# Arby's (blotched blue-tongue) passing



## LadyJ (Jul 25, 2010)

Well... just yesterday my blotched blue-tongue, Arby, passed away. Some of you may remember I posted a thread in the help section asking if the small scale damage was any cause for concern.

I can only guess but I think that the supposed mouth rot was the cause of his demise, as when I examined him body... his jaw was pushed out and inflamed on one side where the small blemish had been. It was heavily inflamed and when I carefully opened his mouth... I noticed petechia in the local area.
I'm not sure of the mortality rates of mouth rot or whether that was the true cause, but I was active in checking up on him... I thought the lethargic nature and loss of appetite were a result of brumation. Apart from the small odd-coloured scale on the mouth I didn't notice any worsening symptons... excluding when I checked him over after he'd passed.

I really did love him, he'd been my first reptile in years and this has been so hard on me... I know it's just a lizard but it was someone I'd cared for and given a home. I've been crying since it's happened and would take him to the vets to see if they could me an insight into what happened... but I don't want that. I don't like the thought of taking his little lifeless body to be poked and prodded by a total stranger (I never knew I'd be sentimental when it did happen...), so he's currently frozen and awaiting cremation.

The reason for my posting is to get this of my chest and give some advice... if you think _anything_ is wrong with any of your animals, go with your instincts and get it checked. If I had have taken him for a check-up I may have saved his life... asking for advice on a forum took my mind off things, but if I hadn't been given this hope I would have surely taken him to the vets. I'm not taking a stab at anyone, but I'm just sending out a warning that you can't put all your concerns in the hands of non-proffessionls online, I made my and without a doubt learned the incredibly hard way.

Thank you everyone that did help and give advice, I know I should have taken him to the vets but as an ametuer keeper I made my mistake... trust me, I feel horrible for it and I have learnt. Any words of comfort or advice would be loved... Arby was loved and will be missed, my boyfriend and his mother that saw him after he'd passed said how perfect he looked apart from the mouth. I wish I could convince myself I took good care of him...


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## jamesbecker (Jul 25, 2010)

im sorry for your loss


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## redbellybite (Jul 25, 2010)

very sad


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## Wally (Jul 25, 2010)

Sorry to hear that LadyJ. Chin up.


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## pythrulz (Jul 25, 2010)

sorry to hear about your little bluey


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## LadyJ (Jul 25, 2010)

Thank you everyone... sorry, you all probably think it's pretty funny that I'm grieving over a skink - but he really did mean a lot to me. It's so hard to believe he's gone... I'm never going to see him in his enclosure again, never going to feed him, never going to have him sleep on me while I watch television... reading the title of this thread is un-real. I really can't comprehend he's gone...
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## bluereptile (Jul 25, 2010)

Rest In Peace Arby


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## Kristy_07 (Jul 25, 2010)

Very sad, LadyJ  I was one of the ones that said his symptoms sounded like brumation, and having looked again at the photos of the single scale, still can't say definitively whether it looked like anything of concern in the images. You're right - if someone feels there's something amiss with one of their animals, advice from a forum shouldn't be the only point of view that they seek. Very sad, sorry for your loss.


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## LadyJ (Jul 25, 2010)

Thank you so much everyone... I agree with you Kristy, I really did believe he was just brumating. Thank you for the advice you did offer and again to anyone that did go out of thier way to offer me advice - thank you.
I just wish more than anything I'd gone with my gut feeling...


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## python78 (Jul 26, 2010)

Sorry for your loss LadyJ. Rest in Peace Arby.


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## shellfisch (Jul 26, 2010)

So sorry to hear LadyJ


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## LadyJ (Jul 26, 2010)

Thank you everyone... I've just organised the cremation and I think that will help me with the realisation he is gone. I've got the photos I'd taken of him on his enclosure and a candle... I'm not looking forward to recieving items in the mail I'd purchased for him, but I know that my new blotched will enjoy them.
Thanks once again everyone, it's great to have people that can understand, or at least, acknowledge.


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## Reptilequeen (Aug 8, 2010)

what is it about reptles that really gets to some of us? my Cunningham skink (Bubba )he died 14.8.09 at the vets after Id promised to always be there for them. I have one guy left Abbott) he's 7 years, and loves strokes while Im watching tele aswell. I also lost my snake (Tilly) a month later. The pain is still there I will never really get over it, it never leaves you. I have their little urns on my bedside table. Im so glad I still have Abbott, He's like part of my body and spirit. Every night I before I go to bed I walk over to his enclosure and tell him how much I love him and what it means to have him in my life.I have a lovely saying about pet snakes too...A snakebite is really a lovebite and it only hurts when they're gone. PIP Arby awaiting in Rainbow heaven for you. Take Care.


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## LadyJ (Aug 10, 2010)

Reptilequeen said:


> what is it about reptles that really gets to some of us? my Cunningham skink (Bubba )he died 14.8.09 at the vets after Id promised to always be there for them. I have one guy left Abbott) he's 7 years, and loves strokes while Im watching tele aswell. I also lost my snake (Tilly) a month later. The pain is still there I will never really get over it, it never leaves you. I have their little urns on my bedside table. Im so glad I still have Abbott, He's like part of my body and spirit. Every night I before I go to bed I walk over to his enclosure and tell him how much I love him and what it means to have him in my life.I have a lovely saying about pet snakes too...A snakebite is really a lovebite and it only hurts when they're gone. PIP Arby awaiting in Rainbow heaven for you. Take Care.



I'm so sorry to hear for your losses... it must be hard, especially to lose one so soon after another. It's always great to have another there to 'comfort' you when you need it - having my shingleback out (Arby's cage-mate) is lovely. She'll curl up in the crook of my arm when I'm on the laptop and some of her bahaviours are starting to remind me of Arb, it's really lovely!
Hehe, have to admit also that I do the same with talking to them of a night... I 'tuck in' my animals every night, putting a blanket on their enclosures and putting each one into their hides befoe switching off the lights, and they always get a nice cheesy goodnight speech.
Thanks so much for the lovely message, really did brighten my day.


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## Reptilequeen (Aug 10, 2010)

LadyJ said:


> I'm so sorry to hear for your losses... it must be hard, especially to lose one so soon after another. It's always great to have another there to 'comfort' you when you need it - having my shingleback out (Arby's cage-mate) is lovely. She'll curl up in the crook of my arm when I'm on the laptop and some of her bahaviours are starting to remind me of Arb, it's really lovely!
> Hehe, have to admit also that I do the same with talking to them of a night... I 'tuck in' my animals every night, putting a blanket on their enclosures and putting each one into their hides befoe switching off the lights, and they always get a nice cheesy goodnight speech.
> Thanks so much for the lovely message, really did brighten my day.


 Your very welcome, Im so pleased your starting to feel alot better now Take Care.


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