horrible accident

[drache]

the most horrible thing happened
I killed my ribbon snake
he was crushed by the water bowl
I just cannot believe it
it's just so awful

[Cazador]

Geez Rhea, what a freak accident! I'm really sorry to hear it. How did it happen?

Rick

[CrazyHedgehog]

I am so sorry Rhea,
we have all done similar...
I was in tears last year when I left my red sised outside for some fresh air in a tub in the shade while I cleaned his tank..in the ten minutes.. the sun came round the edge and hit the tub, overheated him and killed him. Gutted..
I was really upset..it was my stupidity...

so I know how you feel, so sorry for your loss and a hug on its way to you..

[adamanteus]

Aww, sh+t Rhea, I'm so sorry! Damn!

[Pinky]

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that.

[drache]

I swear he wasn't under there when I put the bowl down
I always check carefully
but this one is big and I fill it with a jug after I put it in
somehow he must have gotten under there
we really liked him a lot too
he's Mikhaila's favourite snake
I'll never make this mistake again, but right now I just wish I could go back

[adamanteus]

Christ..I know that feeling. Try not to blame yourself Rhea, sh+t happens. Snakes can be so stupid sometimes. We all feel for you, and I'm sure many of us have had similar experiences.

[Cazador]

Holy cow, Rhea. A lot of us share your pain right now. If there's any comfort to be had, I'm sure everyone who reads your post will double check and try their best not to have the same accident :(. Maybe your story will save someone else's snake, though. Very sorry,

Rick

[stonyloam]

Sorry to hear it. It is tough losing a pet, but it is an opportunity to give another one a great home.

[Boots]

My condolences on your loss! It always rips my heart out when a pet dies.

Jason

[Nova89]

Sorry to hear it. It is tough losing a pet, but it is an opportunity to give another one a great home.

That is true, I never thought about it.

[Gyre]

As the others have said, I think we've all had moments like that.. I had a simalar fog accident. I'm so sorry. :(

[poissonguppy]

:( I'm really sorry about that accident... Just know it wasn't your fault!

[Stefan-A]

My sincere condolences.

That happens to be one of my worst fears, accidentally hurting or killing one of my snakes. Hurting more than killing, because then there is the issue of either having to try to save it or end its suffering as quickly as possible.

[Gijs & Sabine]

We're very sorry to hear that. But do not blame yourself.
I know it feels terrible, but after the clouds the sun is always shining.

[Thamnophis]

Accidents happen, Rhea. Don't be to hard for yourself.

[drache]

of course I woke up this morning, still horrified at what I'd done and wanting to undo it
this morning I felt the sense of loss so acutely
you know - they're all such individuals
his personality - it's gone now
I was going to get him a mate . . .
Mikhaila wants another just like him
for me it'll take a few days more to accept what happened

[Spiderqwan]

im really sorry and i hope you get through it if any of our snakes died we'd probably feel the same:( .

[Cazador]

Rhea,

If I could, I'd hold you by both shoulders... look right into your eyes, and remind you that you didn't mean to fill that water bowl over the snake. It was an accident, and you didn't choose to do it! Accidents happen all too quickly, and you would have prevented it if could have. You couldn't because you didn't "choose" to do it. Like knocking a glass off a counter that shatters on the floor, it was an accident, so as Fons says, "don't be too hard on yourself."

Rick

[mark67123]

I know it's already been said, but don't be too hard on yourself.
I'm sure many, if not most of us have made a mistake that that could have, or did, have a similar outcome (I know I have) - you were just unlucky :(

Maybe give yourself a bit of time and then look into getting a snake from a local rescue centre - there's always one that needs a good home.

[abcat1993]

Wow, that just sucks. I killed my praying mantis by overheating him. And he was sooooo cool too. It was like a living garbage (it ate leftover pinkies, worms, waxworms, anything that my other pets didn't eat).

[adamanteus]

I once had a freind who kept a Mantis. It had tiny mites (or similar?) on it's head, he tried to get rid of them with fly killer.......you can guess the rest!

[Snaky]

Did you put the water bowl on the substrate or directly on the surface? This is an advice I've had years ago from some keepers. Snakes often dig underneath the water bowl and then shuffle the substrate from underneath it. They can't escape because the bowl is to heavy for them to carry.

It's very sad to hear, but like others said: accidents happen, don't be to hard on yourself.

[drache]

thanks everybody
I know I'm not evil and that this was an accident
I'm getting over cursing myself for missing something so important
it does help that I have my new arrivals to study
and perhaps i shall get Mikhaila another ribbon snake after all

[adamanteus]

Yes, get Mikhaila another Ribbon Snake, Rhea. How are the new arrivals doing now? Settling in well? Has the third one eaten yet?

[Cazador]

Good to hear you're starting to come around. If truth be told, I have a T.s. concinnus that is a real digger and likes to burrow under the water bowl just like yours did, Rhea. Sometimes I'd add water probably the same way you did, so by sharing your story you've helped me and probably more people as well. I know I'll be making a change, so thanks,

Rick

[Josh]

i am very sad to hear this and like cazodar said it tought us all a lesson

[GarterGuy]

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of you little ribbon. I'm overly paranoid about that happening to one of my snakes. I had that happen to some beautiful indonesian garters at the pet store I used to manage and ever since then, I make sure that anything heavy sits on the floor of the cage and cannot be burrowed under. This includes rocks, water bowls, ect.
Roy

[Dracaena828]

Hi~
I'm new to the forum and have just been reading and learning from you guys, but this was so sad I just had to write. So sorry to hear about your snake--like all have said don't blame yourself, accidents happen.
When I was younger a cousin was staying at our house and he accidentally let one of our corn snakes, Emily, escape while trying to hold her. Because he wasn't supposed to be handling the snake without supervision he didn't say anything so as not so get into trouble. Later that evening my mom killed poor Emily by catching her in the sliding glass door. The curtain was too long and was always getting caught so she thought that was what was stopping the door and she yanked it shut. Now my mom was not (and is not) really an animal person, and simply put up with our reptiles because she thought they'd be better than a lot of other kinds of pets, but she was absolutely devastated when she realized what had happened. We all were, especially my poor cousin who really liked the snakes and felt horribly guilty. Anyway, kind of a depressing story, but my point is really just to say horrible accidents happen and it's definately not your fault and will be a good lesson for everyone here.
Sincerely~
Angela

[adamanteus]

Hi Angela, and welcome to the forum.:) That's another sad tale you have.:(

Are you keeping Garter Snakes at the moment? Or considering it? Why not introduce yourself in the "Welcome Lounge" and let us know what you're keeping now.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/welcome-lounge/

[suzoo]

Hi Rhea, I'm so sorry for your loss! I know it's hard to replace a pet with another, because they are never the same. But I've found that eventually I do fall in love with the new pet's own personality. I wish you well!