Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Howdy All,

Been a long time since I posted.
I have raised my CRBs for over 8 years with no issues. I recently acquired a BRB last year and she was doing great with no issues. She'd eat weekly like clockwork and poop in between meals and had nice, clean sheds.
Last thursday I decided to switch her from a f/t adult mouse to a f/t small fuz rat as it's almost the same size as an adult mouse. I figured it would be good to get her on rats as she's growing and her adult mice (keep in mind these are not large adult mice) were making a tiny bulge when she ate. So, I fed her the rat and she took it like normal, then friday morning I came in to her first ever regurge (non of my CRBS have ever regurged either). I was shocked but she acted fine.
Today I came in to find her dead. She was acting fine yesterday just basking and had a nice shed. This morning I found she had peed and pooped and she had passed on. No signs of dehydration or anything wrong with her. She still looked great and supple even dead. It's like she just stopped. I don't get it.
She's been kept the same as my other rainbows had been raised, on aspen in the infant rack with a ceramic water dish and was an absolute joy to work with.
Are BRBs susceptible to regurge that I'm not aware of? Are they more sensitive than CRBs?

Any help would be appreciated.

Hugs,

Amanda Ros

Ho Amanda, so sorry for your loss. IMO BRB's are very hardy animals. Provide the proper temps and humidity and they thrive.

You said you switched her to F/T rat. Where did you get the rat from? There's been lots of stories about a certain supplier who has to remain nameless due to TOS that has been connected with a number of boa deaths.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Honestly, if it is known that a supplier has bad feeding stock we all need to know. If you aren't allowed to post here, please email me about this so I can look it up.
tenorgoddess2009@gmail.com

Thank you kindly,

Amanda

Check out this thread over on the boa forum....

forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1849031,1849031
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

That's horrifying, I've never even thought that feeders could be toxic! Thank you for the info! I buy my mice and rats locally from a pet store that breeds them, but still...

I remember hearing (or actually reading) somewhere that some types of dyes can build up in rodents which is toxic to snakes...a kind of red dye if I remember. Unfortunately I can't remember details. Its something I came across years ago and I don't know if its true or just heresay.

If a feeder supplier is producing rodents that seem to be killing snakes...Has anybody tested the rodents themselves? Perhaps its something the supplier is unaware of. Maybe just certain patches have been contaminated...and wasn't there a recall recently on frozen rodents by a feeder supplier?
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PHLdyPayne

Forum Princess

I had a similar sudden death early in the summer, but mine was a corn. The snake had eaten every week, and shed every month. Then I fed it one day, checked it the next day, and found it regurged and dead two days later. Doug Mong over on the milk and king forums also had a similar death this summer, but I think his was a milk. Sometimes it happens!

One of my rainbows also did regurge this summer, also like you when I changed food items. Fortunately, she recovered and has never regurged again since.

Sorry to hear of your loss!
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0.1 Peruvian rainbow boa (Amaru)
2.0 Brazilian rainbow boas (Arco, Olho)
1.3.1 Honduran milksnakes (Chicchan, Chanir, Hari, TBA)
1.0 Thayeri kingsnake (Coatl)
0.0.1 Mexican black kingsnake (Mora)
2.7 corns (Cetto, Tolosa, Uce, TBA)
1,000,000.1,000,000 other critters

Sucks. I know anything can happen with any of our reptiles but still. It hurts when it happens and we have no real clue as to why. I know regurge is hard on snakes period but ug.

Thank you for replying and sharing. It's never easy hearing about it from other keepers, let alone it happening to ourselves.

Hugs,

Amanda

So odd the hypos would be susceptible. I greatly appreciate everyone's feedback. I'm just still puzzled as to why she'd been doing so well for so long and just up and ended like this.
I realize we cannot predict what happens, that at any point, they could die but still. I don't like not knowing what's happened...does anyone really? No.

Hugs,

Amanda