R.I.P Sunny and Buttercup.

[damzookeeper]

I'm so devestaded right now I can't even believe it. I think I'm in shock. It took everything I had to come on here and share my aganizing grief. I just can't believe it. I went to mist my cresteds and found my male on the bottom of the floor dead. Then when inspecting the rest of the cage I found one of my females not far from his body also dead! I couldn't believe it. It had to have happened today, not long ago, they were fine and drinking yesterday when I misted them around 6pm. I even had Sunny out for a few minutes. My other 2 girls in the cage seem fine as well. Now I'm worried! What could have casued this? I did cut their food down in the last couple weeks but they were still getting food. I also cut their misting down to 1-2 times a day not purposely but just because I've been really busy with Christmas and all. Could this have done it. They weren't skinny or anything. the female was actually quite plump and spending a lot of time in the moist hide the last couple weeks. Sunny was always close by her. I got them together and I believe they were together most of their lives.
I'm so upset, they seemed so healthy, it must be something I did. I have to go now, I can barely type. These two cresteds were my favorites, I just can't believe this.

[Siretsap]

Hummm, did you mist your cage with a new bottle or something? Maybe there was something in that bottle? Or the food, was it fresh?

Last guess I could see, would be the temps, maybe they dropped a little to low or went a little too high...

Sorry for your loss,

[DragnDrop]

Oh Debbie, that's sad. I'm so sorry.

My Rhacs get misted twice a day and have a small lid with water, so I don't think yours suffered any with just 2 mistings daily. Cresties don't suffer the effects of low humidity as fast as other Rhacs, they're quite tough.
They're also quite tolerant of lower temperatures, even into the low 60F range, which isn't likely to happen in a heated home.

Is there any possibility they ate something that was 'off'? As mentioned, is the mister/sprayer new with possible residue in it? Since two are still okay, it might have been a fight between the victims, the survivors might not have been involved.

If you're in any doubt about it being something in the cage, clean it all out and put the two in minimal quarantine quarters for a while, they'll be easier to monitor.

[CDN-Cresties]

First off, im sorry about the loss of your cresties. Losing pets is always a downer.

Fighting could be it, is they're any signs of trauma on their bodies?

[little_dragon_]

Sorry to hear about your loss, that sounds really weird cresteds are so hearty.

[concept3]

I would have to lean towards a fight to. Or possibly some sort of chemical contamination that got into the tank. Maybe by the new sprayer.

[Double J]

Have you cleaned the tank out recently with any chemicals?
Perhaps they were not rinsed out well enough?
There are a number of cleaneres that never go near my herp tanks. The only things that are ever used on them are Peroxigard, and bleach in a pinch. And even these are rinsed out relgiously and the bleach is dealt with usig a huge dose of dechlorinater.


Sorry to hear about your cresteds

[CDN-Cresties]

Here is a post i found on k i n g s n a k e rhac forum. Its quite informative and could possible shed some light on the situation. Look for the thread called "Disease Causing Organism in Captive Crested Gecko Population"

[Manitoban Herps]

Same thing happened with mine Deb, she was fine in the morning and I cam home and she was laying barley alive on the floor.

It was because her temp rised in her cage :(

[Tim_Cranwill]

I'm so sorry... :( I wish I could offer some advice to help you figure this whole thing out but I am stumped. Hopefully you don't suffer any more losses... :(