Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone, sadly this weekend I lost my first snake, a '03 female albino nelsoni, and I was hoping that someone could help me figure out what might have happened. Up until this point she was completely healthy, (as were the other 3 snakes kept in the same rack under identical conditions). She produced her first clutch of eggs last year, and had just mated this past week as well. On saturday morning I offered a standard f/t mouse, which she readily accepted. Forgetting that she had fed earlier this day, later that night I took her out to show a friend at which point she regurgitated the meal and did not appear to be in any distress afterwards. I placed her back into her enclosure, only to find her dead the next morning, lying on her back. I feel incredibly guilty for potentially causing her death, but I am also confused as to whether this was a direct result of the regurgitation, and if so, what could have happened?

Thank you,
Zach

It's really a hard to say what happend to your animal and any thought that we can offer would only be speculation.

Sorry for your loss.

~ Mike Russo

yea...no way we could tell.....no blood from vent no blood from mouth....a regurge should not kill a snake....even if the toe nails of the mouse ripped the throat she would have gotten infected and swollen for days then died (*maybe)...

death that fast....no reason -yet a reason....even if you cut her open you may never know....

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The regurge probably happened because the snake was already in a poor state. The regurge likley didn't kill the snake, it was a symptom of whatever did.
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Mark

Thanks for the feedback - I considered this, it just doesn't seem likely to me that she would eat the day before (and appear perfectly healthy in general), only to die suddenly the next day, immediately following the only time she has ever regurgitated (which was also the only time she was handled following a meal). Also, the 3 other snakes housed in the same rack have shown no signs of ill health. But I guess I'll never know what happened...