Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Something ruptured and she bled out. Dr. G said that her abdominal cavity was filled with blood. This would explain why it happened so fast. Obviously, something was wrong and she was uncomfortable, thus the upside hanging this morning. The coloration of being "overheated" and the gasping/gaping was b/c she was unable to get enough oxygen. The actual rupture may have occured overnight and the bleeding in those few short hours.

He also said that she was full of eggs again - all about the size of a pea. Frankly, I was surprised to hear that. She gave no "normal Luna" signs, but even if she had I don't think anything would have changed. Also, had I made the eralier appt. it would not have helped - there was nothing he could have done. He is going to see if he can find out why this happened and will let me know if he figures it out. Could be that her heart, blood vessel could have been weakened from all the clutches and something exacerbated it leading to bursting.

I know I did my best, but will still miss her. I hope she was not suffering in those final hours I'll pick her up tomorrow and bring her home. I think I will bury her in my garden and give her a special plant. Or maybe I'll bury her under a sumac, which is the host plant for her namesake: the luna moth

here are a couple favorites

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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha

Have been the reason why she was so pale, her mouth / color!

Anyway I love the pics and I'm glad you posted them, the first she has such a Cool look but I think the second is my favorite, the funny expression as she watches that little worm
Thats truely a KEEPER !

Very cute, Sure hope ya dig up some more CUTE ones, we can have a Picture Memorial for Luna this Holiday weekend!
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PHEve/ Eve

Contact PHEve

Lele,
Sorry to hear about Luna. I was shocked when I read the post. At least the necropsy can give you some peace of mind about the cause.
Kevin

Oh lele im so sorry! Just read all the news that ive missed over the last day. You did everything you could for her and gave her the BEST and most pampered life she could have ever asked for. She lived better with you that most of us live with out families Luna was an awesome chameleon and will definitely be missed by me (and plenty others im sure)
Hang in there. We are all here for ya!!

Erin
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1:1 Veileds (Gene and Alis)
1:0 Sambava Panther (Knoxville)
1:1 Albino Clawed Frogs (Phedre and Jos)
?? Fire belly toad (Harold)
Various cats and dogs

Thanks, Erin
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha

I hope this might help a little bit for you to know she wasn't eggbound. Also you brought her outside and that probably made her feel so good in her last little while.
I hope your doing ok.

Yes, I thought I was doing her a favor - we always think sun is a good thing for our critters, but after finding out what happened, the heat may have made things worse. She was unable to cool her body due to rupture and lack of oxygen, but felt cool to the touch. But I will say, she did not object so who really knows.

thanks,
lele
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha

I just saw the posts...have been away for a couple of days...so sorry to hear this. You did your best and that's all you can do. Luna was a very strong gal to live this long and to have such a great owner to care for her. Keep your spirits up and take care.
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Experience and appreciate nature's creation.

www.zenexotics.com

I'm so sorry to hear about Luna... I'm sorry I do not know what to say. The loss of any pet is really difficult...
She was very loved. I'll hold you in my thoughts.
~C
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1.1 Crazy dogs... (Gizmo & Sadie)
0.2 Vacationing Kitties (Puddy, PeeWee)
1.0 Veiled Chameleon (Charlie)
0.1 Amazing Fiance =o)

Oh Lele, so sorry to read all this this morning. I had an absolutely beautiful WC Carpet---probably the most beautiful & unusual Carpet I've ever seen---rupture a major vessel internally last year and passed very quickly. She was very healthy but just would not become receptive to males, even after *months* of thriving in captivity. She began to develop large follicles without having been mated while in my care (close to a year's time). She got so big we radiographed her to figure out what was going on. Big follicles, pre-eggs. One day she was fine, the next she was crumpled on the ground, extremely lethargic. I looked her over quickly and found very pale mucous membranes. Within an hour, she had passed. My vet/boyfriend and I necropsied her and found large amounts of free fluid that looked like blood in her abdominal cavity, surrounding a massive conglomerate of follicular tissue, which was abnormally developing. We figured something went amiss in her reproductive tract with the abnormal follicles, as she was seemingly healthy one minute and not the next, very suddenly. She was very pretty, and I hated losing her. Unfortunately I only got infertile eggs from her so her lineage & color doesn't carry on in captivity.

I found your story similar to my Carpet's. I am so sorry Luna is gone. If it helps at all, from my work with critical care cases at work, bleeding internally is a quiet and peaceful passing. I don't believe there is any pain, just a slow progession of sleepiness. I don't think Luna suffered.

My condolences,
~Kerry

Kerry,

Thanks, yes your Carpet story does sound similar. Luna had been gaping a bit in the few days before even when she was not basking, but all else was fine so I really didn't pay too much attention (trying not to do my usual obsessing). Even if I had I don't think anything would have been figured out. She was eating, drinking, etc. and I doubt I'd have brought her to the vet for it. I knew it was not a URI and at that time her mucous membrane color was fine.

Things began to be different after she ate the big silkworm on Friday and I wonder if she was "leaking" and that big fella was just too much

I do have photos of her final hours. Not to sound morbid, but I took some when she was sitting on my lap here at home and her color was all off. It was when I called the vet and said I was coming down - appointment or not. If you want to see them I can email them to you.

As I said, I was surprised when Dr. G said she had developing follicles the size of peas since none of her behavior spoke tot that, so it does sound like something was really out of whack. My poor girl But she would have become someone's meal rateh than someone's special girl had she lived in the wild.

Thank,
lele
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha