Mr. Gosh

Voodoo · #1 (**permalink**) 11-26-2002, 07:01 PM

God, I start crying as soon as I started typing.

As y'all might know, I got two corns, Mr. Gosh and Lenore. Well, Lenore wasn't eating, so I put them in a 10g cage - I thought she was stressed in the smaller cage. I made the cage up real nice - deep bedding to burrow in, lots of hides, lots of climbs...

They were in there for about a week, and Cody wanted to see them. So, I got them out, we played with them for a while, and I put them back in. I guess I didn't put the lid down all the way (it's a snap-on lid), and I didn't know that could even reach the top of the cage.

God, I keep having to pausing because I can't see the monitor.

Anyway, I look in there the next night when I wake up, and I can't see them. So I lift up their hides, sift through the substrate, etc. That was the most horrible feeling I've ever had. I searched my entire room as best I could (I have boxes upon boxes of stuff stored in there), and I was terrified that they went down the heating duct. Never found them. But I figured that as long as I didn't see any bodies, I would believe that they were alive. Maybe hiding in one of my boxes, maybe found a warm spot in the basement. I kept putting pinkies out for them to eat if they were hungry, hoping one of them would disappear so I'd know someone was alive. None of them did.

Well, the day before yesterday, my dad yells at me to come upstairs. Pookey, the cat, had killed Mr Gosh. Of course, my dad didn't know I had the corns, so I just told him it was a garter snake. I gave him the best burial I could, given the frozen earth. I couldn't just toss him outside for the squirrels.

I haven't said anything before because I've felt so incredibly horrible. Everytime I think about it, I just keep thinking that it's my fault they're out, my fault he's dead, that I'm a horrible person for not being more careful, that they have a lifespan of 20 years and I had them for 3 weeks, I didn't get to see them grow up, didn't get to see them shed, didn't get to see Lenore eat and be all proud cause I did something right, I was just getting to know their distinctive personalities, that I let Tammy down because she sold me the snakes thinking I'd take care of them.

I had to stop again. I'm messing up my makeup.

Cody said I can get another pair of corns, whatever morphs I want, when we move out, but it won't be the same.

When do you stop crying? I've never lost a snake before, and I haven't had a pet die since 6th grade.

I only had the little things for 3 weeks, and I grew to love them so quickly.
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Stormyva · #2 (**permalink**) 11-26-2002, 07:07 PM

Sorry to hear about your loss.

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shady1 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-26-2002, 07:10 PM

omg.. that's so sad to hear, seriously. Everyone makes mistakes though, you have to live and learn. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cry.gif[/img]
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reptilemama · #4 (**permalink**) 11-26-2002, 08:25 PM

I'm so sorry to hear about them, but remember that it was a simple mistake that anyone could make. When I first started keeping snakes, I can't tell you how many times my kingsnakes escaped before I finally found a locking lid that worked. I was lucky, and always ended up finding them alive, but there were a few times I was afraid I'd lost them for good. Lenore may still turn up, you never know.
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Voodoo · #5 (**permalink**) 11-26-2002, 08:34 PM

Thanks. I guess that, despite my paranoia, I underestimated corns' ability to escape. BPs aren't that good (or it's easier to build secure cages, or something). I know it's a learning experience, but it's a learning experience with living things. So, that sucks. Hardcore-like.
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JuliusSqueezer · #6 (**permalink**) 11-26-2002, 09:42 PM

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_frown.gif[/img] sincerest sympathy

All ratsnakes including cornsnakes should be renamed "elaphe houdini" I have been keeping snakes for 30 years and should by now at least know how to keep a ratsnake from escaping from a tank with a screen top....but I can't...I am constantly chasing down awol cornsnakes. So anyway...don't beat yourself up to bad. Stuff like this happens...cornsnakes escape-cats are evil creatures spawned from the deepest pits of #$%^&#$%^&#$%^&#$%^&...but so are little brothers and sisters and we keep them too.
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TJP · #7 (**permalink**) 12-28-2002, 04:31 PM

I've been hoping to catch you in chat to talk with ya but I guess timing has been bad.

I'm sorry to hear about your loss, I know you were very excited about having the corns. Please don't feel like you let me down, I know you are a very caring person and in no way meant for this to happen. I'd sell to you again in a heartbeat! I think I owned my first corn back in 1993 and can you guess how I lost him? A bad cage lid and a cat. If you are trying to follow in my footsteps look where your collection will be in a few years! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

If you are still looking to add corns to your collection come next year when the babies are pipping let me know. I'm pretty sure we can hook you up.

Tammy aka TJP
HISS THIS HERPS
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nomadbean · #8 (**permalink**) 12-28-2002, 04:41 PM

When I lost my first snake, I had her for a month before she died. I cried for 3 days. It sucks, but like the others have said, it happens...snakes escape. I cannot even imagine having to try to find a cornsnake when I couldn't find my burm for 18 hours(she's a little bigger than a cornsnake [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] ). You are not a horrible person, it was an accident, and you should forgive yourself. I am sorry about your loss, and in case you can't tell no one thinks any less of you for this happening because it happens, it sucks, but it does happen. Lenora is still hiding so good luck finding her.
Trina
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XzyluM · #9 (**permalink**) 12-29-2002, 09:40 AM

Sorry to hear Voodoo. I know how you feel. Accidents happen and not much we can do...you done the best you could and that does not make you a bad person.
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