Dead ball python

[D.R]

Well, I lost my first ball python not more than an hour ago. I plan on getting a necropsy done tomorrow but I would like some ideas as to what happened.
Temps are 90 on the hot side 77 on the cool, the cool sides temp have dropped before but never below 70. His humidity is 65%. Yesterday I removed his hide and saw him laying the side of his head on the substrate not moving, I thought he was gone, after a little movement he perked back up and was just fine. I held him not even 1 hour before I found him dead and he was perfectly normal, nothing wrong.

I believe it was an impaction, he ate a small rat three days ago and as he was eating he caught a piece of substrate which I thought I had removed, I guess not. Just wondering if anyone has any insight on impactions, how long it takes before death, behaviour, anything.

[lorenhavens]

Sorry about ur lose but unfortunately I will not be able to help on the reason y.

[dr del]

I hope the necropsy can find the cause.

How and where are you measuring those temps ( just to rule a few things out )?

[Reinz]

A sorry heart felt welcome to the forum.

I'm just sick to hear about this.

It's just no telling without the necropsy. But armchair quarterbacking, I don't see an impaction from THIS rat. Possibly the last rat. Their prostalsis is not that fast.

Now maybe you meant OBstruction. That is a different complication and more plausible.

So sorry man.

[D.R]

A sorry heart felt welcome to the forum.

I'm just sick to hear about this.

It's just no telling without the necropsy. But armchair quarterbacking, I don't see an impaction from THIS rat. Possibly the last rat. Their prostalsis is not that fast.

Now maybe you meant OBstruction. That is a different complication and more plausible.

So sorry man.

I was thinking it was piece of cypress mulch, you can see it in his mouth in the photo, this is the first time I've ever had any problems with substrate sticking to a rat which is why I assumed impaction. I have no idea what actually happened, just a guess. And I check my temps a couple times a day with a temp gun

[KMG]

I was thinking it was piece of cypress mulch, you can see it in his mouth in the photo, this is the first time I've ever had any problems with substrate sticking to a rat which is why I assumed impaction. I have no idea what actually happened, just a guess. And I check my temps a couple times a day with a temp gun

That's to bad. I know the feeling, it sucks.


I really doubt that this was an impaction issue from just feeding. Just a guess but I would bet the substrate in its mouth is from the moments before death. I lost a GTP that seemed to be having a seizure one morning when I was checking on my collection. It was on the cage floor twitching, spinning, and squirming. As it did this it got a ton of substrate in its mouth. I got it out and removed the substrate and it died in my hands.

As for the actual reason for the death I just don't know but Im interested to see what you find out.

[anicatgirl]

Awwww... I'm so sorry for your loss....

[Atrox]

So sorry for your loss.

[C2tcardin]

Wow, sorry to hear about your loss. I agree though, Impaction from just one feeding seems a bit unlikely but some kind obstruction is plausible. How old and what size was he? There have been few cases on here recently to snakes lost due to fatty livers.

[bcr229]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Since you're planning on a necropsy make sure he's in the refrigerator not the freezer.