2]

Oh man. Sorry to hear about ur loss.

[Wh00h0069]

Very sorry for your loss...

[Mindibun]

Thanks guys. It's rough but these things happen, and I'm no newbie to animals and people passing on. Time really does heal all.

Dr. Del - I don't know about "eating well" but she *was* eating. I think she probably ate about 10 crix (+/-) during the time that she was here. I had ten more sitting in a container for her. I let those go outside last night. I live in Florida so the weather is perfect for them. I actually enjoyed raising the crickets, even if they were stinky...