My baby ball died yesterday. I need help please

My Nugget died yesterday after her last visit to the vet she passed away in her enclosure. While all the testing only showed nothing but typical oral bacteria in her lungs which was resistant to everything. I actually wish it was due to husbandry mistakes but it remained looking like Nidovirus.
I tried everything I could possibly could and beyond how I rushed the use of the Bioactive unknowingly, that was not what caused this.

I have a question that is hard to ask but I need to know. Is there anything I can do to make my house safe for any snake after this ? Do I need to toss all the stuff? Tanks and everything or can the f10 clean non porous stuff and toss anything like cork and wood?

Nugget was my first and beyond the excruciating loss and so much financial loss I loved having her so much and would like to have a chance at a healthy baby. I hate to think this could be over forever for me.

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Originally Posted by ecoles5

Nugget was my first and beyond the excruciating loss and so much financial loss I loved having her so much and would like to have a chance at a healthy baby. I hate to think this could be over forever for me.

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I lost my BP last year and when I revisit the old threads about him I feel the pain anew. So, I understand and sympathize with your loss. It's natural to take time to mourn. When the pain fades, go someplace where you can encounter these wonderful creatures (e.g. shop, expo, zoo), and I'm confident your desire to keep them will be renewed.

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Originally Posted by ecoles5

My Nugget died yesterday after her last visit to the vet she passed away in her enclosure. While all the testing only showed nothing but typical oral bacteria in her lungs which was resistant to everything. I actually wish it was due to husbandry mistakes but it remained looking like Nidovirus.
I tried everything I could possibly could and beyond how I rushed the use of the Bioactive unknowingly, that was not what caused this.

I have a question that is hard to ask but I need to know. Is there anything I can do to make my house safe for any snake after this ? Do I need to toss all the stuff? Tanks and everything or can the f10 clean non porous stuff and toss anything like cork and wood?

Nugget was my first and beyond the excruciating loss and so much financial loss I loved having her so much and would like to have a chance at a healthy baby. I hate to think this could be over forever for me.

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I'm so very sorry for your heart-breaking loss- from your previous posts, I had a feeling- a bad feeling- about where this was heading, but you never know for sure.

So this wasn't actually proven by the vet to be Nido? I don't think bioactive had much to do with this. I suspect you came home with an already-at-risk-&-most-likely-sick snake- you got off to a very unfortunate beginning with snakes. If it's any consolation, the second snake I ever got (not long after the first but from a pet store) was sick & I (& the vet) were unable to save her. But here I am, with decades of many snakes in my life since then, so no, it's not "over" unless you want it to be. It wasn't your fault- even though you made some mistakes & could have done things better, it's unlikely you could have changed the outcome. Some things are just very hard or impossible to treat- & this snake was already weak- & really was not ideal for a new snake-keeper either.

But yes, you have a lot of cleaning to do, & I'd wait a while too. Toss out anything porous like cork & wood- sorry, it's just not safe to clean & re-use them.

I don’t really know how to use the quote feature well. But thank you. Vet said in truth there are many viruses and diseases that they know nothing about yet. Seemed textbook nidovirus virus


I have not really been in my bedroom really. Don’t really want to sleep there.between Covid and not wanting to stare at her tank.

When you love & keep animals, sooner or later we're stuck with the pain of their loss. It's so unfair when it happens so soon, when they're young & just getting started at life, but even though it hurts to lose them, I have to think our own lives are richer for having known them- and I guess that's why I keep going, letting so many animals into my life with their charm & all they've had to teach me along the way.

You could also say that dealing with the loss of a pet can help us prepare for the pain of losing special people in our life also- there's just no way to get thru life without facing such losses. You did the best you could, & you sought veterinary help pretty quickly- I just wish there had been a way to help her recover from this. I'm very sorry for your loss. And your vet is correct- pathogens keep evolving (changing), resisting medicines & making them ineffective- ones that may have helped previously, & no doubt there's some they've never seen or dealt with at all. We all do the very best we can- sometimes, sadly, it's just not enough.

I read through your posts, and it looks like you didn't do anything wrong, and did many things right. It does sound like either one of the known viruses that simply didn't show on the testing (false negatives for nido even on symptomatic animals are quite common), or possibly one we don't yet know about. I'm really sorry this happened.

Just my two cents: I don't think "bioactive" enclosures are the right idea for BPs (I have over a dozen "bioactive" enclosures at home, but only for species that actually need them). I also think expos have a lot of shortcomings as a good source for a first snake (and I do sell at expos, so I'm not biased). Just food for thought going forward.

"I have a question that is hard to ask but I need to know. Is there anything I can do to make my house safe for any snake after this ? Do I need to toss all the stuff? Tanks and everything or can the f10 clean non porous stuff and toss anything like cork and wood? "

I know a lot of people don't reuse porous materials after a situation like this, and that's most prudent. I will point out that all the interesting snake viruses are very susceptable to heat (15min at 65C inactivates enveloped viruses, which nidovirus, arenavirus, paramyxovirus and Sunshine virus are), and this might be recommended as a reliable disinfection technique for porous materials (via boiling or baking). Of course as noted, discarding those materials (double bagged) is the most reliable option.

On nonporous surfaces, a solution of 1 part Chlorox regular disinfecting bleach and 19 parts water will inactivate those pathogens at a 10 minute contact time. A solution of 70% ethanol will do the same with that same 10 min contact time.

For anyone wondering, 65* C is roughly 150* F (actually 149* F, but 150* is easier to remember)

I don’t think I would do Bioactive again, I don’t think that was the thing Nugget enjoyed as much as climbing was something she loved and did that up until the the end. I have to cut out the background and if nothing else I want to be able to clean as deeply as possible.

I don’t have any intention on keeping anything at all that is wood or cork I plan on throwing out the bags of bedding because I had my hands in them. I don’t even know what to do with the mouse I have because she was in her tank so she could be infected and that can’t just be handled off to another snake

I would love some idea of what to do with the mouse. I just really thought of that. Having Covid in the middle of this really slowed me up with all this.

I would like to say that this forum has changed my mind about posting. I have been a member of a few and I rarely post because your likely to be told your didn’t do your research as if being on the boards there doesn’t show you are.

I read so much here and it all helps so much. Thank you all

I agree, an installed background is something that traps germs- & should always be avoided with a new snake in quarantine (for future reference)- not only germs but mites can hide there too.

Malum Argenteum provided great details above for cleaning. I would toss anything porous also, as you said. The mouse should be euthanized & discarded- not his lucky day, no matter what.

I appreciate your positive feedback & as well as contributions to this forum- (just because you're asking for help doesn't mean you're not educating others at the same time, by sharing your issue.)
We are all here to help others & we're all here to keep learning ourselves, thru these discussions. I've been on other forums too that got out of control- that's not helping anyone at all. ;)

I'm so sorry for your loss, it sounds like you went above and beyond for the little guy.

As for the mouse, if it might be comforting to take care of them I'd say keep them around and get them a little habitat, but if it would just add stress during a difficult time maybe someone else would take them in from craigslist or something?

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Originally Posted by plateOfFlan

...As for the mouse, if it might be comforting to take care of them I'd say keep them around and get them a little habitat, but if it would just add stress during a difficult time maybe someone else would take them in from craigslist or something?

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I'd agree, except for the fact that whatever pathogens the snake died from could be shared by that mouse that made contact. I wouldn't want to doom a future pet snake, that's for sure. But maybe ask the vet what is safe, just to be sure? (And btw, for a house-pet, mice smell bad, especially the males- I'm not being sexist either, they mark their territory, etc.- trust me, I raise mice.)

Offering them up for adoption would be a good option, but make SURE it's not for snake food- be sure they understand & don't have a snake.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

I lost my BP last year and when I revisit the old threads about him I feel the pain anew. So, I understand and sympathize with your loss. It's natural to take time to mourn. When the pain fades, go someplace where you can encounter these wonderful creatures (e.g. shop, expo, zoo), and I'm confident your desire to keep them will be renewed.

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i v much second this - my Chilean Rose Hair T i had for nearly 15 years hit me so hard i gave up keeping arachnids all together for 5+ years because it was all just so tremendously painful but we all take the time we do to mourn and in time, when one is ready, then you can get back in the game - i’m so v sorry for your loss OP!

Oh, one small suggestion - if/when you come back to BPs, may I suggest looking into an albino, maybe a BEL, some pattern that looks totally different to your little baby. I know with other pets having the new pet be very visually distinct helps me feel like I'm honoring the passed pet, and not replacing them.

I'm sorry for your loss. It always sucks so much to lose a pet.

So sorry for your loss. Take your time to heal and there’s a new friend waiting out there for you. Take care.


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If you want some rodent to take care of I'd go with rats. I've raised up several pet rats and I think they're much nicer than mice. They're stinky too though, but you can train them to do cool tricks. My very first pet rat was a feeder rat that my mother wouldn't let me feed to my snake. Lived to a good ripe age too. But I'd say a mouse isn't the way to go. Much love, I know it's tough and there will always be a spot in your heart for your loss, but sometimes there is nothing you can do. My best wishes to you <3

I put the mouse on Craigslist and Facebook and outside of being told I am a bad person, no takers. I felt like asking if they eat meat.

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Originally Posted by ecoles5

I put the mouse on Craigslist and Facebook and outside of being told I am a bad person, no takers. I felt like asking if they eat meat.

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"Welcome to the world of snake-keeping"-;) Personally I'd just euthanize* the mouse, because I'd be afraid that someone wanting "free snake food" will not understand (or believe) why this one shouldn't be fed, & lie about their intentions. *If you don't feel comfortable doing that, I have a feeling that if you ask a local vet to euthanize it & explain the reason to them, they won't charge you a whole lot- anyway, it costs nothing to call around & ask. A vet's office may actually have someone on staff or know someone that wants the mouse as a pet too, so there's that angle. Some vets have bulletin boards of pets needing new homes- also free to post.

A slipper is a good solution to your mouse problem


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[QUOTE=Jamiekerk;2778849]A slipper is a good solution to your mouse problem


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lol! I ended up euthanasia as my mouse solution. Felt bad for her but was as human as I could.