Sad day

Iguanalady · 11-18-02, 04:15 PM

Its finally done. Rogue was our first snake we got her 2 1/2 years ago. She got herself really messed up early on when she got dehydrated from eating mice that had been in the freezer too long (not something anyone had ever mentioned to us as important). She was constipated and the vet had to give her an enema...her brother had the same mice without the same problem though. Since then she has never been right...though she was not really right from the start. Her brother moved around a lot...she always stayed in one spot....her brother had good sheds and she never ever had a good one. I was force feeding her and force pooping her for the last year or so as she would do neither on her own. We got her brother 1 month after her and he is now about 5-6 feet long and 4-5 inches around....she is still 3 feet and only an inch or two around. Lately she could not even move her back end enough to move around because her back was broken--all her joint would grind when she moved and she would snap at you in pain....if her kidneys were failing or impaired that could cause both gout and MBD which would explain it. I would move her from hot to cool to water bath locations myself because she could not. I think thats why she got burned on the UTH a few months ago too. I brought her in to Dr. Upjohn at Eagle Ridge Vet Hosp. this am and insisted he give her an exam first to make sure that the Dr. agreed that my decision was the right one. Desptie that they charged me only a nominal euthanasia fee and no exam. Dr. Upjohn is the best.

I was sad. I cried more than I thought I would. I have never been a snake person and she was pretty much Kevin's snake but I remembered how she used to curl around my glasses when she was a baby and how cute she was. Here I go crying again. On the way there I was worried about her feeling pain or getting scared when it was happening and that made me cry more. If you look at her face and front end she seems so normal. I could have kept her going for who knows how long but I know that she is not an aggressive snake by nature and her snappyness had to be from pain.

Its funny. I have been keeping reptiles since 1996 and currently I have some 30 pet reptiles and I cannot remember ever having had one of my reptile pets die before. I have lost a few rescues and babies but that is part of the rescue/breeding business. Some of my reptile pets have been sick and some have even required heroic efforts to bring them back but they have never died or had to be euthanized. Its a very sad day.

I cannot help but think how could I have let her get like this. Part of me says that maybe she was born with a problem that got worse with the dehydration. Part of me says that is just an excuse and its still my fault. Part of me knows that I am not to blame. Its hard to be torn into so many parts like this. One thing I know though is that I did exactly the best thing for her today whatever the cause of her problems were....she was in a place there was no coming back from and she was in a lot of pain. She will be greatly missed...even by this die-hard lizard nut who "is just not really a snake person" but still loved her to pieces.

Thanx for listening guys
Amanda

Tim_Cranwill · 11-18-02, 04:27 PM

I am terribly sorry. I'm sure you made the best decisions you could.

My condolences.

Dunner · 11-18-02, 04:28 PM

i'm really sorry to hear that amanda, it's always hard losing a pet

sSNAKESs.com · 11-18-02, 04:48 PM

sorry for your loss..

McPatch · 11-18-02, 04:57 PM

My condolences.We are all here for you.

Linds · 11-18-02, 05:39 PM

Sorry for your loss................

eyespy · 11-18-02, 06:28 PM

I am deeply sorry for your loss. I hope that your fond memories of Rogue will help to carry you through the depths of your grief and bring an occasional smile to your face.

Iguanalady · 11-18-02, 08:12 PM

This is a pic of Rogue and her brother about 2 years ago before she got ill. She was still pretty much the same size this morning.

Lisa · 11-18-02, 08:29 PM

I really feel for you. It really sucks

**Aaron_S** · 11-18-02, 10:23 PM

I feel real sorry for you. It really sucks when you lose a pet that you tried your best to keep alive and bring back.

nuno · 11-18-02, 11:40 PM

She was lucky to have you!!!

11-19-02, 12:12 AM

sorry to hear that.......

KaHane · 11-22-02, 11:34 PM

We are very sorry to hear about your loss Amanda, You should be proud of your hard work that kept her going for so long. Don't be to hard on yourself. From the info we've got from you, we feel you are a well knowledged and more than qualified herper. Look at how far you've come with your work on Rogue and the female frilled. Sometimes things just do not work out as we hope it to. What matters is that we give it our best, and you have done the best you could have and more. Others would have given up, while you kept going. So remember that you loved and cared for her when she needed it most, and that's more than she could ask for. I'm sure if she could thank you, she would.
Take care Amanda..............KaHane