Baby dead

[Anyfoot]

Oh man, Talk about going through the mill. Just lost an adult hingeback now this.

I've just gone to check on my 2 juvenile reds and one is dead.
Last time we saw him definitely alive was 24hrs ago. Looking fit and healthy, eating. Etc. This morning when Dawn fed them he was right at the back of the viv,(guessing he was dead then), usually always dug in at the front.
All temps, humidity etc is spot on.
Any thoughts please. The other is still fit and well.
So much for keeping my first hatchling.

 

[Carol S]

I am so sorry for your loss. In the picture it looks like the baby had a prolapse.

 

[Anyfoot]

I am so sorry for your loss. In the picture it looks like the baby had a prolapse.

I agree, which I'm thinking suggests dehydrated and pushing. He was 8wks old. First 4wks I've soaked him every day, then backed off to 3 soaks per wk.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Sorry, man.
What a rough time.

 

[Anyfoot]

Sorry, man.
What a rough time.

Not kidding. Ups and downs of tortoising.

Cheers Ed

 

[Tom]

Wow. That's just awful. So sorry man. Its the worse when there is no obvious explanation.

 

[Anyfoot]

Wow. That's just awful. So sorry man. Its the worse when there is no obvious explanation.

Thanks Tom,. Do you have any thoughts at all. Anything. Do things like this JUST happen.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom,. Do you have any thoughts at all. Anything. Do things like this JUST happen.

Not to me, and not usually when people do things the right way. Dry started sulcatas and leopards drop dead like that all the time, but your guy should have been well hydrated.

In summer, many people will accidentally cook their babies over here in the hot sun, but that is not your issue either.

Some possibilities:
Poisoning, toxic cleaning product fumes, spider bite, or there might have simply been some internal congenital defect.

What substrate did you use for incubation? How soon after pipping did the baby exit the egg, and how soon did you get it off the media?

I would want a necropsy, just for peace of mind. If you are considering this, don't freeze the baby. Keep it in the fridge.

 

[Anyfoot]

Not to me, and not usually when people do things the right way. Dry started sulcatas and leopards drop dead like that all the time, but your guy should have been well hydrated.

In summer, many people will accidentally cook their babies over here in the hot sun, but that is not your issue either.

Some possibilities:
Poisoning, toxic cleaning product fumes, spider bite, or there might have simply been some internal congenital defect.

What substrate did you use for incubation? How soon after pipping did the baby exit the egg, and how soon did you get it off the media?

I would want a necropsy, just for peace of mind. If you are considering this, don't freeze the baby. Keep it in the fridge.

I incubated on vermiculite, the minute I saw the pip I moved it into its own container within the incubator on moist paper towel, he took a further 3 days to exit the egg. I removed the egg shell replaced the paper towel with fresh and put a fresh piece of dandilion or plantain in every day until the eggsack was absorbed(this was a further 4 days). He actually started to eat a couple of days before the eggsack was absorbed. I also sprayed him during this period just to make sure he didn't get dehydrated.
I'm 100% confident no vermiculite or paper towel was eaten.

 

[Tom]

I incubated on vermiculite, the minute I saw the pip I moved it into its own container within the incubator on moist paper towel, he took a further 3 days to exit the egg. I removed the egg shell replaced the paper towel with fresh and put a fresh piece of dandilion or plantain in every day until the eggsack was absorbed(this was a further 4 days). He actually started to eat a couple of days before the eggsack was absorbed. I also sprayed him during this period just to make sure he didn't get dehydrated.
I'm 100% confident no vermiculite or paper towel was eaten.

That eliminates that possibility too then...

 

[Jodie]

So sorry.

 

[leigti]

You have had a hard week. I hope next week goes a lot better for you. Sorry about your tortoise.

 

[Yvonne G]

Aw dang. So sorry.

 

[wellington]

Wow, so sorry. I am no long time keeper, and only hatched one out of my own. I am just going to throw this in. My hatchling and the one I bought 6 years ago gets/got soaked twice every day for almost two years. My hatchling now is only 6 months, so a ways to go yet. This is what I was told way back when I joined the forum. They are so tiny, as fast as they can over heat, I figure they can dehydrate. Mine are leopards.
Again, I am so sorry.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

So sorry for your loss. It is sad. Hope the rest of them do good for you.

 

[tortadise]

This is extremely unfortunate indeed. Had the prolapse not been presented I'd say it would be a major quandary. It does indeed happen though. Sorry man.

 

[Pearly]

Oh Craig do sorry!!!! Was this Vader?

 

[Anyfoot]

Oh Craig do sorry!!!! Was this Vader?

Yes.

 

[naturalman91]

man i'm sorry for you loss

did he/she have access to anything they could have ate that got stuck in the digestive process?

 

[Anyfoot]

man i'm sorry for you loss

did he/she have access to anything they could have ate that got stuck in the digestive process?

Unless he ate some moss, no. I feed them on a slate, it's quite a large slate too so the food doesn't go near any moss or coir.