First Deformity (Graphic)

[aalomon]

Im posting this first for a little moral support and second to remind people that there is always the possibility that you'll have this happen to you.

I cut my pastel albino x ivory clutch yesterday and noticed that one of the babies had a kink in him. I was slightly disappointed, but still happy that the rest of the eggs looked good.

Today I checked on them today and the kinked baby had shifted and I knew that it was over. No upper lip, cyclops, and multiple other kinks. I pulled him, snapped a pic and euthanized him. All this took about 2 minutes, but it still killed me to watch him struggle. Still, the rest of the clutch seems fine so Im going to concentrate on them.

I am going to post the pic. I think its good for people to be able to see what can happen when you're in this hobby.

PIC BELOW - GRAPHIC

and I do feel that after that I should post a pic of why we still love this hobby, even with the risks.



Good luck to you all with you're clutches! Hopefully I soaked up a lot of the bad luck.

[heathers*bps]

Aww poor little thing. It is sad that things like this happen, we have an eyeless albino burm that hatched and one with a one large eye and one small one.

Thank you for sharing the photo.

[gopherhockey03]

Sorry for you're loss . It's no fun hearing or seeing these stories, but it's good to get humbled once in awhile. It show's it can happen to anyone regardless of all the precautions you can take. Great to see the rest made it tho!

[WingedWolfPsion]

I'm sorry for the little guy's loss. Still, that's amazing--I've never seen a cyclops ball python before. The condition is called holoprosencephaly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holoprosencephaly

Whenever you're breeding animals of any kind, there's always a chance for these types of things. Reproduction doesn't always go perfectly. I try to keep it in perspective--these things would happen in the wild as well as in our care, and we can end the little one's suffering quickly.

It's an example of the amazing complexity of a living thing--how many things have to go just right to produce a viable baby is astounding.

[Rob]

Sad part of our hobby sorry.

[Wes]

poor thing.. sorry for your loss.

[heathers*bps]

Aww poor little thing. It is sad that things like this happen, we have an eyeless albino burm that hatched and one with a one large eye and one small one.

Thank you for sharing the photo. And congrats with the rest of the clutch!

[MrLang]

Man that sucks...

For education's sake, what method do people typically use to euthanize hatchlings?

[aalomon]

People use various methods of euthanasia. Personally, I believe that the most humane way is crushing the head and that is the method I used. Definitely not easy on the keeper (me) but it was instant.

[Andybill]

Aww man . . . That is just too bad but awareness of this possibility is a must so thank you for sharing this with us. On the other hand nice looking little clutch you got there.