# My leopard gecko has died



## stevetracey (Mar 25, 2008)

Hi

We got a young female at the beginning of March called Tally - she was 3 months old.

She has been feeding really well but recently decided she didnt want crickets and for the past 2 weeks has been eating 10-15 mealies a day. She has been looking great, big fat tail.

For the past 2 days she has been pale and was due to shed and has only eaten a couple of mealies (nothing too unusual).

We had her out of the viv last night - still not peeling and she was rubbing herself against our hands etc., obviously trying to get the shed started.

We made sure her moist hide was ok - got up this morning and she was dead under the log in the hot side. Her skin had come away/shed

We are so sad and have to tell our son after school - joy!!

Feel really bad, any ideas where we may have gone wrong.

She is in a good size viv, warm hide, moist hide (in the middle) cool hide, water a log and flooring is vinyl with heat mat underneath

Thanks

Tracey


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## Malky (Feb 24, 2008)

Sorry for the loss.. I take it she was pooing?


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## Kimmy173 (Aug 2, 2007)

so sorry to hear that Tracey. Did you check in her mouth? perhaps she choked on the shed skin? otherwise it would be a post mortem from the vets to be sure, because from what you've said she shouldn't have died unless it was ahidden problem. Once again, sorry for your loss. :grouphug:


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## stevetracey (Mar 25, 2008)

Thanks - pooing fine - dont think she choked, last night the shedding hadnt started and this morning the skin is basically in tact but come away from her face (a bit like a bag)


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## jrf23 (Mar 24, 2008)

Hi, sorry for your loss!

It may have been the mealworms! No expert on leopard gecko's, but I know with chams you should only give them mealies as a treat as they develop a taste for them, and if they eat too many (and they will, they just wont stop eating the things!), the digestive system finds it really hard to break down the chitin shell of the mealies and you can cause a serious digestive problem!

That's my two cents, but I have no knowledge of leopard gecko's, just chams!


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## VikkiGT4 (Apr 17, 2008)

aww I'm so sorry for your loss


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## Crownan (Jan 6, 2007)

jrf23 said:


> Hi, sorry for your loss!
> 
> It may have been the mealworms! No expert on leopard gecko's, but I know with chams you should only give them mealies as a treat as they develop a taste for them, and if they eat too many (and they will, they just wont stop eating the things!), the digestive system finds it really hard to break down the chitin shell of the mealies and you can cause a serious digestive problem!
> 
> That's my two cents, but I have no knowledge of leopard gecko's, just chams!


Leos do fine on a staple of mealies.

Sorry for your loss. If you have more than on reptile a PM could be very beneficial as it was so sudden and unexplained.

RIP little Leo.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

Sorry for your loss 

Most of the big breeders in the UK and the USA now only feed their leos on mealworms so I don't think it would have been that.

What were the temperatures like in the viv, sounds gross but did she smell a lot? The worse the smell the hotter the body has been, a sharp temperature spike or a malfunction in the heating / lighting equipment could result in death.

But if there is no change in behaviour, no acting "ill", it would well be an internal problem, there are many tumours, cancers and general disorders that can strike reps and very little you can do about them.If the animal is struck down suddenly without any deteroriation in health it's often something neurological or heart based too. Impossible to say without a post mortem really, but if there were no symptoms, there was nothing you could have done.

I would recommend a full disinfect of the whole viv and all accessories though just in case it was something that could be passed on to other reps.


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## jrf23 (Mar 24, 2008)

It was my only idea, and I have absolutely 0 experience with leos! But yeah, get a PM as that should clear it up!

Again, sorry for your loss!


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## Munkys Mummy (Feb 23, 2007)

What a tragic story, ss for your loss


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## stevetracey (Mar 25, 2008)

Thank you all so very much for your kind words and advice, its so frustrating when you dont know if its your fault. The rep shop who sold her to us suggested it may be a temperature thing - but she died in the hot side - surely she would have been trying to get cool if that was the case ! 

Perhaps its just bad luck - thank you all again 

Tracey


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## Jibber10 (Feb 6, 2007)

Im really sorry to hear about your leo.

I agree with the majority and would suggest a PM so you will know for sure what happened.


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