Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know, might sound like a really weird topic/subject, but hear me out. I had ( notice the past-tense of the word "have" ) a jeuvenile red tail boa ( autopsy length of just under 24" ) Yesterday morning, was in the late stages of her shedding, and couldn't wait to see her after she had shed, so I sprayed her cage down to maintain the humidity for her as I've done in the past, only to come home later that evening after work to find my red tail laying limp in the bottom of her cage, she had successfully rolled almost half of the dead skin off of her and was rolled very tightly right below her heart and right dead center of her lungs. Has any one else seen/heard of this happening? Thoughts and or opinions would be great appreciated in the manor.

RIP Kilo....

This is not the first time I have been made aware of such an unfortunate event, as I know of a couple of specimens which were lost in the same manner, one being a black pine snake and the other being a BCI.
I am truly sorry to hear of your loss, as such was certainly beyond your control and a rare occurrence indeed…

Best regards,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

I too have heard of this, but have never seen it. My condolences.
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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
3.4 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor
0.1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1.0 Tangerine Honduran Milksnake
1.0.0 Honduran Milksnake
0.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.1.0 Ball Pythons
0.0.1 Ribbon Snake
1.1.0 Rosy Boas (Mexican & Mid Baja)
0.1.0 Pueblan Milksnake
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
1.0.0 Western Hognose
1.0.0 Albino San Diego Gopher Snake
0.0.1 Sonoran Gopher Snake
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
1.1.0 Gray Banded Kingsnakes (River Road)
0.1.0 Desert Kingsnake
0.1.1 California Kingsnakes
1.0.0 Yellowtail Cribo
0.1.0 Blacktail Cribo
1.0.0 Woma Python

LIZARDS
1.0.0 Frilled Dragon
3.1.0 Bearded Dragons (2 Normal, 1 RedXGold, 1 Citrus)
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.0.0 Turquoise Sunburst Veiled Chameleon
1.0.3 Leopard Geckos
1.1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Green Anoles
1.1.0 Bahama Anoles
FROGS
2.2.0 Southern Bell Frogs
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
0.0.2 Striped Walking Frogs
1.1.1 White's Tree Frogs

Condolences but I would look for a different cause of death. If the snake was healthy, I really doubt this would happen. it could very easily be that the snake was allreay very weak from an infection and just did not have the strength to finish its shed. I would definitely check it out to be certain there isn't a disease involved that might spread thru your collection.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

>>Condolences but I would look for a different cause of death. If the snake was healthy, I really doubt this would happen. it could very easily be that the snake was allreay very weak from an infection and just did not have the strength to finish its shed. I would definitely check it out to be certain there isn't a disease involved that might spread thru your collection.
>>
>>Frank
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>>"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

I am in agreement with Frank. I have lost one snake in mid shed and it was right before I tested and treated my animals for protozoans. (forgive my spelling) Enameboides invadens. It was a sneaky infection that was hard to put your finger on anything wrong....just something not right.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

Thanks for all of your heart felt words... These things happen, as far as the health of the snake, apart from dealing with a anal prolapse about a month prior ( complete lab screening by the vet.. clean of organisms ) was the only thing she had wrong with her... Sterilized the cage... had to go out and replace her... so I got a Surinam X Colombian 1 month old male... colors are striking, will have to get some pics up here soon!!

A specimen harboring clinical pathogen levels, to the point of lethargy, will rarely present ecdysis in the manner indicated within the post, though some do manage to rub the facial skin off, while most normally retain the old skin or it simply starts breaking away in small pieces.
The two specimens I indicated this occurring with were perfectly healthy and harbored no clinical levels of pathogens, though I do believe better humidity could have hepled to prevent such, at least in one of teh cases . Also, I believe a large enclosure with plenty of furniture to allow for proper ecdysis will help, as many specimens maintained without such simply rub against themselves, which creates a tight ring of skin being formed and the possibility of cutting off the circulation, much like wrapping a rubber band around one of your extremities.
While it is always wise to have a necropsy performed by a competent veterinarian or pathologist, I do not believe the demise of your snake is cause for worry of an epidemic within your collection, especially if you have followed a sound quarantine process and practiced good husbandry…

Best regards,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

Again, thanks for all of your responces. These types of things happen... My husbandry skills aren't in question in my mind, the humidity did not drop below 50% in the entire enclosure and she had a sizable humidity hide, that's usually maintained around 75 to 80% during shedding periods... Something I forgot to mention on my initial post that helped clarify, at least for me, what had happened... when she had rubbed off the skin from off her head and proceeded to rub it off, the loose end got caught up under and continued to roll onto itself... imagine you were rolling a sleeve on a tight fitting shirt and kept rolling it onto itself, eventually, it would get tight enough to cut off all the circulation to that particular arm... it's a theory, and one that a couple of my snake buddies happen to agree with... as there was a bulge above and below the roll of skin, ehh who knows...

itself against be a contributing factor? Just curious.

Sorry for your loss..
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In all honesty - sometimes tragic things just happen.

Childrens pastor at my church - fairly healthy lifestyle, rode his bike every morning - had a heart attack and died while riding his bike. He was young, exercised, etc. Stuff happens.

I've heard of snakes getting tangled in shed skins before and dying, both while shedding and post shed when a shed skin wasn't take out on time. It's rare, but it happens.

Sorry about the loss, it sucks when that kind of thing happens.
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3.0 WC; 0.1 CB L. getula californiae
0.1 CB L. pyromelana pyromelana
0.1 WC; 10 eggs (7/11) Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata