Sad to announce

[little_dragon_]

I was putting her in the smaller container I noticed she was choking so I moisten a q tip and swabbed out the cocobark I tried to clear out her air tube and give her some air but she passed away. This is a mystery to me she was healthy as can be 2 days a go. My whole group is healthy I just cleaned the tank 4 days a go. This really sucks she was my favourite leaf tail. Hopefully her egg will hatch so I can continue on her line. she was the largest satanic I have ever seen.

I have a pair C.B pair left, and two other males.........

[Shad0w]

Little Dragon,

Im so sorry to hear about your loss... :(

[Kevin McRae]

Maybe you should consider changing the substrate?

I over heated my crestie awhile back and she has substrate in her mouth too, maybe you over heated her?

Sorry for you loss...

[Linds]

I don't know if it is the same product, but cocoa shells are toxic to both mammals and reptiles alike. They contain theobromine, a chemical that can be fatal to animals.

Either way, sorry about your loss and good luck with the eggs :(

[little_dragon_]

coconut substrate is toxic for reptiles? It's a pretty popular substrate. It comes in bricks and you add water too it? I think dragondrop is right she was probably eating it for more minerals but she consumed to much and it clogged her system. I just disected her to find the cause of death it was lodged through her wind pipe and there was a lot being digested in her stomach. I found two eggs as well in her stomach, I have taken them out and placed them in a deli cup, who knows I might get lucky and they will harden fertile. I felt a little morbid for doing this but it was actually pretty interesting. I don't know what over substrate I would use besides coco fiber. It keeps in the proper moisture for their humidity levels. Perhaps it was natures course. She couldn't have over heated because the tank temp is 74 and it drops to the low 60's at night. I guess I will save up and buy another female or two and hope for the best!

[DragnDrop]

What you're using is okay, it's cocofibre, shredded coconut husks. Cocoa shells are the basically cocoa bean shells, a completely different substrate. Cocoa shells are commonly sold for garden mulch, smell loke chocolate. These are the poisonous ones. I use the cocofibre in hideboxes too, no worries with it.

I'm sorry about the loss of your little girl.

Phantasticus are tricky to keep sometimes, and gravid females are even harder to keep in top shape. If you can get some terretrial snails feed them to your females. I found they loved the garden snails I have millions of in my yard. Neil Meister uses them too, he goes to great lengths to get them for his Uroplatus.

[little_dragon_]

That's a good idea but what about pesticides?

[sara]

That's really tough, I guess it just goes to show that even if you do everything right bad things can still happen. Sorry to hear about your female, I know you put allot of effort into keeping them in good shape. I'm afraid to ask... but that wasn't my female... was it?

[little_dragon_]

no it wasn't...

[adamofsound]

was it the really dark one I got to handle a couple weeks ago when I was picking up cresties from you?

very sorry to hear the news

Adam

[little_dragon_]

no it was the other one

[Linds]

Yeah, that's why I said I wasn't sure if you were talking about it, as you stated it was 'coco bark'... coconut is fine, and a very good substrate to use for many species, while cocoa is not, although I've seen people make mixes out of it :/

[StickyToes]

That's really too bad and I'm sorry for your loss. :(
I lost my entire colection of leaftails a few years ago due to overheating and noticed that same behaviour of eating substrate as they died. I wish I had an explanation for you, but it has always puzzled me as well.
I hope the egg hatchs for you! Nothing cooler then raising phantasticus that you have hatched yourself.
James

[little_dragon_]

They weren't over heated, she must have been searching for more minerals because she was gravid.