Eulogy from a lousy snake owner.

22 years. Who would have guessed when I purchased you at 18 years old, I'd be regretting your passing as I approach 40. I was a lousy owner for the most part, and I'm sorry.

Your tank was alway bare. White paper for substrate, 1 rock, some water dishes and a cave to hide in. At least it was pretty roomy and I kept it more or less clean.

I barely regulated the heat. You temperature fluctuated wildy over the years as I moved you from the homes of various girl friends, buddies, (since my parents wouldn't let me keep you) and my own long list of appartments, condos all the way up to my current address. You had years where the house you lived had an ambient temprature of 75 degrees to basements where it spent most of the time in the mid to low 60s with nothing but your heat mat under your cave. Yet you never got sick.

Humidity was never even considered in passing. Occasionally if you had a bad shed I'd wet you down and help you get the pieces off.

Your feeding schedule was probably just short of abusive. 2 mice every other week was the plan, but it rarely worked that way. Sometimes it was lack of a measly 5 bucks for mice, sometimes it was forgetfulness, ashamedly sometimes laziness. All of this and yet you somehow stayed healthy and stuck it out for all of my adult life.

Three days ago, feeling bad that I let three weeks go by without feeding you I picked up your mice and fed you as usual. The next day I noticed you were sort of sitting half in half out of your cave, which was sort
of odd, but you were responsive and seemed fine. Yesterday, three days after feeding you, I came home that night to an awful smell and what appeard at first glance a murder scene in your tank that turned out to be a mostly digested, regurgitated mouse. You'd never done that before. When I picked you up to clean out your tank, I knew that things were bad. You moved odd and lethargically, and kept bobbing your head in an strange way. I finished cleaning and put you back next to the spot over your mat and under the heat lamp. But I could tell it was already near the end. 2 Hours later you were gone.

My daughter and I buried you this morning in the front yard out in the cold, New England, October rain before dropping her off for shcool and heading to work. You've been around so much longer than she has. Longer than I've known my wife. Longer than I've known most of my current friends. I bought you as I was starting college and now say good bye to you with my six year old and myself at the threshhold of age 40.

I was bad owner. But I'll miss you. You were my last and final attempt at reptile rearing. I'm obviously not cut out for it. Sorry you were stuck with me for 22 years while I figured that out.

Snake (Snakey) - Ball Python
1989 - October 26th, 2011

RIP Snakey.

God speed old guy :salute:

Sorry for your lost....But im glad you knowlegded your mistakes it takes a strong person to see & admit your flaws,for that i respect you, even if the animal lived in poor conditions.Chin up & i hope there a snake heaven for him...

So sorry for your loss. The fact that you admitted to your mistakes says a lot about your character. May you find peace and comfort through this difficult time.

Could there be a message here? RIP Snakey

is this for real?......(if so im terribly sorry)

Very sorry to hear! I'm sure he could have had a much worse home too...

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Originally Posted by ballpythonluvr

So sorry for your loss. The fact that you admitted to your mistakes says a lot about your character. May you find peace and comfort through this difficult time.

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find peace knowing he lived 22 long years.

and sorry for your loss.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by QuiccStrike911

is this for real?......(if so im terribly sorry)

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Totally. I'm not usually that sentimental, but on my way in to work this morning I just had a strong desire to write something about my snake, and to articulate my sadness as well as my guilt. I have to admit I was surprised I found my self tearing up as I typed, which was awkward given I share my office space with 4 others.

I have never been to this site, and simply selected the first Google result for "Ball Python forum" since I felt this would be one of the best bets for people to read about him and have some understanding, as well perhaps put myself out there in front of people who actually love and care for their pets much better than I did. (Not that I didn't love him, I did, I was just chronically irresponsible) It makes me feel better and worse at the same time.

After reading many of the other posts here I regret that so many who did everything right lost their pets after several years, or even months, while I, despite my neglectful ways lucked into an animal that lived so long.

Anyway, thanks for all your comments. And more importantly to me, for taking the time to read about "Snake"... (my daughters the one who dubbed him "Snaky", to me he was always just "Snake". I hope despite his inconsistent caring he had a generally good life.

RIP Snake.:(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Duncan

Totally. I'm not usually that sentimental, but on my way in to work this morning I just had a strong desire to write something about my snake, and to articulate my sadness as well as my guilt. I have to admit I was surprised I found my self tearing up as I typed, which was awkward given I share my office space with 4 others.

I have never been to this site, and simply selected the first Google result for "Ball Python forum" since I felt this would be one of the best bets for people to read about him and have some understanding, as well perhaps put myself out there in front of people who actually love and care for their pets much better than I did. (Not that I didn't love him, I did, I was just chronically irresponsible) It makes me feel better and worse at the same time.

After reading many of the other posts here I regret that so many who did everything right lost their pets after several years, or even months, while I, despite my neglectful ways lucked into an animal that lived so long.

Anyway, thanks for all your comments. And more importantly to me, for taking the time to read about "Snake"... (my daughters the one who dubbed him "Snaky", to me he was always just "Snake". I hope despite his inconsistent caring he had a generally good life.

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I'm glad that you found a soft place to land and to share your memories of Snake here. He sounds like he was a pretty awesome fella!

I also hope that if you ever DO decide to get another ball python one day, that you'll come back here to make this your online ball python home.

RIP Snakey. :(

:( RIP Snaky

RIP Snake, I also hope you had a decently good life. It's good that you're able to come here and be honest about your mistakes, that tells a lot about your character. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to my first ball python, Captain Hook. I love her more than my dog. Don't get me wrong I love Ivan too but i've only had him for a month so not as attached I guess. My wife is one of the only things I love more than this snake. I'd probably cry for days...and i'm a man I do not cry.

I'm sorry for your loss.

I can't even imagine owning a pet for that long, and then losing them (especially so suddenly).

RIP Snake

That's crazy, and terrible.

I am twenty one years old, born in January of 1990. Snake has been around longer than I, so I know that you must have been attached.

Perhaps in time you could own another snake, and take better care of it to help atone for your guilt. As well as I'm sure your daughter enjoyed Snake(y).

Regardless, my condolences, I've lost pets that have been around for much shorter times, and it hurt immensely, and I'm normally a very dettached human.

I'm so sorry about Snake. That must be terribly hard. Find peace within yourself about your mistakes. I know how hard it can be. :tears:

x

This actually brought tears to my eyes. Rip snakey.

I just recently lost a scalely friend, it friggen sucks!

I'm sorry for your loss.

but over 20 years old? maybe you were a better snake owner than you thought...

RIP snakey

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SkYyame

I'm sorry for your loss.

but over 20 years old? maybe you were a better snake owner than you thought...

RIP snakey

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agreed.... sorry about snake...
of all the bad stories that iv read about people loosing their friend/pet/snake,,, this one has touched me most... with the few short paragraphs that the OP posted, there is a books worth of knowlage here... this eulogy should be a "sticky", or a "must read".....
spooky

RIP Snakey :(

22 years is a pretty good run for a Ball Python. I know they've lived for up to 40 in captivity, but 22 is probably pretty good I would think?

Sorry for your loss, it must suck to lose a pet after so many years of having him around all the time!

RIP Snake...cool thread. Thanks for sharing! :)