Rex suddenly VERY SICK, now I think she's dead.

[Zombiepanda]

Oh my goodness... I am so terribly sorry to hear about Rex!! I haven't been on in a few days and I just came on and saw this.. the title alone broke my heart for you and then the waterworks while reading. Our condolences to you and your family all around. All your stories about Rex were such an inspiration for goals for a lot of us newbies, definitely me.

 

[diamc]

I am SO very sorry to hear about Rex and my heart aches for you & your wife. It is devestating to see them go downhill so quickly without knowing the reason and we feel so helpless that we can't do anything to save them.

She was a beautiful girl, we know you loved her very much & she loved you right back. She was so special and you will always have an empty spot in your heart like I do with Angie's passing & she was about the same age.

We are here anytime you feel like talking about anything at all.

 

[Rankins]

Sorry to hear about this....
I know your passionate about your animals, so I'm sure its an emotional time. Not to mention on top of all the other issues going on.
Again really, really sorry...

 

[Shannonc]

I am so sorry my heart goes out to you!

 

[kingofnobbys]

It wouldn't be crickets or superworms, maybe a slight possibility that she ate the new baby skink and maybe there were more than one in the house ? Then had a hard time trying to pass it and had a heart attack ?

That little skink is tiny, a superworm would be heavier. We saw the baby skink yesterday afternoon , never came into the free-range access areas while Rex was out as far as I know.

But wont know for sure about that prospect unless we spot the baby skink in the next few days. Those little water skink babies move pretty quick and I can't see my lazy Rex catching one.... but it is a possibility I guess. <<< I couldn't feel any hard lumps in her lower intestines / bowels which would be indicative of an impaction / blockage in the intestines/bowel (would have given olive oil if I had thought this was the issue) , so I'm not sure what was causing the "contractions" unless she was trying pass a kidney stone maybe (?) , nor is there any lumpiness that might indicate egg bound.

Rex's brother Puff (taken by postsurgical heart attack after having huge aneurism removed (was misdiagnosed as a large abscess, he never woke up after his surgery) , he was 3.2 years old.

Rex was 4.6 years old.

She is survived by Peppa and Toothless who are currently 1.4 years old..

We both saw the "baby water skink" roaming about this morning.
My wife confirmed that it was indeed the little one she saw the other day and this time I got a really good look at him/her as he/she was travelling past the bedroom entry when it stopped and looked at me before heading down the hall into the lounge room/dining/living and kitchen area, my wife was in the study with the hair dryer on - its not keen on the sound of it , but wasn't paniced by it.

It's actually the little juvenile who has been hanging out inside with Cheakie off and on for the last few months, and not a new born water skink, but about the same size Lucky was when I rescue him (about 10-12 inches long (2/3 of him is his magnificient long original issue tail) and I'd guess he's about 7g and maybe 6 months old, he's small enough to slip between the bottoms of the interior doors and the carpet and he's currently set up camp in the study, but cruises the house looking for bugs and to visit Cheakíe's water dish.

My wife is sure she saw Cheakie on the front patio - she was sunning herself when she opened the front door.

Rigor mortis set in for Rex last night about midnight.

Peppa and Toothless and the bluetongues have all visited Rex's tank and have been hanging about near it , I think they all know somethings up as she's not responding (she's still in there in the box).

Toothless kept going back to her tank and looking in, and he is obviously upset as his tail has drooped and is not up in the air like as usual when he's happy and excited and when he used to interact with her.
Peppa has been very unsettled too, but much more inclined to have snuggles than Toothless , so she's on my shoulder right now and i'll keep out for a while or until she's had enough and indicates she wants back into her rearing tub as per usual routine for her and Toothless.
Will deal with her and then strip out everything to sterilize it all thoroughly with F10.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Still not allowed myself to let my sadness show , been keeping myself very busy trying not to dwell on Rex's death , been trying to keep my focus on my two remaining beardies and the two BTSs.


Toothless wouldn't leave Rex's tank alone today, kept going back to it and looking at Rex and his mood changed from excited and happy to what I interpreted a worried / sad / confused as his tail drooped and was no longer the usual upcurved up into the air tail (as is the usual posture while he's out for his freerange time).

Peppa was very unsettled too and kept going to over to look at Rex's tank and she refused to leave, even when I was giving Peppa a snuggle she was still unsettled and wouldn't settle and pancake on me like usual.

George and Mildred behaved similarly to Toothless, neither would leave her tank and kept trying to get her to respond by scratching at her tank's sides, back and front, they know something has happened but couldn't work out why she was unresponsive.



Is was very difficult to look at Rex in her dark cold tank yesterday evening , overnight, and today before I finally couldn't put dealing with her off (about 5pm) as she was starting to smell a little and liquid was oozing out of her mouth.

Was extremely difficult forcing myself to wrap her in absorbant kitchen paper toweling , and then in two plastic bags to go into the deep freezer (Wriggles is still there ) , will be very hard to dig a hole in the garden / yard to bury her and Wriggles , I don't think the vet still has Puff else I'd arrange to bury all three together.

Likely since I'm not mobile enough yet and not able to safely use the front and definitely not the back stairs , then I'll have to ask a friend or relative to do the digging., in the meantime, she'll be preserved in the deep freezer.

Her tank has been emptied , her stuff all thoroughly sterilized using F10 and put into storage, as well as her tank which I had my brother-in-law take down to the shed to be mothballed with Puff's old DIYS tank.

I've revised my design for the beardie multi bay enclosure to be built using the Qubelok system and aluminium square tubing + plywood bases and lids + acrylic sheeting for the sides and front sliding doors and back , will be a two level with built in provision to add a 3rd level on top if I ever need it.

I expect I'll be an emotional mess tomorrow.

 

[AHBD]

It's hard to believe when over whelming grief sets in that it will ever pass, but it does. But while you're going through it it can be more painful that physical trauma. You'll get through this, too but I know you have a huge hole you have in your heart right now. Good thing you have your other little scaly friends all around you.

 

[CooperDragon]

SO sad to read this =(. I know how much she meant to you and how well you cared for her. She had a great life with you. Tough to lose her so suddenly. Very odd, I wonder if she was hiding an illness or if she got into something toxic by accident as was mentioned earlier. I'm all too familiar with and dread the gutted feeling you must be experiencing now. Sending good thoughts and wish you well. Give Peppa and Toothless extra treats and snuggles. The little guys have a way of helping us through this sort of thing.

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

I am so so sorry for your loss..
I do not frequent the boards often on weekends and did not expect this.

I like many other users know how much you spoil and pamper your little babies, and while any passing is difficult, an unexpected one is even harder.

I have no words to help the hurt, but I'm glad your other scaly companions are there to help ease the pain.
I hope for your sake you are able to find the cause for peace of mind, but we all know she had a very happy life with you, regardless.

 

[SpacialCoogs]

I'm so sorry king. so sorry.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Little skink is in the laundry, I saw him / her (?) trot down the hall from either the study or our bedroom and slip under the closed laundry door. This has always been a fav place for the wild house skinks in the mornings (over the years), as it's warmer in there when the rest of the house is cool in summer with the aircon running (24/7) - they all spend time in there on the warm concrete floor when they take up residence with us.. In the colder months if they are still awake , they prefer the top of lounge's headrest directly in the airflow from the revcycle aircon or the sunny end of the headrest if the sun is shining through the front side window.

Toothless : after his crickets , buk choi and some mealworm beetles (a crunchy treat) , took a long while to decide he wanted to go down , usually wants down almost straight away after being fed.
And again today and he kept on going to where Rex's tank used be and looking for her (his rearing tub is there now and I think he was looking for her in it, he's not used to his tub being on the floor, again his tail wasn't not curved up in the air like usual , only slightly curled up.
George the BTS also stayed close to where Rex's tank used to be and Toothless' is now.

Brought some tears this tough as nails old retired engineer's eyes seeing them searching for Rex.

He eventually gave up and headed into the kitchen where he did his usual patrol, when to the naughty place and extracted himself too.

Peppa and Mildred the BTS did similarly too, Peppa dashed right up to where Rex's tank was and Toothless' tub now is and discovered Toothless staring back at her, meanwhile Toothless played it cool and just watched her (Mildred) while he was basking - much easier for Mildred and Peppa to adjust to the new arrangements as Peppa's tub is still at the second story (with Toothless' under her's).
Peppa was very keen to get down today (had trouble getting her to finish off her crickets + buk choi and her treat of mealworm beetles - she was too interested in getting down), and seems quite unsettled again today.
Then suddenly while Peppa was on my shoulder Toothless took interest , climbed down and started BBing and scratching , headbobby , and standing up at the end of his tub and looking straight at Peppa who made it clear she wanted to be back on floor. Got his attention then wondered off into the kitchen to Rex's old fav napping spot .... she's a tease....this just like how Rex used to be with Puff at about the age. Toothless' BB didn't last long once Peppa disappeared into Rex's old fav corner in the kitchen and settled in for a nap and cool off.

Maybe Toothless needs to be the top tub and Peppa the bottom tub....? Will see how things pan out today with Toothless' behavior and Peppa's behavior.

Both had a longer time out today, about 45 out each and both were ready to go back in to bask and soak up their UVA & UVB rays.
Will slowly increase this , as they are used to their routine and Rex being out for 2 or 3 hours after her feed and will swap out the old 26W UVB200 (currently only working like a UVB150) in the Komodo floor stand for Rex's 26W UVB200 later today.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Long daddy snuggles on my tummy under my t-shirt for about 1hr each before they went to bed , both loved it and were not keen to returned to their rearing tubs, both were up watching TV before daddy snuggles.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Peppa and Toothless trying hard to fill Rex's shoes.

Bedtime daddy snuggles tonight with my two spiky babies

Toothless listening to me and looking me in the eye while I talk to him

Toothless enjoying a back tickle

Toothless making zzzzzzzzzzz after snuggles on my tummy under my t-shirt

Peppa’s happy colours

Peppa getting annoyed at the camera’s flash

Peppa making some zzzzzzzz of her own after snuggles on my tummy under my t-shirt

They really lifted my mood and I think they enjoyed the long bedtime snuggles on my tummy under my t-shirt as much as I did, even my little livewire Toothless was angelic tonight.

 

[SHBailey]

So sorry to hear that all this is happening to your family all at once, King...

It sounds like you did everything you possibly could to save Rex under the circumstances, and I doubt if it was anything you could have prevented -- there may have been some genetic similarity to her brother that could not have been fixed.

I've always believed that quality of life is better than quantity of life, so I hope you and your wife can take some comfort in knowing that you gave Rex a very good life and lots of love to make the time she had wonderful, and that she didn't have to suffer for very long at the end.

Thank you, also, for sharing her story and yours with all of us. Glad you have Peppa and Toothless to help you through this. Beautiful pictures of them all.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I am so sorry you lost Rex so very suddenly. That gives you no preparation at all, just shock.
My sincere condolences, Rex was so well loved.


Tracie