Babies dying after feed!

[CodeRed]

Have you checked the temps in your freezer?
Maybe its stuffed and causing the pinkies to partially defrost.

 

[Twiggz]

I dont know a great deal regarding snakes, but i'd be more enclined to follow tan and CodeReds view on the defrosting of the pinkies.

Are they fully thawed and at room temp when offered?

Is it a good practice to thaw by sitting them in warm water?? As i said i dont know a great deal with snakes but when i prep to feed my diamonds i thaw the mice by just sitting them in a dish on the kitchen sink.

 

[sparticus]

Are you taking the pinkie from the packets to thaw them and are you using the same container to put your tap water in to thaw them out..Has the container you are using had any chemicals in it?? and where is it kept??

 

[slim6y]

I dont know a great deal regarding snakes, but i'd be more enclined to follow tan and CodeReds view on the defrosting of the pinkies.

Are they fully thawed and at room temp when offered?

Is it a good practice to thaw by sitting them in warm water?? As i said i dont know a great deal with snakes but when i prep to feed my diamonds i thaw the mice by just sitting them in a dish on the kitchen sink.

I wouldn't defrost in 'hot' water - but I do defrost at room temperature at first, then in warm water (approx human temp 37'C) to heat the pinkie up...

Most have said it's the pinkie... I can't recall if someone yet has said it's from the hot water cylinder....

Many hot water cylinders, especially older style and older age (over 10 years) can have their heating elements break down or corrode in the water, this could cause a toxic residue in the water. Often older pipes could be copper, also breaks down, and copper can be toxic in even the smallest amount to some mammals and maybe other animals. In humans it builds up over time.

Also, many hot water systems can harbour bacteria - legonella is one such. Levels of this bacteria may be too low to cause problems in humans but could... although I wouldn't be sure, cause troubles in other animals.

If I was you, and you want to get into snake keeping, take the snakes (dead) to the vet for an autopsy. That way rather than speculation they may be able to tell for sure. It will be worth it.

I am really sorry for your loss and I really hope some good comes of it for future hatchies in your possession.

Good luck

 

[JasonL]

I hate feeding from bought rodents, as you don't know the history of the food. Grow your own, I say, at least you know how long it's been in the freezer ( or out of it ).

 

[choppy]

as slim6y said get the autopsy....plz post results. hope the remaining little fellas ok.

 

[toy77]

hi guys,

thanks for all your suggestions, unfortunately the other little guy was dead this morning.

i am unable to justify the expense of an autopsy at the moment, so the mystery will go unanswered. one would have to think it was food related,as there was no environmental changes.

again thankyou for those that took time to offer advice or well wishes.

Cheers
Stew

 

[tan]

Sorry to hear that. Some vets may do an autopsy for free if they are doing or know of someone doing studies...just a thought, may be worth a few phone calls

 

[krissy78]

really sorry to hear this mate that is not a pleasant thing at all

 

[mrsshep77]

Aww I'm so sorry to hear that! My thoughts are with you :cry:

 

[snakehunter]

I i thaw the mice by just sitting them in a dish on the kitchen sink.

You don't really thaw dead rodents in your kitchen sink where you prepare your own food and wash your dishes etc? Besides being gross that can lead to you getting sick if anything transfers from your rodents to the sink. Surely you have a laundry sink you could do this in?

 

[OuZo]

Very sorry to hear that stew :cry:

Another possible suggestion could be (and this'll sound stupid) but how big were the pinkies? Obviously you can get small and larger pinkies and with something as tiny as a hatchy Antaresia you need a very small food item that they can safely eat. Unfortunately I know somene who had a young Stimmy (I think it was) die from feeding a pinky which was too large. Apparently they won't always regurgitate a feed which is too large and unfortunately it can lead to their death. If you've been feeding them all the same size and if that size happened to be too big then perhaps this could have been the problem?

 

[Twiggz]

You don't really thaw dead rodents in your kitchen sink where you prepare your own food and wash your dishes etc? Besides being gross that can lead to you getting sick if anything transfers from your rodents to the sink. Surely you have a laundry sink you could do this in?

Oh yeah of course.....i defrost them right next to what i'm preparing for dinner. Allows for the aromas to blend in i find. LOL

Nah man not on the sink exactly (more on the bench)- away from any food for sure.

 

[JEMMI]

that sucks when babies die

that is really bad news for you and the snakes.
next time, could you find anyone where you could buy some live 1 day old pinkies and just kill them straight before feeding.
how big were the pinkies?
that is a real good point about the size as it is not like they had a choice if this is what was being offered.
be very careful letting things thaw to room temperature

 

[snakehunter]

Oh yeah of course.....i defrost them right next to what i'm preparing for dinner. Allows for the aromas to blend in i find. LOL

Nah man not on the sink exactly (more on the bench)- away from any food for sure.

Still just seems gross to me having thawing dead rodents in the kitchen lol but hey it's up to you

 

[GSXR_Boy]

Still just seems gross to me having thawing dead rodents in the kitchen lol but hey it's up to you

Probably not that much more different than putting dirty shopping bags (rolling around car boot etc) or cans that have been on dirty loading docks and shelves etc onto your kitchen bench.
They say your kitchen has more dieseases than your toilet. Food for thought.

 

[slim6y]

Probably not that much more different than putting dirty shopping bags (rolling around car boot etc) or cans that have been on dirty loading docks and shelves etc onto your kitchen bench.
They say your kitchen has more dieseases than your toilet. Food for thought.

These are all good points... but I still don't cook in my toilet... although I do use my mobile in there

I defrost my rodents on the kitchen top - but they are enclosed in a plastic container. I do not think that it is dirty or disgusting. Personally, laboratory kept animals are probably pretty clean.

he fact that some rodents harbour diseases doesn't mean you'll catch them. I think the black plague gave rats a bad name when really it was the fleas that spread the plague!

None the less, the worst disease that comes from rats is (one name starting with L i think that I can't recall) that comes from rat/rodent urine. I know a young fella who got this disease and it has been talked about on here before... and it was me again who couldn't recall the name of this disease... It's sunday morning and I'm not going to google it.... Anyhow... that is a nasty nasty disease... While loading coke cans on the docks... A rat could run over the top of them, urinate, then you drink it, then you could get very very sick... Personally, i think defrosting dead, non-urinating rodents on your bench top is perfectly safe.

However, I still strongly believe that what ever was in that hot water cylinder is what killed these poor snakes not the rodents themselves.

 

[donmega695]

have you had much success

im interested to know how he or she is traveling since its been a while since this thread was posted.........did you get a conclusion.i defrost mine in a coffee mug (never has been used for any else, and is clearly labled).with freshly boilded water over them (roast untill goldern brown,lol) place them on paper to dry and then feed.never had any trouble.......i used this method with childrens also.

 

[SnakeLover(coastals)]

donmega695 i use practically the exact same method it works great for me

 

[salebrosus]

Sorry for your loss Stew but i can certainly justify getting an autopsy done. If your able to find out the cause of the death of your animals you can save yourself the cash in having to replace animals lost. I was told a story by a well respected keeper of his mate who bought three snakes from the same clutch, gave them their first feed and then all three animals died. Turned out they were born with a defect- no stomachs. The pinkies just rotted away inside the animals causing it to go septic and causing the animals death. This was discovered after an autopsy.

Simone.