Bad News

Aaron · 9th March 2010, 12:15 AM

Hi all.

Unfortuantly I just found my crocodile skink dead in his tank.

I just want a bit of info or maybe someone has experienced the same thing.

I checked on him a few days ago and he was very alert and seemed fine but he did look a little bit on the skinny side. When I just found him dead as graphic as it sounds he had no eyeballs and the inside of his mouth looked collapsed. There are always leftover locusts in there could they have done this in his sleep or is it highly unlikely. I have noticed also he never had a great interest in food. I thought nothing of it as care sheets for croc skinks say you will never see them eat. But I never saw him it in the 6+ months i have had him. I always kept the tank moist and we had him at room temp as our bedroom even in winter is sweltering. Im gutted and just want to know why/how he died.

Aaron

EmeraldSapphirez · 9th March 2010, 09:19 AM

So sorry for your loss. Do you know exactly hat temperature he was at? These little guys are highly susecptible to heat stress. I doubt the locusts touched him, being entirely vegetarian. Crickets, maybe, but not locusts.

Another avenue to ponder about is interal parasites. Do you know if the little guy was wild caught?

Tom · 9th March 2010, 09:29 AM

i said the same to him daisy, but from what i remember it was CB from robs.
i actually meet the guy who sold them to rob, and he knows his stuff, so i doubt its the above..

im thinking maybe just a mixture of small things, lack of food, items maybe have been to big, or maybe just heat/ humidity?

i would be worried that the eyes had gone, after a day of checking on him though, i dont think they would shrink that fast, maybe with a high heat, but not at room temp.

i have no idea about crock skinks, but im only going on previous lizard experience.

maxichops · 9th March 2010, 11:20 AM

Sorry to hear that. Hope you can find out what went wrong.

Aaron · 9th March 2010, 05:56 PM

Tom there was always food in there he just didn't seem interested. It was not to hot as my beardies tank over night sits at about 65-70F (My room temp) Could it be impaction?

titch · 9th March 2010, 06:39 PM

The best and only way to really out what really happened is to take it to the vet's for an postmortem. Can't understand if you check on your rep's daily (as you should do) how it's managed to get in that bad a condition in such a short space of time to actually have no eye's and sunken inside his mouth, sound's to us like a lack of calcium but like i said take it to the vet's.

Nuff said!

Aaron · 9th March 2010, 08:12 PM

Just cremated the little fella R.I.P

Aaron · 9th March 2010, 08:14 PM

His food was dusted.

AshandSarah · 9th March 2010, 10:53 PM

Sorry to hear about your croc skink mate. We had one for a very short period of time before taking it back because we never got to see it eat. We never found locust in the viv after feeding but it bothered me that i hadnt actually seen it eat. We found our croc skink very shy and it froze every time we held it. I am not sure how other people have got on with these but my opinion is that they get stressed very easily, not that i am suggesting this is why yours died. Hope someone can help shed a bit more light for ya fella.

Mikazuki · 10th March 2010, 03:23 AM

sorry to hear of your loss.
I have seen something similar with a beardie, the eyes were missing, but that was from adult black crickets( they seem to go for moisture ), locusts can cause cuts, but I don't think they are as sadistic as crickets can be and the dragon was ill beforehand, usually a reptile would move, asleep or not, if insects were bothering it. I know its not much, but I feel for you, its extremely difficult to loose a pet.
All the best.