Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been treating 9 of my snakes for a Respiratory Infection. They were all doing very well. I was using a nebulizer (sp) that a vet friend of mine suggested with a concoction of medicine he mixed up. It looked as if most of them were out of the woods, so to speak. I had them all in a 40 gallon breeder tank with 2 small heat lamps on top. I kept the humidity up to help their breething. My wife and I went out of town for one night and came back to 8 of the 9 snakes dead. They basically got cooked because it got too hot in the tank. These were important snakes to us because they were pets that we had grown attached to. We lost a 1.0 cinnamon, 1.0 yellow belly, 1.0 normal, 0.1 het albino, 0.2 normals, 0.1 one of the most beautiful wild caught balls I had ever seen but probably just a normal(I guess I will never know now), and a het ghost.

I know that some people are probably going to start ripping me apart with comments about what I was doing wrong in their eyes but with all due respect I don't need to hear those comments right now. All of these pets will be dearly missed!!!!

I had something similar happen to me once, but with only 1 snake and it hit me hard...I couldn't imagine losing 8 at once. Hope things work out for the best with you in the future....Mike

I am so sorry you lost your pets! How is the one that survived doing?
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Alice Cobb
Florida Reptile Room

The one that survived was part of a 1.1 pair of het ghosts. I'm just not sure which one it is as I haven't sexed it yet. I thought they were all gone but then I saw that little one move so I took it out right away and he or she appears to be doing ok right now but I am going to be keeping a very close eye on it.

"They basically got cooked because it got too hot in the tank."

I hate to say it ...but....ummm.....can you say thermostat? Sorry for your loss. Hopefully others will learn from your mistake.
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David Perkins Reptiles

For everyone's information, there was a thermostat. I don't know what caused it to fail but it did.

That totaly sucks. Was it a Helix? I have a few of those,I would be devastated if that happened.
Once again I am very sorry.
I suppose any brand of thermostat could fail, seems hard to justify the extra cost of two stats per setup,but that may be the best way to protect the snakes from getting "cooked".
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David Perkins Reptiles

If you were doing your best to help your animals, then you shouldn't feel guilty. A thermostat can fail and still overheat the animals. Sometimes things just happen and we have to accept that we were doing our best and move on. Good luck with the one that has survived.
Paul

It is very hard to post when something like this happens! Others learn from post like this. Keep your chin up !
West Coast Pythons

a ball with upper respiratory infection....

and I have balls from 75 degrees all the time to 85 all the time........

........good luck in the future.......

........check the concoction too........?
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......

First, I am very sorry for your loss!

Second, I've had boas with R.I.s but over the last 6-7 years I've kept balls (and I have almost 30) I've also never had one with an R.I. I would evaluate your husbandry, because despite the overheating, something wasn't right to cause so many sick snakes.

Also, how did you have your two heat lamps hooked up to a thermostat, and how much wattage did you have running. My beardie had a 100 watt light in 40 gallon breeder, and temps never got above 105 on the hot side..so even if the probe got bumped, I still wouldn't think it would heat up enough to kill, unless you had no cool side, or if you were using a CHE or the like.

Finally, did you have an vet evaluate the animals? What were you medicating them with? In my experience, antibiotics injected under the skin is really the best remedy for an R.I. Also, since ball pythons are heavily stressed (not to mention can pass the "germs" when kept in groups, it is best to isolate them all during treatment (if they weren't already).

You mentioned that you didn't want people to comment on what you did wrong, but to me that is the only good to come out of a tragedy like yours. You should learn from your mistakes!
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Thanks,
Amy

My Boids

There is stuff called heat tape, you put on a thermostat and why would you house so many snakes in one cage considering some mighta had respitory some might have had more so you baisically mixed them up and killed most of them sorry for the loss but you need to use better judgment and better precautions. thanks

Eric,
I'm so very sorry to hear about your loss of these beautiful animals. To lose any animal is terrible but to lose 8 is a tragedy. Keep your head up and push forward...... Take care
Carl

for you!!!!
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Roberts Realm Of Reptile Research
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Thanks,

I opened my mouth and out flowed a melody black.