Reptile & Amphibian Forums

on saturday I sold a 4 month old ball python to a friend of mine who assured me she knew "exactly how to care for it." today I recieved a call informing me that the snake had died. my friend now wants her money back. I want to know why the snake died before I refund her. I began asking questions about the habitat. the snake was kept in a 10 gallon aquarium with no substrate. the snake was living directly on the glass. there was a hide for the snake made of an unknown wood (she thinks it isnt pine) that she had carved for her lizard years ago. there was an overhead (white) light keeping ambiant air temp at 88 degrees, and a heat rock with no thermostat temp control. the snake was described as healty looking and have a good rounded shape with very shiny scales when I had it on saturday. she reported seeing the snake "flipping its head upsidedown." would the overhead light have heated the glass that is was shining down on to unbearable levels causeing the snakes rapid onset of illness and death? the snake had never "flipped its head" while in my care for the last 6 weeks. any help would be appreciated. thank you
-Alex-
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1.2 ball pythons (Draco and Naga)
1.0 red tail boa (Malichi)
coming soon (well not that soon...)
?.?.? eyelash Gecko(my g/f fell in love with them)
1.0 blood python (lestat)

Maybe it had a heat stroke. Was she just guessong at temps or did she have an accurate thermometer?
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The Voices have won!

jeff pfeifer

she said she had one... but it was prolly one of the analog ones from a petshop. would the high belly heat from the glass cause that?
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1.2 ball pythons (Draco and Naga)
1.0 red tail boa (Malichi)
coming soon (well not that soon...)
?.?.? eyelash Gecko(my g/f fell in love with them)
1.0 blood python (lestat)

have you seen the snake yourself yet?

i had mine, ambient air 70-82ish... temp gun the uth area with 1" reptibark..hot zones 110 degrees! there is a high chance it prolly did die of heat

and heat rock? those are a no no
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1.0 Monty - The Ball Python

I have not seen the snake.
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1.2 ball pythons (Draco and Naga)
1.0 red tail boa (Malichi)
coming soon (well not that soon...)
?.?.? eyelash Gecko(my g/f fell in love with them)
1.0 blood python (lestat)

Keep it simple. Tell her that you are sorry that the snake died while in her care. I would not offer a refund or replacement. If the snake was healthy and eating when it she bought it, just say that you've had the snake for 4 months without any problems and that you cannot warranty the snake after it leaves your care. If she told you that she knows how to take care of it, then she accepts the risk. I also agree with the other posts, habius corpus (produce the body).