Not Knowing

[guidofatherof5]

Last night I fed a group of young radixes. They are 6 months old. All good eaters. Everyone filled their bellies and went to bed. This afternoon I looked into that enclosure and saw one of the little scrubs out. She was obviously disorientated and having trouble moving. Her pupils were constricted and there was no tongue flicking. I picked her up and she seemed to recover for a few seconds but then lapsed into the same condition as before. I held her in the palm of my hand until she died. Before dieing she curled into a circle and bit herself on the side. She died with her mouth open.
I never saw any of this coming. It's probably due to some developmental issue/s but losing them doesn't get any easier.

[infernalis]

sorry to hear that Steve.

I have witnessed this same thing all too many times.

[Stefan-A]

Sorry to hear that.

[Lovok]

Are those symptoms of a known affliction, like a reptilian version of SIDS?

[drache]

sorry Steve

[gregmonsta]

Sorry to hear that mate.

[guidofatherof5]

Are those symptoms of a known affliction, like a reptilian version of SIDS?

I've seen the curling and biting thing on a few other occasions. I also think some other forum members have had similar deaths occur.
I never thought about it in a SIDS way before.
Good analogy.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

one time, I had a female give birth to a bunch of still borns, and 5 of them had bitten themselves in the side before they died. It was an odd thing to see... I have also had the occasional young snake bite itself upon death. One of my theories as to why they may do that is possibly the snake feels pain and in all of it's confusion, is actually trying to bite the "attacker" that is causing the pain. It's just a though... we will probably never know why they do this!

[Mommy2many]

Poor baby! Sorry to hear that you lost her.:(

[Snaky]

Never easy, even with young one's. Sorry to hear.

[Snakers]

sorry for the loss

[guidofatherof5]

A few nights ago I fed my slow eater hets some Mollies I acquired from the pet shop.
The next day I found one of them in convulsions. Doing the death roll, mouth open thing. It was one of the fish eater. All the other snakes were fine and showed no symptoms. I sure don't understand why this happens but I have seen it with feeding fish. Whether it was live fish or frozen/thawed.
I have stopped feeding frozen/thawed processed fish. Given the opportunity I will catch my own fish, freeze it for a month or two and then feed it.
I believe the pet shop fish are treated with many chemicals to prevent illness. I think the store bought fish have chemicals added at processing time.
I think these chemical are causing some of these deaths.
Have any other forum members experienced unexplained snake deaths after feeding fish?

[ConcinusMan]

Steve, I have experienced the exact same thing with some neonates regardless of what they were fed. The incidence level went way down when I stopped letting them eat large meals, instead opting to feed them very small meals, more often.

[Mommy2many]

I always worry about the live fish from the pet stores. I don't use them that often and when I do, I always keep my fingers crossed. I have lost entire fish tank communities to "bad feeder fish" in the past.

But perhaps ConcinnusMan is correct. I think it seems maybe too sudden for your snake to be afflicted so quickly. Unless the fish were very sick. I stick with the fresh salmon at the fish counter in my supermarket. I've also started to use the frozen silversides but not too often. They are more of a backup to my nightcrawlers, pinkies and salmon.

I'm sorry to hear that you lost one that way.

[mustang]

im glad i havent yet...no matter how much checker likes fish(kinda like me and all the good food thats made in the same factory as peanuts) each time is russian roulett