Sudden Deaths

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Kristy_07

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I'm going to assume my other thread was closed due to business names being mentioned (fair enough - I didn't really intend for it is be slanderous towards anyone), but I would still really love some help from anyone else in Brisbane about the conditions in the last couple of days. If the mods could appreciate that I'm legitimately looking for some advice, and I remove the business names, and the thread could be left open, that would be great.

In the space of a week, I have sadly lost 3 animals - 2 geckos and a bearded dragon.

I have some reason to be suspicious that it could be related to a bad batch of food, but was hoping for some other opinions on what else it could possibly be.

I had xrays done on the beardie before she was put to sleep, which showed two large masses in her belly, as well as lots of fluid, which was possibly an indication of a ruptured bowel.

The gexs, I don't have much information. They are kept in 100 x 30 x 50 display enclosures, in pairs (with no problems), with heat chord and thermostat on 30 deg, red sand substrate, 4 hides per enclosure (for 2 gex, hot and cold ends), watered 2-3 times per week, and since we evacuated them during floods, they had settled into eating weekly and we were trying to get them back to twice weekly feedings. They are a little on the skinny side (which I've attributed to stress of evacuation and all the shuffling around since?), but otherwise behaving normally.

I fed them 2 nights ago. One died within the next 24 hrs, and another within another 12hrs. The beardie was behaving normally, and living in same conditions as she has lived happily in for 6 years, was fed and watered on Tuesday night, and we had her put down Wednesday night.

The crix were looking as per normal.

The only other factor I can think to include is the heat - yesterday, my house probably peaked in the mid-30s, even with the fans going (no A/C).

I was wondering if anyone, particularly from Brisbane, and particularly in light of the geckos, could give me some insight into whether this sounds like it could be food related, or husbandry related?

These are my first geckos, so, while I feel horrified to think it was a husbandry issue, I'm happy to accept that I've made mistakes, if that's the case.

Would really appreciate any input on what this sounds like to those with more experience than I. Husbandry? Possibly food? Something else?

Thanks in advance.
 
best bet would have been to do a necropsy :(

sorry for you loss x
 
I still have the animals, and am happy to do so. The gex are still fresh. But, if it is toxicity, I would likely have to have tissue sent away, which is flippin' expensive. I was just hoping to get some further ideas on here first, before making the next decisions.

Thanks, mate. Tough week or what, huh? :(
 
i read your other thread and use the same brand of crix for my gecko's and have no issues at all. I would imagine they would have died off before you got a chance to feed them to your animals, doesn't take much and they will die.

I think you may have answered your own questions, overheating with the loss of condition would be the first thing i looked at. Plus them being moved around, gecko's can become very stressed aniamals very quickly. As shoo said, necropsy is the only way you'll get a conclusive answer.

I can't explain the beardie death as i have no experience with them at all.

Were the beardie and gecko's having regualar bowel movements? almost sounds like possible impaction going by the xray results?
 
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Thanks, Fay. Sorry for the first one, it was an unintentional mistake. Would you mind sending me a quick email if I do it again, just so I'm aware of why it has been closed? Thanks.

Thanks, Ozzie. I'm not quite sure I get what you mean about dying off? I mean, I know they die pretty easy, but they were fresh and full when fed to the animals.

Thanks for your input.

Perhaps I should clarify, that while their condition was less than I'd like, they weren't starving. But, I appreciate where you're coming from.
 
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Do you have other reptiles in the same room or were these the only there?
 
The beardie and gex are in separate rooms, and the snakes are separate, again.

Sorry, Ozzie. Gex were having regular movements. The beardie was straining in the last couple of days. The vet suggested that the masses were larger than she would expect, and in the wrong place, for impaction, and suggested a possible tumour. I haven't had her necropsied to know for sure.
 
Hi Kristy,
sorry about your loss. I wonder if feeding geckos once a week is enough, especially if they weren't in top condition. Plus the trauma with shifting, etc., hmmm.
 
Hey Kristy,.

I am soooo sorry to read this news :(
I have sent you a PM,.

I hope you figure out what has happened & lets hope that you dont have any other deaths.

How about the other Geckos how are they going?

Did you only feed the 1 Beardy & the 2 Geckos with this batch of food or were other animals fed with the same food?

I would definitely recommend feeding the Geckos more regularly,. every 2nd or at least every third night is what I would recommend for young adults.

Once again ,. I am sorry for your loss & I hope you get to the bottom of this.
 
Sorry, I've been unclear.

I have been offering all the gex food 2-3 times per week, but have been removing most crix for 1-2 of those feeds per week. Sorry - that was my fault for wording that wrongly originally. After evac, they did eat the first normally the first... week and a half, I suppose, and then seemed to slow up after that.

Thanks for your input, Michael and Kelly.
 
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