Dead for what reason?

[jw_shades]

Hello, a month ago i found a little tiny garter snake (8 inches long) and decided to keep it because i already had all the tank stuff i needed. and yesterday, it was perfectly fine, this morning it was digging under the wood chip stuff. i was going to replace it so i took the snake out (it was moving just fine, looked normal ect) and put it in a coffee can (empty and washed) and i took the wood chip stuff out, went to check on it (3 minutes after i put it in) and it was upside down with its mouth wide open, dead. what on earth happened?

[ConcinusMan]

"Sudden unexplained death" is what happened. It happens with babies now and then. Could have been anything but often it's a heart, lung, or artery defect (that they are born with) that you don't see. Maybe the moving was just enough to stress the snake and burst his heart or a major artery or otherwise cause a heart attack. It's not your fault however, and would have happened eventually anyway.

Without a necropsy though, you'll never know exactly what it died from. But it was sudden so I'm thinking heart or artery defect.

[RedSidedSPR]

How did this thread get lost?! I never saw it come up...

Sorry about that.

Unexplained deaths suck.

[Mrs N1ntndo]

How did this thread get lost?! I never saw it come up...

Sorry about that.

Unexplained deaths suck.

I didnt see this either. I am so sorry that that happened . unexplined or not it is still hard to deal with. Garters are good babies. They are awesome . Im sorry that this happened to you

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. It's not like us to ignore a new members first post. maybe it took a while to get approved.

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry to hear about your loss.
Mystery deaths are the hardest.
Sometimes young/baby snakes that appear healthy and thriving turn up dead for no apparent reason.

[hjelte]

So sorry to hear that, I agree with what has already been said. Nothing you could have prevented probably. Keep on herping!

Cheers from Sweden

[snakeman]

What was it eating?any chemicals around?

[jw_shades]

idk what happened either, with the snake or this thread. i just figured it didnt get approved or something, but yeah, do you think that if the metal coffee can was too cold or too hot it could have done something like this?