Northern BTS sudden death

[lifesagame]

I haven't been on here in ages and was looking for the web address yesterday, didn't expect to be posting with this news though.

Today Norbert my 2 year old northern BTS died suddenly. No indication he was ill and have been checking the temps and humidity and everything seems to be fine. He's been eating and pooping normally and drinking fine, looking alert and still doing his squeaking as he explores outside his vivarium like he always has.

He woke up this morning and basked as usual, did his lap of his vivarium, had a drink and sat on his cork bark to look out so it all seemed fine. I went to give him food a couple of hours later and he'd died in his cool hide.

I've searched for posts and found a couple of older ones about northerns with unexplained deaths, is it just something that happens? I'm sort of in shock still. I would consider getting a necropsy done but all vets are only doing essential surgeries that I've found here in the UK.

Now I'm getting paranoid that something I've done has killed him so keep going over all the things like temps and weight and humidity in case it's something I've done. Was hoping to have him another 20 years, though I know that was probably a bit optimistic!

[splashy07]

Very sorry for your loss. Don't beat yourself up, northerns are very forgiving of occasional errors on temps and humidity. Whatever it was, it was more than likely no fault of yours. Sometimes animals just die. Sometimes people do. Although odd, not unheard of. Same happened to a friend of mine two years ago, her three year old northern died suddenly. That's about all the input I can offer, and again, very sorry.

[Janella]

I am so sorry to hear about your skink. That is aweful. There is no real way of knowing what happened unless a necropsy is done. Don't blame yourself.

[lifesagame]

Thank you

It still feels weird not having him here but I think I'm sort of accepting it. I just always feel a bit like what could I have done better if an animal dies younger than expected.

I'm definitely going to get another blue tongue skink some time in the future as he was such a great character and pet but I might have to have a break and get a different reptile instead. I couldn't get a bearded dragon after my beardie died, it would just remind me of him too much.

[Janella]

Again don't blame yourself. I had a beautiful male panther chameleon who was perfectly fine in the morning when I left for work. Came home to him in the bottom of the enclosure. I knew he was dying and I couldn't save him. My vet thinks he threw a blood clot to his heart. It is never ever easy losing a pet.

Definitely take your time choosing another reptile. I have had several over the years and I am absolutely in love with the skinks. They are just amazing lizards. Hopefully you will get to enjoy one again soon.

[splashy07]

Agreed, loss is awful but don't let it put you off to getting another one. Your situation was quite rare and highly unlikely that it will happen again. Bearded dragons, on the other hand, have naturally short lifespans. The longest I've ever had one was 10 years, and the last two were no bargain.

[lifesagame]

Thank you, yeah I'm going to get another blue tongue skink some time. It has kind of knocked my confidence a bit with them even if it's rare, having never had one before. I do know you can just be unlucky with these things though. I've had gerbils all my life but two of them died around 18 months old in different groups, both had something diagnosed though, but the fact I'd had multiple healthy ones before and in the same groups as them meant I was still confident in looking after others. Reptiles need such specific requirements as well, that always worries me with them and I'd probably get overly worried and anxious about it if I tried another skink too soon.

I think I must have been very lucky for my beardie, he was 9 1/2 ish when he died but went quickly like Norbert did, just started to look a bit older at the end. It's over 2 years ago and only just think I'd be able to get one and not think of him too much so it might be a while before another skink.

In the future I will have multiple lizards, hopefully anyway, but I only have room for one in a large vivarium at the moment and it is looking very empty so I might get something totally different and get a skink as a second vivarium in the future.

I might come back in a month or so when it's not as fresh and look at all the cute skinks and stuff though

[Janella]

Any reptile you decide on I am sure you will give it a great home. Now the decision on what to get.