Strange hatchling deaths ( disturbing pics )

[Reddog]

Last night I fed a group of hatchlings for the first time, they coiled the rat fuzzies with no hesitation. When I went back to check on them I noticed 2 of them where still coiled, so I looked closer and both hatchlings where dead. I have no idea at all on what could have happened.... Any ideas ? This is the first time I have ever lost any hatchlings :-(

[3skulls]

Wow that's very strange.
I'll take a wild guess and say maybe it was something to do with their hearts..?

Being so sudden and right in the middle of eating makes me think, heart attack, stroke etc.

I'm sorry this happened.

[BlueMoonExotics]

Wow that is really strange! Is this common in ball python babies? I really hope I never have that happen! So sorry about your babies! How long has it been since they first hatched? Are there anymore from the same clutch? I would maybe keep an eye on them just in case next time you feed.

[OctagonGecko729]

I would recommend getting them necropsied to find out what happened. This is a very weird case.

[Reddog]

They had been shed for about 3 days before I attempted feeding, they where clutch mates from a clutch of 6.... The other 4 fed and done great.

[BlueMoonExotics]

x2 on the necropsy if you really want to know what happened. The heart attack theory seams plausible but you would think if they were that weak they wouldn't have been able to come out of the eggs with a weak heart. Then again, I guess cutting the egg gets rid of most of the work for them so out of curiosity..... do you cut or did they pip themselves?

[Reddog]

3 or 4 had pipped so I cut the rest. I can't remember if either one of these little ones pipped or not.

[MrLang]

That is really bizarre. Good luck identifying the cause - I am very interested to know.

[West Coast Jungle]

Odd, the only thing I think out of the ordinary is the size of the meal for a first feeding. I have never started a hatchling on such a large meal. I always start them on a mouse hopper or a rat pink for the first few meals. My only guess would be too much of a struggle trying to constrict

[Reddog]

Odd, the only thing I think out of the ordinary is the size of the meal for a first feeding. I have never started a hatchling on such a large meal. I always start them on a mouse hopper or a rat pink for the first few meals. My only guess would be too much of a struggle trying to constrict

Maybe so, i have raised countless hatchlings starting them on these little fuzzy crawlers with never an issue but im gonna drop the size a bit just to be safe. It's very depressing. Thanks for the input and hopefully I will not ever have this problem again :-(