camaro3800series2
New member
A reptile expert since 2004 has never heard of a cloacal swab procedure? Perhaps the issue may have been a bacterial infection, possibly stress-aggrevated. Had you shown any interest in actively finding out, there were diagnostic options that would have been available.
Your husbandry was fairly laughable, as was your acclimation period. You went out of your way to state that it was starting to trust you. That very strongly implies that you absolutely disregarded the need for an adjustment period, and handled it multiple times. So how about you stop trying to hide behind the pretense that you actually put any effort into letting it acclimate:
Another thing that crossed my mind: Since the enclosure was seemingly just thrown together in a big rush, there may be more environmental causes, aside from poor husbandry. Did you use water sealer on the wood, caulk in the joints? Give the paint time to thoroughly dry? Since you were apparently in a big hurry to get it into a huge box, I find myself wondering if maybe there were harmful chemicals and fumes that it came in direct contact with.
never said I was a reptile expert, just that I have kept reptile since 2004. And no I've never heard of a cloacal swab. I handled the monitor the first day I had it like I've done with all my monitors. You kinda have to to put it in it's enclosure. Either way he did not come into any contact with any fumes. I lined the inside of the enclosure with vinyl tiles and sealed the edges with caulk which I gave proper time to dry. Also, I rinsed my bath tub out thoroughly before putting him in there.

