Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a snake that has had a resp for a while, and even after medical treatment can't seem to kick it.
Is there a better way to put it down than sticking it in the freezer?

Just curious which antibiotics were used with this python and the temp and humidity regimen it was kept under during the treatment period? Thanks much,

Kelly

Do not put your snake in the freezer. In large reptiles they begin to get frostbite in the extremities (very painful) before their core temperature cools enough to loose consciousness. Freezing reptiles is probably OK if they are very small (like hatchling colubrid or smaller) because they go unconscious very quickly.

There are several viable ways to euthanize a snake. The more humane way is to go to a vet and get an injection of barbituate euthanasia solution. This can be given intra-coelomic if the vet is inexperienced, or it can go directly into the heart or tail vein if the vet is versed in either procedure. The intra-coelomic injection will take a very long time to kill the snake, although consciousness is lost quickly. The intravenous routes will produce unconsciousness in seconds and death withing minutes, much the same way it works in dogs and cats.

Other options if money is an issue and you are not squeamish is direct trauma to the brain via either pithing or severe blunt trauma. These techniques take practice to perform humanely and I wouldn't recommend them. Decapitating is generally not considered humane in reptiles.

Sorry about the URI. Every once in a while there are some really bad ones out there that just don't respond. But most are treatable. So I am also curious about your husbandry and what meds it has been given and for how long.