Bella

[EasternGirl]

I have no idea what is going on at my house...but another one of my snakes passed suddenly. Bella, my young concinnus female, suddenly passed yesterday morning with no apparent cause that I could discern. There has really been no indication that she was ill, other than the fact that I noticed she was suddenly a bit skinnier than she normally is in the last couple of weeks...but she was acting normal...eating, pooping, active. Then, all of the sudden she started hiding a few days ago. I figured she was just getting ready to shed. I looked in on her night before last and she seemed a little too still for my liking...I reached in and touched her...and said to myself "Oh no, come on, not another one"....but she moved when I touched her so I figured she was just sleeping. Then, yesterday morning, I found her. Like Sammy, she was weirdly hollow sounding and her skin was rigid...it's hard to explain, but I know we have all talked about similar findings in snakes that have suddenly passed. I was wondering if maybe it was a retained shed...her skin seemed kind of crinkley...I don't know. She had a bit of a lump near her vent and her vent was open a bit...I honestly have no idea what happened. She was actually still barely alive when I found her and moving slowly as if her body was becoming paralyzed from tail to head over about an hour...just like Sammy...and also exactly like the snake I found a couple years ago in my basement that I tried to revive. I tried soaking her in warm water...but the process just seemed to continue until she passed. I don't know if this is a parasitic thing or what. I'm getting a bit frustrated with losing my garters though I now have a small garter graveyard in my backyard...depressing. On top of that, one of our guinea pigs died a few days before that. Ugh. Anyway, just wanted to tell you guys about Bella's passing. Poor little girl...rest in peace, Bella.

[Stefan-A]

Very sorry to hear it.

Had any new animals arrive in the last few months? Or a new food batch, maybe?

[guidofatherof5]

R.I.P. Bella.
Sorry to hear about your loss.

[chris-uk]

Sorry to hear that you've lost another. If there's no external signs the thing I learnt from loosing my Nobby was septicaemia leaves pitecheia in the mouth, it's worth checking.

Sad news. I hope it's just coincidence that you've lost two fairly close to each other.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Could it have been a jelly/slug stuck in her? Just wondering cause I have seen this in a few females that couldn't pass all their slugs. Has she ever thrown slugs or babies? It could also be from impaction she could still poop any of the poop behind the blockage.

I have no idea what is going on at my house...but another one of my snakes passed suddenly. Bella, my young concinnus female, suddenly passed yesterday morning with no apparent cause that I could discern. There has really been no indication that she was ill, other than the fact that I noticed she was suddenly a bit skinnier than she normally is in the last couple of weeks...but she was acting normal...eating, pooping, active. Then, all of the sudden she started hiding a few days ago. I figured she was just getting ready to shed. I looked in on her night before last and she seemed a little too still for my liking...I reached in and touched her...and said to myself "Oh no, come on, not another one"....but she moved when I touched her so I figured she was just sleeping. Then, yesterday morning, I found her. Like Sammy, she was weirdly hollow sounding and her skin was rigid...it's hard to explain, but I know we have all talked about similar findings in snakes that have suddenly passed. I was wondering if maybe it was a retained shed...her skin seemed kind of crinkley...I don't know. She had a bit of a lump near her vent and her vent was open a bit...I honestly have no idea what happened. She was actually still barely alive when I found her and moving slowly as if her body was becoming paralyzed from tail to head over about an hour...just like Sammy...and also exactly like the snake I found a couple years ago in my basement that I tried to revive. I tried soaking her in warm water...but the process just seemed to continue until she passed. I don't know if this is a parasitic thing or what. I'm getting a bit frustrated with losing my garters though I now have a small garter graveyard in my backyard...depressing. On top of that, one of our guinea pigs died a few days before that. Ugh. Anyway, just wanted to tell you guys about Bella's passing. Poor little girl...rest in peace, Bella.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

She got a normal ltc eastern from me, but she is a 3 year captive that was treated with 2 runs of panacur and flagyl when she was first brought home and has never shown any signs of any illness. Plus she lost the first one before I sent her my animal. I'm thinking it's just a coincidence and a run of bad luck so sorry Marnie. I don't know the history of either of the 2 snakes that died, but the second one sounds like impaction or some kind of blockage. Again so sorry Marnie!

Very sorry to hear it.

Had any new animals arrive in the last few months? Or a new food batch, maybe?

[EasternGirl]

Thanks everyone. Well, it's actually been 4 snakes I have lost this year...all of them were in different enclosures, came from different breeders, etc. I really do not think there was a connection...I mean, there definitely was not a connection between Cee Cee and Bella...I'm quite certain Cee Cee probably passed of old age. All of the snakes that passed had roommates, and the roomies are still alive and well, as far as I can tell. Stefan, I did get a new batch of pinks from Rodent Pro...I usually buy from Mice Direct but they were out of stock. I thought about that as well...but all of the other snakes seem fine. And like Shawn said, he sent me a snake, but she is fine and was captive and treated for parasites...and she was not even in the same room as Bella. Chris, what you said is helpful...unfortunately, I already buried her. I guess it is possible she had an impaction...some of the symptoms point to that. She never passed jellies or slugs...she was still pretty young and small. Thanks for all of the input though

[EasternGirl]

I am thinking that I should get some panacur and keep it in stock. I have never treated any of my snakes. Of course, all of my WC, I have had for at least 3 years and all seem well.

[kueluck]

So sad to read this. I'm thinking the only other common denominator would be water. Anything change in that? Have you switched conditioners if you use that. If on city water has that changed. Just throwing out ideas, that's all.

[Mommy2many]

I am sorry to hear of your loss. I just lost one of mine as well. He couldn't move his upper body. Came on suddenly.