Burm Had IBD--Had to Euthanize It.

[CoolioTiffany]

I think you really need to send the next one that dies off for a necropsy--if it's IBD, reovirus, or paramyxovirus, or one of the other nasties, they may at least be able to guess at which one, and give some advice. Some of these diseases can be passed between all species of snakes, and even some lizards.

I also recommend finding an alternative to freezing. Snakes do not hibernate--they brumate. That means they stay awake when it gets cold, they don't fall asleep. They just slow down a lot. So, the snake would be conscious as it starts to freeze. It can't be considered humane, or quick, unless you're using liquid nitrogen, and the animal is quite small. It's no longer recommended by any veterinary association, for this reason. There are still a lot of people around who remember when it was recommended, and pass the info on, unfortunately. Due to a reptile's slow metabolism, there are few ways to humanely euthanize one, sadly. If that's your goal...well, there simply is no choice but to stop freezing and use another method. Not condemning you, of course--you only knew what you were told. I recommend looking into it further on veterinary sites and research papers if you want confirmation on this.

I will definitely tell the owner of the sanctuary to get whatever dies next necropsied, just so he knows what is going around and how we can stop it and prevent it from spreading to any of our snakes or lizards.

All ways I were told on how to euthanize a snake seems too much for me, besides the freezing. The freezing method is the only one I can really stick with unless there was another way that works just as well and not tramatizing for me.

If I were to smash a snake's head with something heavy, I'd most likely be crying, disgusted, ashamed, and tramatized. So, the smashing is something I cannot ever think about doing, even if it was a very tiny snake. That "humane" way, to me anyways, seems very inhumane to do, even though it's quick and gets the job done.

aww Tiff, I'm sorry to hear. He looked like he would have been a beautiful adult, too.

His colors were amazing and his eyes were a golden-orange, so I do wish he didn't have whatever he did because he would have made a nice snake for someone, even though he would give ya a nip every one in a while. He also would hiss every time I was near him, but never really struck, was quite cute too. I honestly would have asked to keep him if I got him to eat and he didn't show those odd signs.

You know Tiffiny, I have been doing this since the early 80's and freezing was the way I was tought to put down a snake. My vet, Roger Klinenberg. Said the drugs are slow and painful. The smashing the head is in no way something I could ever do either.

I definitely agree with smashing the head, that is just awful. And I never knew the drugs actually caused them to have a slow & painful death, glad that you mentioned that.

I was always told that freezing was most likely the best way to go if I could not stand smashing the head, so that is what I did. If I was informed with another way, besides CO2, injections, and smashing the head, then I would have most likely done it if it wasn't something tramatizing for me to see.