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necropsy report

laneante Aug 29, 2003 05:55 PM

Thanks for you concern, everyone. I appreciated it. Regarding my lizard, Alice was probably exactly right. Read on if you arent easily grossed out.

____

We borrowed some tools from lab, and my buddy did the dissecting at home. (I tried to look at the walls, the ceiling, etc..although eventually my curiosity won out). The bones were all hard, not like MBD. The jaw looked totally normal. Thank you for explaining what to look for, Alice.

Findings in first, largest bumb where we expected to find a rock, showed absolutely nothing. Things looked normal but swollen. no apparent infection. Spine not broken. Stomach showed cricket bits and some moss.

Second bump near spine, back legs, revealed small rock near end of digestive track. Rock was glassy, chrystal, hard thing that I am quite sure I did not put in her tank, although I cannot vouch for every last particle. the guilty item was definitely not potting soil, a piece of wood, moss, a plant pot bit, or a river rock. What ever it was, it didn't belong in my poor little lizard.

Presume: rock caused first bump on its way down.

Presume: self innocent in lizard death.

conclude: In the future, I will put baby lizards in tanks with rabbit pellets exactly like Alice says, and keep them away from small shiny items.

Case closed.

-laneante

Replies (3)

aliceinwl Aug 30, 2003 07:01 PM

I agree that the death wasn't your fault. The lizard had probably already ingested the foreign object when you caught it and didn't run into trouble until it tried to pass it. Still, it's a sad ending; better luck next time.
-Alice

Jason W Aug 31, 2003 10:54 AM

Just out of curiosity what did you use for the cutting?
RR

laneante Sep 01, 2003 01:45 PM

Just standard fine dissection tools: scalpel, forceps, ect. A light microscope was key.

what is your research on?

laneante

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