Why did my snake die?

Question

This actually happened a few months ago, but anyway....

I had a baby ball python for about a month or so - it wouldn't eat for a couple weeks (I waited a week w/ it in my cage before trying to feed it) w/ pre-killed pinkie mice, but later after about a month of ownership, it ate a live pinkie mouse. A couple days later (after acting strange the day before) it died, and there was a yellow spot on it's underside. What happened?

Notes - 20 gal. tank, long, had large water dish, hiding hole, aspen bedding, heat lamp, reg. lamp, kept it somewhat humid.

Answer 1

DO not feel bad about this terrible experience. It was not your fault it was an inevitable death. i have owned may types of snakes including ball pythons of every age and size. the yellow spot you speak of on the underside of the belly is to blame for its death. the yellow spot indicates internal infection. i am assuming it was about a quarter of the way down from the top, or a quarter of the way down from the bottom. These are the most likely places as the belly is located low and an infection is most likely in these areas. the cause of the infection could be a number of reasons. improper conditions (too humid) (too hot) are most likely to blame but it could also have been inheritance from a recessive gene present in the adults.

Answer 2

REMEMBER! A hungry live mouse may attack and damage or even kill a ball python if left unsupervised. Always place food for a rodent in the snake cage, if feeding live prey.

Answer 3

Ah, I'm sorry to see that this happened, and it's still bothering you all this time later.  But, I understand that you don't want to make the same mistake again, if it even WAS a mistake.

The snake could have just been sick.  Babies are delicate.

And I'm sure the mouse didn't hurt it.  Pinkies are pretty helpless, too.

But, let's consider other things, too.  Okay... you had a heat lamp, and a reg. lamp...  

But... how hot was it in that tank?   How hot was it under those lights on the floor where the snake was?  Were the lights just on one side, or one on each side?

Did you get a digital probe thermometer to measure the output of those lights onto the floor of the tank, where the snake was kept?  I know strip thermometers are cheaper, but they can be inaccurate up to 20 degrees, so you just can't use them for anything but fish, and even that's risky.  And they get stuck on the side anyway, not down where the reptile is...

It'd sure be easier to make a guess if you told us what you thought the "odd behavior" the day before was.

But I'm thinking the tank might have been too hot for the snake, and the mouse spoiled inside of it.  Was the yellow spot about where the mouse would have been inside the snake?

It's just hard to make a guess in a situation like this.  Again, the snake could just have been ill.  Not knowing if you measured the heat from the lights, it sounds like you were doing everything right.

I'm sure sorry you had to experience this, and I wish I could give you a reassuring answer.

Maybe someone else can give you another guess as to what happened.

It's hard to lose a pet.  We've all been through that.  Try not to feel too bad about it, and I hope you get the answer.

Answer 4

The yellow spot on the stomach usually indicates the food item rotted inside of the snake because of insufficient temperatures. If temperatures are too low, a snake cannot digest its food and the food rots inside of it, poisoning the snake.

Answer 5

They dont need much humidity however it sounds like it was sick . The only other thing I can think of because it happened to me , is if it was wild caught and not born in captivity they will not survive they just wont I had that happen