Random snake death?

snake13 · 06-18-08, 09:00 PM

my male bullsnake was in perfect condition yesterday, very healthy and eating regularly. Today i saw that he was dead.
i have no idea what could have caused this. Any ideas??

**Aaron_S** · 06-19-08, 07:35 PM

How long did you have the snake? Where did it come from? Tell us details of this "healthy" animal.

snake13 · 06-20-08, 06:39 AM

i got the snake about a year ago from a local breeder when he was about 2 months old

**Aaron_S** · 06-20-08, 08:18 AM

More details. Feeding schedule? Husbandry aspects? Temperatures, how you were keeping it. Do you have other snakes? Did you recently get any new animals?

snake13 · 06-22-08, 02:53 PM

feeding on one pinky mouse every Monday, hadnt missed a feeding. i have one juvi carpet python and a Bp. the hot side of his cage was 75-85 cool side was 60-68.

DaVincisCode · 06-22-08, 06:58 PM

I believe the hot side should be around 105, for proper digestion, and cool side should be 75-80.

**Aaron_S** · 06-22-08, 11:32 PM

105 for a bullsnake?! You'd probably roast the bugger. It probably could stay higher than 75 though, and the cool side SHOULD be higher, that's pretty cold for a snake.

Also, how big around was this snake? maybe you starved it to death with a single pinky per week.

gonesnakee · 06-23-08, 12:58 PM

Majorly under fed for sure no doubt about it. 1 pinky a week?

That would be OK for the first couple feedings. A pinky is a small meal even for a fresh hatched Bullsnake. Could have died from developmental issues due to lack of proper nutrition (IE: lack of food). A yearling Bullsnake should be eating 2-3 good sized hoppers a week, not 1 pinky. A pinky would be OK for the first couple meals of its life, but thats it. The snake was starving Man, Mark

gonesnakee · 06-23-08, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaVincisCode

I believe the hot side should be around 105, for proper digestion, and cool side should be 75-80.

Just what type of snake are you talking about here? No snake in my experience (going on 10 years, 100s of snakes) requires temps over 95F TOPS ever. A BP should be 80-85F cool side & 90-95F hotside this applies to most all Boids except those that require cooler temps than that. Most NA Colubrids are good at 65-75F cool side & 80-85F hotside. Mark

**Aaron_S** · 06-23-08, 05:48 PM

I knew the hot side was too high as well as the cold side was too cold. I didn't know exact numbers so thank you Mark for putting them up for me.

snake13 · 06-23-08, 09:13 PM

this was a small snake and couldnt take anyhting larger than a pinky, i offered fuzzies but they were too big for him to completely swallow.

**Aaron_S** · 06-24-08, 07:57 AM

Yah, because you underfed the snake.