My Jungle died :(

[Tobe404]

My Jungle hadn't eaten since 23/6/13. Last time (17/11/13) I tried to get he/she eating again I offered a Rat/Chick/Mouse but still no go.
Unfortunately I never got to see if I could get him/her eating again - passed away on 19/12/13.
I'm not sure if overheating was the issue or that was just the final blow. She hadn't shed (since 7/6/13) or pooed since her last feed either so may have had umderlying issues.
My small Murray Darling ate right through Winter, the bigger one ate again on 9/10/13, Coastals ate all through Winter.
All my other Snakes made it through the 44 degree day. That's why I questioned overheating being the cause of death.
Before anyone asks. It's no longer possible to perform a necropsy. Just trying to get an idea of what everyone thinks it may have been.

Thanks guys.

I've be reluctant to post this to be honest.

 

[Kit_fox]

I'm really sorry to here that your jungle died... But if you python hadn't eaten in over 5 months, why didn't you bring him to a vet or some thing?

 

[Tobe404]

I used to stress out when any of my Pythons wouldn't eat for a while. Everyone kept telling me not to worry, so I stopped worrying.
Jungle had lost hardly any condition and was acting normal apart from not wanting food (I put that down to Winter) or shedding in ages.
It's going to be 45 here in a week. I'm dreading that day.

Thanks for the condolences by the way.

 

[JrFear]

Snakes can go a long time with out food, up to a year if they are decent size!
what condition was it in? Was it thin and sickly? Or a healthy weight? Was it active? More info would be good to knock out possible scenarios to help you but we can't give you the definite answer sorry! It's never nice losing a pet!

 

[Tobe404]

I'd say healthy weight. Around 1.2-1.3kg, 23 months old. Check before that was around 1.3-1.4kg. Hadn't lost much condition at all. Since Winter hit it would spend most of it's time down the cool end.
Heat mat was always controlled by a thermostat at 34 degrees. So it sat between 32-35 most of the time. I turn them off completely if it's 30 or above outside.
Was still active if it was disturbed or moved, tounge-flicked like normal. Didn't notice any heavy breathing or gunk in/out/around the nose/mouth area. Didn't spend countless hours in it's water bowl.
Only other thing I can think of is maybe the Jungle got some coir-peat stuck in it's mouth/down it's throat or digestive system somehow. Although two of my other Snakes are on the same substrate, no issues for them.

 

[Darlyn]

Sorry to hear mate. My condolences to you.

 

[Tobe404]

Sorry to hear mate. My condolences to you.

Thanks mate. I guess sometimes it just happens. On the bright side - I never thought my smaller MD would make it but he did. So there is that.

 

[Cold-B-Hearts]

I'm really sorry to here that your jungle died... But if you python hadn't eaten in over 5 months, why didn't you bring him to a vet or some thing?

i havnt fed a snake for 8 months before.
not eating isnt always directly linked to ill health.
sorry for your loss tobe
Cheers Liam

 

[Kit_fox]

i havnt fed a snake for 8 months before.
not eating isnt always directly linked to ill health.
sorry for your loss tobe
Cheers Liam

i know most snakes can survive months without food, but I honestly get worried if my children doesn't eat every week...

 

[traceylee]

I'm sorry for your loss


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[bdav70]

edit: to jazeew

it's common for many snakes to go the cooler months without eating, 5 months is often considered normal

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Particularly if it was a male, that would explain the lack of appetite in the last few months. Some mature males only feed for around 6 months of the year once they become hostage to their hormones.

If you had a 44 degree day, that would be the problem. When anticipating a heatwave, turn off ALL electrics associated with the enclosures. If you can't cool the room or the place where you keep them, and you have a concrete slab floor, either place the enclosures on the floor in the coolest part of the house (often a bathroom even if you have a raised timber floor), or bag the snakes individually (go to the Salvos or Good Sammys and get a heap of pillowcases, but check them for weak corners and seams) and place them on the floor. It will help to cover them with a damp towel in extreme conditions. You can leave them in their bags until the threat of extreme heat passes, but it may be wise to put them all in a big plastic tub with a lid at night so that the more adventurous ones don't keep trying to get out. It can be useful to turn the pillowcases inside out, in case there are any long, loose threads along the seams which might entangle the animals. They won't need water for the few days they might be in there, and it will do them no harm at all.

When bagging them, make sure there are no tails or heads caught at the top of the pillowcase, gather the top together and double it over and secure with elastic bands. That way there is no chance the reptile can push its way out.

Jamie

By the way, the same goes for rodents - put them all as low as possible in the shed or wherever, and if you can, periodically wet the floor during the heat of the day.