Princess Marigold died yesterday. She was almost 2. Up until yesterday, she had a few problems: coccidia, bad appetite, slow to grow. I had her to the vets about a year ago for what I thought was mouth rot -- it wasn't, I forget what it was. And I've had her there for 2 regular checkups: fecal test, etc. The vet's only comment was that I need to fatten her up. She weighed about 125 grams and was about 15 inches (including her tail). Although she had those issues, she was mostly healthy and happy. I had her in a 75 gallon tank, strip UVB light, UVA bulb, and a ceramic bulb heater. I kept papertowels on the floor of the tank, and kept it pristine, cleaning up her poo anytime I saw it. I soaked her regularly. I thought I was following all the rules! But last Thursday night, I noticed she was gaping a lot, and sometimes making a funny raspy croaking noise. I called the vet the next morning, and arranged to pick up antibiotics on my way home from work, thinking it was a respiratory infection. When I got home, she was just lying limply in her tank. I got her out, and I honestly thought she was dead. I gave her the antibiotics orally in a syringe, and then dropped water on her and around her mouth. She gradually started coming around. By that time, I had arranged to get her to the emergency vet an hour and a half away! The vet gave her a different antibiotic and some liquids. He said she seemed fine other than the possible infection. By the time I got her home, she was her sassy little self, and she remained so through the weekend and until yesterday (Wednesday) morning. I had her out for a bit before I got ready for work, then put her in her tank with some hornworms and phoenix worms. I went to get ready for work, and an hour later, I went to check on her and remove whatever she didn't eat. Once again, she was lying on the floor of the tank looking dead. I got her out again, thinking, oh no, another trip to the vet.... I tried dropping water on her snout, etc but nothing. nothing at all. I let her lie on my lap for almost an hour, trying to distinguish whether I saw her breath or not. By then she was getting stiff. I was beside myself!
I went to work despite feeling horrible. When I got home, I buried her in the back yard, and cleaned up all her things so I wouldn't have to look at them. I miss her terribly.
Now I'm thinking of getting another one, but I'm so scared this is going to happen again. She was purchased from PetSmart as a gift to me for my birthday. I won't buy another one there; I'm looking at breeders. But does anyone have a clue about what might have happened? I had read about the adenovirus and now I'm wondering if that could've been the root of her problems. She had never been tested for it..... Any ideas, oh beardie lovers?
I went to work despite feeling horrible. When I got home, I buried her in the back yard, and cleaned up all her things so I wouldn't have to look at them. I miss her terribly.
Now I'm thinking of getting another one, but I'm so scared this is going to happen again. She was purchased from PetSmart as a gift to me for my birthday. I won't buy another one there; I'm looking at breeders. But does anyone have a clue about what might have happened? I had read about the adenovirus and now I'm wondering if that could've been the root of her problems. She had never been tested for it..... Any ideas, oh beardie lovers?
