Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I checked my incubator a few days ago and saw a really weird thing. There was an egg that had a slit on the top but it was totally dry and hard. So i thought If their is a hatchling in hear i should reascue it. So i very carfuly cut it open and to my surprise the hatchling was still alive. After i took it out i noticed why the hatchling couldn't hatch out of the egg by itself. The lower part of the spine between its legs it totally croocked, and the tail has about 3 more major crooks. so i left the hatchling in the incubator for 2 days to see if the crooks in the tail straighten out. Well all that happened was the hatchling curled up in the ball as if it was still in the egg. Then when i picked it up today it moved around a little but nothing compared to a normal hatchling. Then i noticed that it had its hemipenises hanging out. So i tried to gently push them back in but i guess that is part of the deformity. What should i do. I know this hatchling will most likey die, so should i freeze it so it has a nice peaceful death, or should i just let it starve to death. I could hand feed it but is it really worth keeping alive, i mean it cant walk, climb, and if it is too cold or hot in its cage how will it keep its body at the right temperature. I am not saying its tail is a little croocked, i am saying it is cripled. right now it is in the incubator so it doesn't have a chance of buring or freezing to death. What should i do?

Mike

sadly, it's time for the freezer. it's the humane thing to do.

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Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

it to a vet and have it euthanized its the most humane thing to do for the poor lil guy. Certianly they will not charge an arm and a leg for this, but the money in my opinion is well worth a painless death for the poor dragon, where are you located? perhaps someone can direct you to a good herp vet or a good vet in general that can help you with this. Best of luck, sorry for the baby.

>>sadly, it's time for the freezer. it's the humane thing to do.
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>>Bennett
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>>www.beardiedragon.com
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reiko
photos

http://www.anapsid.org/euth.html
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reiko
photos

Didn't someone say not to long ago, that freezing was actually painful? I remember something about the blood crystalizing. Please wait until you get more info.
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TheClassyLizard

i know its painful for mice, and i dont imagine a cold blooded animal wo uld be any better.

starving would be plenty painful too
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proud mama to:
1.0.0 ball python (mr snake),0.0.1 albino florida kingsnake (CK),1.0.0 leopard gecko (sebastian),0.1.0 colombian rainbow boa (luce),1.1.0 bearded dragon (kaipo and dulce), 1.1.0 colombian redtailed boas (adam and eve)

It said that in The Bearded DRagon Manual which everyone suggests. If you can save it(I would try but I'm not totaly sure how bad it is), great it will have a story to tell.
Matt

I am not sure how bad it is so it might be better and have them do it in a painless way.
Matt

here was born bent in half. He survived for 10 days, lurching all around the tank, eating, growing, and such. I actually thought it just might survive. But, one morning I got up to turn the light on and he was little more than a skeleton - crickets hiding in a decoration had him for dinner. Very sad morning in deed. But, I guess I will never know for sure if the crickets killed him or if they were just consuming his corpse.
On a side note, make sure to check all your decorations for any crickets that could be hiding - because if they are hiding an you feed them again...this could happen to your baby.

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Photos

I read all of your posts and thank you. I basically live in the middle of no where where the nearest reptile vet it over 4 hours away. The main reason why it cant walk it because its tail curls up underneath its stomach. So i am thinking about cutting most of the tail off so maybe it can walk. I tested it for feeling in its tail, and it seems to have none. Do you think this will help. Also, These arent my beardie hatchlings, i was watching a friends incubator and then this happened. So i am not going to do anything until he comes back from vacation.

Mike

Do not cut its tail off! Reptiles do not always respond to pain like you would expect, or like mammals would. You cannot be absolutely sure he/she doesnt have feeling in the lower portion of his/her body and that is just cruel.

Also like some others stated, freezing is cruel as well. It is a very painful death, not peaceful.

Many children have birth defects and with lots of tlc and hands on care, are able to live happy lives. How extensive this beardies birth defects are, I have no idea and unless you take him to the vet there is no way to really know. Sometimes they can look worse then they are. The baby needs to see a vet ASAP in my opinion.

Also during incubation the baby beardies are curled in a ball with their tails tucked between their legs and reaches up by their head. If they are born premature they may try and stay in this position. It sounds to me like you have a premature baby. You did state that you pulled the baby out right? It probably wasnt ready to be born.

The baby really needs to see a vet even if it is just to put him/her to sleep. At least he wont be suffering anymore. LM

I see no point trying to raise this baby if it is so obviously deformed. I also feel freezing it is not painful. Go sit out naked in the middle of the winter and ask yourself then is it fun to freeze to death?

Best thing to do is either take it to a vet and get it euthanized, or if that is out of the question, drop a brick on it, and I mean a very big brick like those used to build the foundation of a house.

Let me tell you something...I have a dragon with metabolic bone disease. When he was bumped and had his back broken, I didn't even hesitate to drive the 4 hour round trip to an emergency reptile vet in the middle of the night. I would have felt like the worst person on Earth had I not done that.

Have a heart and put aside ANY ideas you may have about killing it yourself. No matter how young it is, how small it is, I'm sure it feels pain. My only suggestion is to take it to a vet. Call around and tell vets what your situation is, and maybe you have someone closer who is willing to take a look at the little guy and offer a professional form of euthenasia.

I wish you and your friend the best of luck with the babies.