Strange and disturbing mass death of babies

[Dracorex5]

The little group of accident garters born in july, a group of fifteen, has experienced a steady decline. I knew a few would die, but recently theres been a strange development. It started about a month ago, where one of the babies died a similiar death to one that died a week after birth. Its eyes turned grey, like it was going to shed, and it began slithering on its back. I isolated it from the others the moment i noticed, and kept my usual bin temps and humidity levels for it (a warm side of 75 and a cool side of 70 for the wintertime, to keep them eating). Unlike the week old baby, however, he didnt last the night. It almost looked like his body was caving in, like he had starved. I immediantly bumped up feeding from a medium meal every three days to a small meal every other day. Every baby ate well until that one bit the dust, and then they started getting reluctant. A couple skipped entire weeks of feeding, but even the feeding ones were dying! I am down to six scrubs, and im not sure what im doing wrong. They have fresh water every day, i spot clean the bins daily, they have access to natural sunlight and plenty of hides. Whats going on? Whats paralyzing the poor guys? Im worried its geneic disease of some sort.... And if thats the case i dont know what ill do with them of they ever start making it to adulthood

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry to hear this.
Give us a little more info. please.
Species, food, and photos would be helpful.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Yeah, what have you been feeding them?

[Invisible Snake]

Also pictures are worth a thousand words

[CrazyHedgehog]

glad to hear they are better! (and sorry for the previous losses)

[EasternGirl]

Sorry to hear about what is going on. We do need to know what you are feeding them. Sounds like it could be a number of things...perhaps parasites or a vitamin deficiency. I do know that I experienced a very similar thing with a wild caught eastern that I found in my basement...he seemed hollow inside and slowing became paralyzed until he stiffened completely and then died. I never did find out the cause, but I suspected pesticide poisoning. Not that this would cause what you are describing...but I would increase your temps for babies. I keep my temps warmer for babies....around 85 on the warms side and 75 on the cool side during the day...and around 75-78 on the warm side...70 on the cool side at night. I always make sure they have plenty of moisture...moist moss, spritzed plants, etc. and I feed newborns tiny meals every day, increasing that to every two days for the first few months, then to every 3 days....and now at 8 mos, I feed every 3-4 days.

[Stefan-A]

Sounds like a problem with either the food supply (salt poisoning or a deficiency of some kind, perhaps?) or the water supply. A disease is of course also possible.

[d_virginiana]

If it's genetic there's nothing you can do, but it sounds like something environmental to me. It's just that if the mother doesn't have this problem, then anything genetic would have to be recessive, so the odds of every baby in the litter having it are really small.
Give us food info, and pictures if possible. Also, what is your water source and what are you treating it with?

[Dracorex5]

Just walked upstairs to take pics of the green one. Dead... Its only been 14 hours since i noticed his color change and seperated him. He looks twice as skinny as this morning, but is back to normal color. What is happening to these little guys? Down to six total healthy scrubs (in my first count i didnt count this little nub as i didnt believe he'd make it). Ill try and post pictures when i get done feeding the remaining ones

[Dracorex5]

They eat a combo variety of pinky parts and nightcrawlers. Usually if they refuse the pinky parts ill give them the nighties with a little dust of calcium suppliment. Theyve almost always eaten well, and seem to be growing at a steady pace. None have shown any signs of MBD, so i though i had the calcium citamin levels down. Is there a vitamin i am missing? Its very devestating watching them shrivel. Ive noticed with the past two that they turned a slight tint of green before keeling, thats when ive been seperating them from the others. I currently have one now who looks rather normal other than that green tint, and am keeping a close eye on him. He looks and acts fine and is even one of my better eaters. But that green has been an indictor. Ill try and get some pics up soon. I havent changed the water since they were born, tap water that ive sun-treated for three days, purified with reptile purifyer, and then left for another day. This was suggested to me for babies of a different species, but seemed safe. I just dont understand why they are going one at a time if its something in the food or water, or why it took over three months for this to start to get severe. Ill up the temps a bit and see how it helps.... And i was working on decreasing food incriments before they started dying, now im just watchig weights and body eatablishment.... Hoping for the best