I was referring to the post that "Simple Man" had made. Rigor should not go away after 12 hours. That being said if the Boyfriend was lying (Good people lie all the time out of fear and guilt) and he had not checked on the snake since say 7pm the day before? I think, although I am not an expert, that the rigor could have gone away in 24 hours if snake was dead on the hide side of the enclosure. Again I am not calling the boyfriend a lier. I am merely suggesting a scenario where rigor could have past to explain the apparent advanced state of decay.