# Sudden death - looking for answers!



## DeanH (4 mo ago)

Sad day yesterday.

My son's 71/2 yo corn snake died.
We're all very upset.
Got home from work last night, saw her in a box, looked so perfect.
Brought me to tears. Welling up again writing this.

She hadn't eaten for a few weeks, but had this before with brumation so no alarm bells rang.

He called me yesterday while I was at work to say he and his mum were desperately trying to locate a reptile vet.

Her head had swollen the night before but returned to normal by the morning. She seemed to be having trouble opening her mouth. He thought maybe a broken jaw.
Very lethargic and not moving.
Whilst trying to track down a vet, she passed a couple of hours later.
Poor sod, he was so upset and hasn't had a good time of it lately. Its been a difficult couple of months for us all.

Just trying to get an idea of what may have happened. Guilt is nagging at me, did we miss something?, could we have done something?

We have a house full of pets and love them all dearly... Dogs, cat, lizards, budgie, even a squirrel we rescued for a few years.

Guess you don't have much time to get help with small animals and we didn't even get near to speaking to a vet with experience of snakes.

Thanks for any input.

D.


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## Saladmander (12 mo ago)

Heating malfunction? Underlying genetic issue?
Only way to know for sure is to have a necropsy done, anything else would just be guess work.

Sorry you lost her though 
Hope your son is ok


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## DeanH (4 mo ago)

Saladmander said:


> Heating malfunction? Underlying genetic issue?
> Only way to know for sure is to have a necropsy done, anything else would just be guess work.
> 
> Sorry you lost her though
> Hope your son is ok


Yeah. I guessed that would be the only way to know for sure. And it wouldn't change anything. 

Just feel so bad for my lad. 
He's had a couple of shunts in his car in last month. One not his fault, didn't get paid out for it. The other was his fault (cost him and us £1500). He's got a mouth full of metal at the moment, waiting for a jaw op he should have had 2 years ago. 
Then this. 

Thanks for the reply.


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## goldensnk (4 mo ago)

So sorry for your loss


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## Malum Argenteum (5 mo ago)

DeanH said:


> Yeah. I guessed that would be the only way to know for sure. And it wouldn't change anything.


It would change some things. It would change whether you continue to beat yourself up over it (which you shouldn't in any case, but having evidence to ease your mind would certainly help). 

It would also increase your (and your son's, even more importantly) knowledge of snake care specifically and animal health more generally. You'd know what happened, and know a little bit more about how to do this next time.

I'd recommend a necropsy, The snake would need to be put in a plastic bag in the fridge (not freezer) while you work on finding a vet who will either necropsy the snake or send it out for one.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Sorry for your loss.... 

Here's my 2p worth... you could find a vet that can perform a necropsy, which may cost a fair bit given how much vets charge for treating _live_ animals, only to find there was something that you had no control over and it was just one of those things. Or it could come up with something that was in your control and you will beat yourself up over forever, and may even cause rifts between family members....

Or you could get the setup checked and verified that everything in your control is done right, and invest the money you would have spent on a necropsy in getting another snake.


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## DeanH (4 mo ago)

Thanks all. 
The curious side of me wants to know. 
If I was a breeder then perhaps the outlay would be worth it. 
However, vets do cost a fortune and the necropsy could still not answer the question. 

I think also, is check the set up and get another snake. I think my son will be ever more vigilant with the next one. 

Heartache tends to teach, as does age and experience


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