# is my lizard dead or playing dead please help



## galeru (Sep 23, 2012)

hi my angle headed dragon is on the bottom of the cage looking dead. it is not moving and it does not look like it is breathing. is my lizard dead or do these lizards just play dead very well.
please reply cheers


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## saximus (Sep 23, 2012)

Why don't you touch him and see?


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## junglepython2 (Sep 23, 2012)

They are notorious for playing dead, one breeder once told me he never discards an angle headed dragon until it starts to smell.


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## geckoboy (Sep 23, 2012)

Try poking it. And get a real good look to see if it's breathing.


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## AUSGECKO (Sep 23, 2012)

I dont have a great deal of experience with dragons but I'm a little worried that you own animals and need to ask people on a forum if you animal is dead or alive.....


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## hnn17 (Sep 23, 2012)

put a tiny mirror near its nose and check carefully to see if the mirror fogs up, or see behind its front legs for a pulse under the skin.


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## mysnakesau (Sep 23, 2012)

Go to your local chemist and buy a stethoscope so you can hear if he has a heartbeat or not. Perhaps hold his little hand to see if he has a pulse.


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## GeckoJosh (Sep 23, 2012)

It can be tricky to tell if they are near death or just dead as their breathing stops almost completely.
When I want to know for certain I get a torch and look for a reaction in the pupils.

As Jungle Python said they are notorious at playing dead, I have seen them do it and yes they do indeed look and act dead.


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## saintanger (Sep 23, 2012)

everyone has sumed it up pretty much, asking us if your lizard is dead or playing dead is kinda silly as we can't see it. so why don't you pick it up and check.


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## mysnakesau (Sep 23, 2012)

saintanger said:


> everyone has sumed it up pretty much, asking us if your lizard is dead or playing dead is kinda silly as we can't see it. so why don't you pick it up and check.



So I'd presume one playing dead would still be floppy, whereas a real dead one would go stiff fairly quickly.


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## junglepython2 (Sep 23, 2012)

Quoted from "Reptiles Australia, Volume 1 issue 3" page 24 in the article by Marc Furbank titled Dragons of the rainforest.

"Sulking would have to be the most frustrating diposition of these dragons; they will sulk over anything and everything. Sulking is caused by many things, including dislike of a particular companion, enclosure ornamentation, temperature, diet and even the presence of other reptiles in adjacent enclosures....Classic sulking behaviour includes lying on the ground motionless for days on end - to the point that you may think they are dead. Kieran Aland recommended to me not to dispose of them until they start to smell. In the early days I was deceived by this behaviour, but as I walked past the garbage bin I saw my much loved Southern angle headed dragon (that I had been grieving over for hours) positioned on the rim of the bin very much alive.


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## Wally (Sep 23, 2012)

junglepython2 said:


> but as I walked past the garbage bin I saw my much loved Southern angle headed dragon (that I had been grieving over for hours) positioned on the rim of the bin very much alive.



Arrggh... pet cemetery style.


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## saintanger (Sep 23, 2012)

i'm sure if its alive and you pick it up you can tell if its breathing, if its eyes move, if it moves. would be stiff and lifeless if dead.



mysnakesau said:


> So I'd presume one playing dead would still be floppy, whereas a real dead one would go stiff fairly quickly.


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## GeckoJosh (Sep 23, 2012)

saintanger said:


> i'm sure if its alive and you pick it up you can tell if its breathing, if its eyes move, if it moves. would be stiff and lifeless if dead.



A dragon can go hours without breathing, and trust me not breathing is an essential part of playing dead lol.

Also they wont go stiff for a few hours


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## saintanger (Sep 23, 2012)

yes i know they don't go stiff for hours but OP posted 3 hours ago, so should be able to tell by now. even if holding its breath in most cases once picked up you can tell.


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## GeckoJosh (Sep 23, 2012)

saintanger said:


> yes i know they don't go stiff for hours but OP posted 3 hours ago, so should be able to tell by now. even if holding its breath in most cases once picked up you can tell.



Not with these guys, they hold their breath regardless of being picked up


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## yeahbutno (Sep 23, 2012)

saintanger said:


> yes i know they don't go stiff for hours but OP posted 3 hours ago, so should be able to tell by now. even if holding its breath in most cases once picked up you can tell.


Doubt youve dealt with angles

- ybn


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## saintanger (Sep 23, 2012)

i have but mine never played dead to the point i couldn't tell.


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## galeru (Sep 23, 2012)

thankyou for those of you who gave me advice


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## Wrightpython (Sep 23, 2012)

Chuck it in a very deep hole then cover it over with dirt and I can guarantee in a week it will be dead and that will serve the bugger right.


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## galeru (Sep 23, 2012)

i am afraid it is dead, i have picked it up a couple of times and it is very floppy and the inside of it's mouth is sort of white. i am very distressed that my beloved pet is proberly gone.
RIP Ruby

- - - Updated - - -

any other people who want to give advice feel free thanks


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## Kareeves (Sep 23, 2012)

put it in the bin but keep checking on it. It might come back to life.


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## Ratatouile (Sep 23, 2012)

junglepython2 said:


> In the early days I was deceived by this behaviour, but as I walked past the garbage bin I saw my much loved Southern angle headed dragon (that I had been grieving over for hours) positioned on the rim of the bin very much alive.



Lucky he didn't bury him!!


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## GeckoJosh (Sep 23, 2012)

galeru said:


> i am afraid it is dead, i have picked it up a couple of times and it is very floppy and the inside of it's mouth is sort of white. i am very distressed that my beloved pet is proberly gone.
> RIP Ruby
> 
> - - - Updated - - -
> ...




I would not write it off if it hasn't gone stiff, check the pupils for signs of life, that is a sure fire way to tell.
It could just be very weak, I had a sick angle that I was about to bury until I thought to check the pupils, turns out it was alive and just very dehydrated (I suspect it wasnt drinking or eating due to stress), I gave it some fluids and it came good after a couple of days of "intensive care".


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## Boidae (Sep 23, 2012)

Just leave him in his enclosure overnight.

If he is dead, you'll know about it in the morning. 
If he doesn't smell, he is probably alive, and should be taken to a vet ASAP.


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## nirofett (Sep 23, 2012)

this might be too late, but with mine when he was in a bad state i would rub the dewlap and that would usually get his attention or if it was worse i would pick him up and almost turn him upside down and he would really weakly reach out to hold on, if neither of them do much maybe the pupils is the best way to go, thats just what worked for me. sorry if the lizard is dead


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## galeru (Sep 24, 2012)

thankyou for the wonderful advice that i'm sure i can use in the future and help other people. My lizard is dead because it is stiff. 

R.I.P ruby


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## mysnakesau (Sep 24, 2012)

Wow! Learning is never ending. I thought you were pulling wool over our eyes with your question. But I see others with these lizards have come forward to support your theory of it playing dead. I apologise for my rude reply. I still find it hard to believe that it could be that difficult to tell if an animal is dead, but it seems these dragons are very good at what they do. Oh, and I am sorry to hear about your dragon. That's really sad


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## JrFear (Sep 24, 2012)

that sucks mate! RIP to your poor dragon! any idea how it could of passed?


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## Justdragons (Sep 24, 2012)

Rip little ruby.. :"(


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## Skippii (Sep 24, 2012)

This is so sad  I was hoping to get to the end of this thread and find that ruby was just playing lil mind games with us.. How old was she?

Renae x


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## galeru (Sep 25, 2012)

we think it might be genetic because when we went to get the lizards there was one the lady would not sell us because it was looking unwell and also we think the parents are siblings and that can cause all sorts of problems

- - - Updated - - -

she was only a year and and 8 months


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