My ball python died yesterday!!

I was letting my ball python Monty soak because he didn't poop in almost 2 weeks and I put him in a container with very little warm water and when I went in to check on him in 20 mins he was dead and he drowned!! But the only thing I can think of is why he drowned in 2 inches of water? Is this common? He didn't like water either! Melissa

I honestly don't think you should have let him soak. Most of the time soaking isn't needed-- especially in the case of "trying to get him to poop"... They'll poop on their own and going 2 weeks is not uncommon. One of my snakes goes almost a month without defecating!

Sorry about Monty though!

Don't leave your animals unattended in situations that can be fatal.

I'm sorry for your loss

I am sorry for your loss. ):
2 weeks isn't very long for not pooping (for ball pythons). Chances are he didn't need the soak, and even if he did, it probably didn't need to be more than 10 minutes. 2 inches is probably too much unless he was huuge. Usually you only use enough water to go halfway up the sides of the BP.
I have heard that ball pythons can hold their breath for a pretty long time.
Did you poke air holes in the container?

any idea how "warm" the water was? you may have cooked the poor thing

your snake will poop when it's ready

I have ball pythons that go up to a month and a half without defecating.

Pooping aside, he may have paniced, and inhaled water then.
Most ball pythons won't drown in 2 inches of water, so there may have been another issue. Was the water hot? Was he just a hatchling? Had he eaten for you?
Always supervise all pets, especially in unfamiliar situations. When I've soaked snakes, they are normally in the container right beside me at the computer, or I use wet towels, so they can't drown.
Sorry to hear about your pet, hugs!

sorry for your loss

i was talking with a guy this weekend that had a deli cup with the same amount of water with the lid on and a hole in it for the snake to get out and it drown.

im sorry for your loss.

First and foremost I am sorry to hear that your snake died.
People have to stop with all this nonsense regarding snakes defecating.
If the snake pooped once it will do it again.
Why force your will upon the snake?
I'm not sure if these people have realized but snakes have a MUCH slower metabolism than mammals. And since they don't eat nearly as often they WILL NOT defecate nearly as often.
To be brutally honest with you, you put the snake's well being in jeopardy and it ended badly.
Snakes will survive on their own as long as necessary requirements are met.
Assisting the animal with a bowel movement is NOT one of these requirements.
I am sorry these actions resulted in a loss of life that was not necessary.
For future reference, if you want a snake to defecate it is very simple:
Run a luke warm bath and put the snake in for a swim. SUPERVISE the entire time.
The warm water combined with the snake's urge to escape the water will almost definitely result in the desired action. But why force it?
This post is not meaning to belittle anyone or insult what happened, I am just clueless as to the need for these actions.
-Steven