Sudden death of young ball python

[Bugmom]

A soft tissue infection could have affected the bone causing it to become necrotic. That could potentially cause the bone to pathologically fracture brought on by the necrosis.

This. If the bone became infected (osteomyelitis) it could lead to what the OP is describing. The infection could have been there for some time, and since snakes can't say, "I have a headache," how would anyone know? If nerve damage was caused by the infection, the animal may not have even been in pain, which is why he was still eating and didn't appear unhealthy.

My vote is for a pathogen, not external trauma.

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