# Crested Gecko Sudden Death



## Battery Acid (Jan 14, 2008)

Hi.

My brother got two crested geckos a few months ago. They're only young, about three inches long. They've been fine up until recently when yesterday the female was having trouble shedding. She couldn't hold on to anything and fell on to the Eco Earth that he uses as substrate. She then got a mouth full of substrate and started acting really slow and lethargic. She didn't resist being picked up when usually she runs off and hides.

She was sitting on my hand with her mouth open, trying to force the substrate out with her tongue. We got the substrate out of her mouth with a cotton bud and she was fine, running round in the viv, even though she still couldn't climb. I'm guessing because of the difficult shed. She was opening her mouth a bit though, but there was no bubbling or wheezing, so I doubt it was a RI and more of an after effect of having a mouth full of dirt.

This morning she still hadn't shed, and was eating substrate again. He took her out and put her in a tub with really shallow water to help shed, like is reccomended all over the internet. After 20 minutes her shed was completely off, he tried to feed her but she was really slow and unresponsive. She was only opening her mouth slightly. A few minutes after that she died.

I'm guessing that the bad shed was because of dehydration, and the eating of substrate was either because she couldn't find the food in the viv, or she wasn't getting the right nutrients from the food. I don't look after them so I don't know how often they've been being misted, and I don't know how often the nutrients supplements and crested gecko feed are mixed with their regular food. If I had to guess I'd say not quite as much as they should be.

On the other hand the male seems fine. I might feed him by hand for the next few days however to make sure he gets what he needs. 

Any ideas aside from what I've said?


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## hexem (May 14, 2009)

Sorry to hear about the loss.

What kind of enclosure is being used / size ?

How many times a day are you spraying them?

What are you feeding?

Tempratures?


I have never heard of a gecko purposely eating eco earth, however they are clumsy eaters and can get a mouth loud when hunting.

She could of possibly died from choking/compaction (cant say for sure)


Would be advisable to switch to newspaper/paper towels


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## spudsgirl (Jan 29, 2009)

I am sorry for your loss hun but would remove the substrate I just have mine on paper towel its not as pretty but I can rest that no substrate has been eaten and cause impaction or getting stuck in the throat.

R.I.P. Little one am really sorry hun but to be safe remove your substrate and pop in a sheet of paper towel. x x


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## purple-vixen (Feb 4, 2009)

hexem said:


> Sorry to hear about the loss.
> 
> What kind of enclosure is being used / size ?
> 
> ...


I agree with Hexem, and sorry for your loss x

We need to know the temps, the size of the enclosure and did the person mist them every night?

Also, what did they feed the cresties and how?

If the female has laid or been breeding, she could have had a calcium crash which added to her lethargy...

Try to answer the questions and we can try to help so maybe this situation can be prevented in the future...

As for the eco earth, best to remove it and keep an eye on him.

x


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## x_Living_Dead_Girl_x (Feb 16, 2009)

There's more experienced people than me on here that can give advice, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss - I know I'd be heartbroken if my crestie died, and it's always worse when it's so sudden


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