# RIP Calleigh



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Calleigh was my Common Miami Phase ZigZag Corn Snake. Barry bought her for my birthday in December 2007, I bought her sight unseen from a guy on here. He'd bred her and I was originally going to buy a zig zag hatchling from that mating, but he offered me her instead, because she was so calm and he knew I wanted to use her for education which would involve handling.

She was a stunning snake and had a fabulous temperament. She went out with me to village fairs all over Northumberland fundraising for the wildlife sanctuary where I volunteer and went to schools, again with my work, and was handled by total strangers and loads of children, without ever showing any signs of aggression at all.

I had her out at a school last week and I noticed a slight swelling which I knew wasn't food, as I was waiting until we'd been to the school before I fed her. I checked her again the following day and it was definitely a swelling and her belly was very 'squidgy'. I thought 'infection', maybe pus, and panicked.

I took her to see the acknowledged exotic vet near me. He kept her in last night to do x-rays this morning and if they revealed nothing (which is what he expected) then he would try and aspirate some of the fluid and do some blood tests.

Unfortunately he rang me at 2:00pm to say that she had deteriorated overnight and had become very aggressive (which was so not her!). The x-ray didn't reveal anything obvious, but the vet said he felt the aggression was a pain reaction and that she was obviously in pain. Said a lot of long words that I can't remember, but my gut feeling was to euthanase and while I was busy thinking this, he said that he could carry on and do the tests (knowing the blood tests carries its own risk), but he personally didn't think it was worth it, because of how much she had deteriorated. I agreed and told him I didn't want him to do any more tests and I wanted her euthanased.

She was a cracking girl, very stunning and a delightful temperament.

Being held by my granddaughter when we first got her




At a reptile day we held at the wildlife sanctuary




And posing in the garden for one of the competitions on here.





Incidentally I called her Calleigh after Calleigh Duquesne in CSI Miami, cos she was gorgeous.

RIP Calleigh!
http://s171.photobucket.com/user/feorag/media/animal photos/reptiles/reptileday-12.jpg.html


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## Melissa88 (Oct 28, 2009)

Such a beautiful girl, I am so sorry for your loss. R.I.P. Calleigh.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Feel a bit guilty cos I've been giving more attention to Monty my male anery lately, as he's doing his usual anorexic trick. He does it every year, but because winter was so long and spring was so late, he's still not eating and because he's 16 this year I worry.


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## EVIEMAY (Mar 6, 2008)

So sorry Eileen xx you do a wonderful job with all your animals and you should not be feeling guilty about anything !!

RIP Calleigh x


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## ami_j (Jan 6, 2007)

RIP Calleigh


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## Veeny (May 30, 2013)

Sorry to hear about your loss


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## spencerwells (Oct 8, 2007)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## KornsByKat (Jun 26, 2013)

*RIP beautiful corn!*

I love her Zigzag pattern! Gorgeous! I'm sorry for your loss. It makes me happy to hear of a responsible owner keeping their corn snakes throughout their teens; I only ever see people with juveniles. I also like how she was used for education. Great job. Rest in peace, Calleigh!


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Thank you - both my snakes spend a lot of time out educating people about snakes. They've persuaded many an ophidiophobe to conquer them fears and actually hold them, never mind touch them.

And they never cease to fascinate children. I love it actually!


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