R.I.P. - Zack

[Bry]

Two nights ago, I put my little male ball python, Zack, in his feeding tub with a f/t rat. When I opened up his tub in the morning to put him back in his cage, I saw the last thing I had ever expected to see. He was laying upside-down in what appeared to be a watery pool of blood with the rat next to him. I'm still in shock as I have no clue what happened to him. I don't think he asphyxated in there, the tub has holes drilled into it, and I've put/seen snakes in feeding tubs with less holes and they came out just fine. The rat wasn't too big. In fact he was about ready to move up to a larger size, I was just using up what I had before ordering a larger size. My apartment pretty much stays at 78-80 all the time, due to the crappy water cooler in the building. So, it couldn't have gotten too cold. He was captive bred, as I bought him as a baby from NERD two years ago. I figured as many balls as they breed every year, they don't have any reason to be selling WCs anyway. He has always seemed very healthy. My best guess is that some sort of freak accident occurred while he was eating, which would explain the pool of blood. I'm still in shock as to the way this happened so suddenly. *sighs*

Bry

	Frozen/Thawed A rodent or other prey item that is frozen and then thawed to be fed to a reptile or other animal.

	Wild caught wild caught

[Constrictor_BO]

That sux Bry. I have seen a ball or two that has just up and died for no appearent reason but still, it's a sad thing to see happen. Especially when you cant figure what went wrong.

[Kent K25]

Wow that does sound strange. Any signs on the rat of your BP having started swallowing, or any clues to speak of? Find the source of the blood? Mouth....?

[NicoleRussell]

sorry bry/that's terrible

[Stormyva]

That really sucks Bry!

[JuliusSqueezer]

Sorry to hear that Bry-man

At death when muscles relax, they will usually expel some body fluid..presence of blood could be kidney problem or parasites in the intestine...just guesses really. It could have been any number of things, many of which even a really good herp vet might miss since the little boogers are so good at hiding symptoms from us.

[PonderosaSnakeHouse]

Sorry for your loss.

[pathfinder36]

That sucks man. I have a friend who watched his Ball constrict itself to death while it was eating. He didn't realize what it was doing till it died, but had a very similar reaction. Uncoiled, dropped his food, puked blood. It's like he broke his own ribs... Maybe a possibility.

[herp_chick]

That sux, Bry Really sorry to hear it.