AngieL
Avid Member
2 weeks ago today we lost Teal'c. it has taken me a long time to be able to look through photos and make this thread without crying.
I can't be 100% sure what happened to her as we did not get a necropsy but I am almost certain that it was egg problems. She was definitely gravid and about 3 weeks away from laying and she was at the stage where she would usually have a massive weight gain. So all I can think is that something with the egg development went horribly wrong.
The day before she died I turned her lights on and her eyes were sunken in. I was concerned and called the vet and got the soonest appointment I could which was for Thursday. On Wednesday before I left for work she was gaping and an hour after I got to work john called and said I should come home. Teal'c was wheezing and retching and she threw up the locust she had for lunch on Monday. I got John to call the vet and tell them we needed to come in right away. I knew she was dying and I didn't want her to suffer so I thought the kindest thing would be to take her in and have her PTS. She died in my hands on the ay to the vet either in the car or before we left the house I'm not sure. We carried on anyway and asked the vet to check that she was gone and she was. She's now resting in the garden under the tree with her sleepy branch planted above so she can sleep well.
She is such a big miss in our house. Filling the dripper, misting and emptying the drainage basin were just automatic, as well as feeding and standing watching her go about her business. I had to have john take her enclosure down straight away because looking at it sitting there in darkness was too much. We moved Jabba, our baby bearded dragons tank to Teal'cs spot so that now when I feel the urge to go there I see a little lizard looking up at me instead of an empty space. We have kept her Teal'cs plant there though and it's really beautiful. It reminds me of her because she was always on it or holding it or pooping on it.
I'm not going to rush into getting another chameleon because when things go horribly wrong the vets here don't have the experience to fix it. I'm not confident that a vet could have saved her but as I don't know I will have to think long and hard before bringing another fragile little life home with me.
I would like to share a poem I made for Teal'c with you and some photos too
Teal'c my friend you'll never know
The things you did for me
You taught me how to care for you
And how to keep chameleons pleased
You used to sit and stare at me
And I would stare at you
And when we looked into each other’s eyes
That is when I knew
That you were something very special like nothing else alive
I so loved looking after you and watching as you thrived
I miss your little stink eyes scowling me for nothing
I miss your little hungry face looking at what I'm scoffing
I even miss you hissing at me when you were in a strop!
I miss you every day my love
And I will never stop
You changed my life from day to day
You fitted like a glove
I treasure the time I had with you
Each moment filled with love
But now you’re gone and I can’t lie
I wasn’t ready to say goodbye
Here she is the first day we took her home
And this is when her big girl colours first came through
in the garden
first time gravid
I can't be 100% sure what happened to her as we did not get a necropsy but I am almost certain that it was egg problems. She was definitely gravid and about 3 weeks away from laying and she was at the stage where she would usually have a massive weight gain. So all I can think is that something with the egg development went horribly wrong.
The day before she died I turned her lights on and her eyes were sunken in. I was concerned and called the vet and got the soonest appointment I could which was for Thursday. On Wednesday before I left for work she was gaping and an hour after I got to work john called and said I should come home. Teal'c was wheezing and retching and she threw up the locust she had for lunch on Monday. I got John to call the vet and tell them we needed to come in right away. I knew she was dying and I didn't want her to suffer so I thought the kindest thing would be to take her in and have her PTS. She died in my hands on the ay to the vet either in the car or before we left the house I'm not sure. We carried on anyway and asked the vet to check that she was gone and she was. She's now resting in the garden under the tree with her sleepy branch planted above so she can sleep well.
She is such a big miss in our house. Filling the dripper, misting and emptying the drainage basin were just automatic, as well as feeding and standing watching her go about her business. I had to have john take her enclosure down straight away because looking at it sitting there in darkness was too much. We moved Jabba, our baby bearded dragons tank to Teal'cs spot so that now when I feel the urge to go there I see a little lizard looking up at me instead of an empty space. We have kept her Teal'cs plant there though and it's really beautiful. It reminds me of her because she was always on it or holding it or pooping on it.
I'm not going to rush into getting another chameleon because when things go horribly wrong the vets here don't have the experience to fix it. I'm not confident that a vet could have saved her but as I don't know I will have to think long and hard before bringing another fragile little life home with me.
I would like to share a poem I made for Teal'c with you and some photos too
Teal'c my friend you'll never know
The things you did for me
You taught me how to care for you
And how to keep chameleons pleased
You used to sit and stare at me
And I would stare at you
And when we looked into each other’s eyes
That is when I knew
That you were something very special like nothing else alive
I so loved looking after you and watching as you thrived
I miss your little stink eyes scowling me for nothing
I miss your little hungry face looking at what I'm scoffing
I even miss you hissing at me when you were in a strop!
I miss you every day my love
And I will never stop
You changed my life from day to day
You fitted like a glove
I treasure the time I had with you
Each moment filled with love
But now you’re gone and I can’t lie
I wasn’t ready to say goodbye
Here she is the first day we took her home
And this is when her big girl colours first came through
in the garden
first time gravid
