IDK what happened, someone please answer.

[Angel_Walker]

I adopted a 7 month old BP. I've had her for almost a week and she was dehydrated and underfed when I got her. I thought that I could save her. I fed her. She ate fine on saturday. She has been drinking. She had had a bad shed before we got her. She showed no other signs of illness and was very well natured. We had her cage set up by the book. We left for about an hour and when we got home she was dead. I'm really heart broken. We loved her and tried to save her. I know that they say not to take on BP's in her condition and now I know why. My husband, and myself are so sad. I hope that we did everything we could for her. When I found her she had regurgitated what was left of the mouse she ate on saturday and was dead. We did not handle her after she ate. We were waiting a week or two for her to adjust to her new home. If anyone has any advice on what may have happened please let me know. I'm truly upset by this.

[LadyOhh]

You need to get a necropsy done if you really want to know what happened.

Also, what size feeder did you use to feed her?

[Angel_Walker]

We used a small mouse that was about the size of the girth of her body. We got the mouse from our local pet store. I had talked with the owner of the pet shop about her, and thats the size they said she would need. We had to feed her a live mouse bacause the people we got her from said she wouldn't eat prekilled mice.

[LadyOhh]

Well, that seems standard and normal.

Sometimes there is nothing anyone can do.

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss, but if you want to find out what happened, you need to take the body to a vet and get a necropsy immediately.

[Ham]

I dont know if it is possible but does anyone know if a snake can drown in its own regurgitated fluid?

Also its unfortunate but snakes are exotic animals and sometimes they just plain succumb to stress and in her condition she might not have been able to handle the move to a new home on top of her poor health...

Make sure to thourougly clean with disinfectant (preferably bleach) anything that may have come into contact with your snake, that way you will not spread anything to any other snakes you may have or get in the future.

I am sorry about your terrible loss, but I am sure the snake was more comfortable with you in her last moments than she would of been with the original owners.

[Angel_Walker]

Thank you guys so very much for your kind words. Sadly we live in a very small town and we have no acess to a vet that sees snakes. The closest option is a couple hours away. I plan to purchase a hatchling soon. My son is really upset and we want to replace her. I'm getting a hatchling so that I know without a doubt that it has had proper care and no illness. Any advice on what to look for so we don't have to have our hearts broken again?

[A.VinczeBPs]

A reputable breeder is your best option, I don't know who is around your area though.

Make sure you disinfect everything the ball python came into contact with before you get another.

Sorry to hear it passed, it's never easy.

[Ham]

There are a number of good breeders that post on these forums in fact, I would take a look at them. Any young snakes you are interested in should have already taken a number of meals before you get them, hatchling snakes that have not fed yet can be tricky to get eating sometimes, you want to make sure the breeder has already started them feeding before you get it. It would suck to get a baby snake and not be able to coax it into eating...

One more thing, stay away from places like craigslist, or classifieds, find someone who breeds these snakes on a regular basis and knows what they are doing.

[West Coast Jungle]

I am so sorry for your loss. There are several reasons the snake may have perished. A malnourished and dehydrated snake could have been overun with internal parasites or other disease.

As already mentioned it is best to go through a reputable breeder to get an established feeder. Most good breeders wont send an animal out until it has had 4 successful feedings.

Sorry again and hope you have a better experience next time

[angllady2]

I too am sorry for your loss. At least you tried your best. I cannot stress enough the need to sterilize EVERYTHING that your snake may have come into contact with before you get a new one. Since you have no way of knowing what killed the abused snake, don't risk the health of your new one.

Use a strong bleach solution, soak everything you can for at least 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. If a mild bleach smell remains, you can re-rinse the items and let them set in the sun to dry and that should take care of the smell. Wipe everything you cannot soak with anti-bacterial wipes,twice.

Try to remember, you gave that poor snake every chance you could, and it is not your fault that it didn't survive, it is the fault of the moron who abused it. Take your time and find a respectable breeder near you, and you'll be well rewarded with a loving pet to help heal your heart.

Best of wishes to you,

Gale