# Dead Crestie Hatchling - Suspected Vermiculite?



## BASE303 (May 19, 2012)

So we recently started breeding Cresties and have had about 20 hatch this year. No problems at all, all perfectly happy and healthy.

Our eggs all go into live food tubs with Vermiculite and in to a Herp Nursery incubator. We peek every few days when they are due to hatch and once they hatch, move them into a hatchling Exo Terro after they have shed. This usually takes a day or so.

However with the most recent two clutches to hatch I've noticed a problem. 

The first was about two weeks ago and we found one of the hatchlings with a substantial amount of Vermiculite in it's mouth, to the point where it couldn't fully close it. Ten minutes with a pair of tweezers and a business card and the little guy was in the clear. He's absolutely fine now.

Our latest pair hatched on Friday evening. I checked them Saturday, both happy and healthy. Check them this morning with a view to move them into the hatchling viv, one of them is lying on it's back, stone cold dead.

The other one, mouth filled with Vermiculite again. So again I've managed to clear his mouth out with a pair of tweezers and transferred him into the viv with the others. Quick spray and he's drinking away nicely. Came back downstairs to check the other guy out.

He didn't look like he'd been dead for very long so I tried my best to clear his mouth out and made a futile effort to resuscitate him, but unfortunately no luck. I'm rather pissed I didn't check them earlier and I might have caught him in time. Never mind I guess.

Now, he had a lot of Vermiculite in his mouth but like, not enough to choke on - if you get me. His oesophagus was relatively clear and nostrils open. Now obviously I'm concerned about the fact we've lost a Gecko, but I'm more concerned about the fact that three of the last four to hatch have all decided to take a mouthful of Vermiculite.

Does anybody have any experience with this or anything to offer up? I really don't like the idea of Vermiculite anyway. If you guys have anything to offer I'd really appreciate it - I'm at a complete loss.


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## David V (Jan 3, 2009)

i have no experience of this but you could put a plastic grate to raise the eggs off the vermiculite therefore stopping the hatchlings from being able to get to the vermiculite


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## ek90 (May 22, 2012)

I cant really help you as I have never experienced this, the only idea I can think of to why they have it in their mouth is they possibly have shed and the shed skin has had vermiculite on it and as they have eaten the shed skin the vermiculite has got caught in their mouth. I cant think of any other reason for them having the vermiculite in their mouths. I use Repashy Super Hatch and I have never had any issues. I am really sorry for your losses its horrible.


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## rainbow.ben (Dec 11, 2007)

Ive had this, the best way is to get them off the vermiculite asap an into a small faunarim/tub with moist paper towel down to help in aid of absorbtion of yolk and or shedding.


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## ConnorTrussell (Apr 5, 2012)

My best advice would be to not let this one death get you down, it happens in every animal including humans, I wouldn't change what you do if you've had 19 or so live and be healthy


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