Dead Lacey.

[serpenttongue]

While in QLD recently with the lovely johnbowemonie we came across a dead Lacey around the Bundaberg area. At first we thought it was a typical roadkill as it remained motionless on the road as we approached it, but on closer inspection we noticed that this Lacey didn't have a mark on it. No broken limbs, no damage to the head, no blood around the mouth or snout etc. In fact this monitor was in perfect condition, just laying there on the road with it's eyes closed.

So this had us wondering how it died and the only conclusion we could come to besides being hit by a car was that it had eaten a Cane Toad and then died after consumption.

Since you are all very knowledgeable herpers, can any of you suggest ways in which this animal may have died?

 

[GSXR_Boy]

Perhaps a near miss on the road and died from shock??

 

[cockney red]

Put the mortgage on "poxy cane toad".

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

did you examine the stomach content?
That would tell you what it last ate.

 

[mr_muesli]

i dont know, it looks like it was a painless death, probably a can toad though
Good luck in finding out how it died.
Kai

 

[nuthn2do]

You'd really have to do an autopsy but poison of some sort is most likely

 

[Dan123]

old age?
baited rabbit?
dehydration?

 

[serpenttongue]

did you examine the stomach content?
That would tell you what it last ate.

Nah, had nothing to cut it open with.

 

[reptilegirl_jordan]

poor thing i would say cane toad

 

[GSXR_Boy]

In that second pic he looks like he has had a big night out
Poor thing Nice looking lizard.

 

[spilota_variegata]

I've never seen an animal that has died of cane toad poisoning before. Is the death normally painful - thrashing etc. associated? I've seen a snake die from eating contaminated food and that was absolutely horrific. You could see by the contorted appearance of the snake that it died a horribly painful death.

 

[wood_nymph]

yeah i won't think he'd go quitely from a crane toad those things are nasty and i would assume those kinds of poisons would cause thrashing around and the like. poor guy looks like he was just sun baking and up and died before he knew what was happening. blood clot in the brain maybe, they can come out of no where i've seen it in dogs before running around happy as anything one minute and then they just drop.

 

[cement]

to be conclusive you would have to take to vet for autopsy, if its stomach contents didn't reveal anything.

 

[rumpig]

poor thing my money is on it being a cane toad

 

[dazza_wilto]

what a way to die, but have to agree with most and say a canetoad

 

[mama croc]

Maybe it ate a rat that had just eaten Rat poison or similar.
Any one traveling near VIC Boarder I saw a great Dwyers at Coolamon last year.
I have some great pics somewhere

 

[SlothHead]

Yeah i am all for the cane toad theory too.

 

[Bendarwin]

Maybe it was just old, and died....................... It happened to my budgie too.

 

[cris]

Perhaps it was hit by a car...

 

[javier]

poor little guy bet he whas killed by a cane toad... i whas watching a show last week saying if nothing is done soon the cane toads are moving down to this place full of snakes and they reckon there gonna wipe this population of snakes out
and the amout of cane toads there are around up there i would bet it whas them.