I did everything as perfectly as I could - the right temps and humidity, a nice tight hide, a damp sphagnum moss hide, clean substrate, clean water, covered the glass sides with dark paper to reduce stress, covered most of the screen top with plexiglass to avoid humidity loss...I'd tried twice to feed the little guy (at night with the lights off and everything quiet); the first time after a week of acclimation with no handling, and the second timefive days later. Both times the little guy had showed no sign of interest. i just feel so terrible...

I came home today to find my poor little baby curled up, dead, in the corner of the tank. I was horrified to think that it might be my fault, so my boyfriend convinced me to take the little guy to the local pet store, where the reptile guy (who's quite knowledgeable and not the typical pet store moron) might be able to tell me what happened. so I went, crying all the way, and the guy at the pet store found a cut near the tail that was surrounded by discolored skin. He said that he was certain that this was the cause of death and not my husbandry practices, and that the cut was much older than my date of purchase. I've attached a picture of the injury. I can't believe I didn't see it earlier, but I guess my newbie eyes just weren't experienced enough. This picture was taken about an hour after I found the snake dead.

I can't stop crying

[ Hide Replies ]

• Terrible news... - curaniel, Fri Oct 1 17:42:18 2004
• RE: Terrible news... - maestrOwen, Fri Oct 1 21:13:19 2004
• RE: Terrible news... - kev-n-gina, Fri Oct 1 22:09:21 2004
• RE: Terrible news... - curaniel, Fri Oct 1 22:50:32 2004
• RE: Terrible news... - yodawagon, Fri Oct 1 22:17:28 2004
• RE: Terrible news... - Rich Crowley, Sat Oct 2 21:42:28 2004