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Death of snake, digestive issue?

Foxide

Foxide

Need more corns.
So, unfortunately last night as I opened Java's enclosure to feed her, I found her dead. I got her with two of her clutch mates who were both bigger than her, she came here at 9 grams, the other two were 12 and 14 grams. When I first got her she ate the first two meals without problem, she didn't even wait for me to close the lid of the feeding tub. However, she didn't put on any weight. The next week she refused, but she was a day or two away from shedding so I thought nothing of it.

After she had shed, she kept refusing for about 3 weeks and dropped down to 6 grams, but resumed eating again. She ate one small-medium pinkie every 5 days consistently for the last month or so, but never put a gram on. It got to the point where she was 6 grams, her clutch mates are 31 and 36 grams, and there was no sign of her growing at all.

Is there a known digestive issue that causes this? There was nothing obviously wrong husbandry-wise, correct temperature gradient, clean water every day, no handling while not feeding consistently, no handling for 72 hours after feeding in general, not offering a meal again for at least 4-5 days after refusal, etc.. I did notice that she pooped a lot compared to her siblings, but I'm not sure if it's related in any way.



R.I.P Java.
java525x498.jpg
 
Sorry for your loss, she was a gorgeous snake! I purchased a snake last year, he came to me small and never got any bigger. He never refused a meal, regurged once but the regurge protocol was followed and he made it back up to regular sized meals. He passed away when he was a year old, as small as, or smaller than when I'd originally gotten him. I think some of them just aren't meant to make it :(
 
Regit said:
Sorry for your loss, she was a gorgeous snake! I purchased a snake last year, he came to me small and never got any bigger. He never refused a meal, regurged once but the regurge protocol was followed and he made it back up to regular sized meals. He passed away when he was a year old, as small as, or smaller than when I'd originally gotten him. I think some of them just aren't meant to make it :(
Click to expand...

Thank you, she was actually about 8 months old.
 
Sometimes young snakes have internal defects or problems that don't become obvious until they grow.

My vet explained this with the example of a faulty kidney or liver that doesn't develop properly after hatching (he'd seen this in a couple of youngsters). It will support normal digestion and growth until the snake reaches a certain size. However, it eventually reaches a tipping point where the kidney can no longer cope, becomes overloaded and the snake starts to decline, inevitably passing away.

Unfortunately this sort of problem can't be anticipated - when the hatchling is sold, it's eating, growing and appears to be in perfect health to both the breeder and purchaser. It's only as they grow that such developmental issues occur.

Nature builds a lot of "natural wastage" into the Corn's reproductive system. We hatch and manage to maintain many hatchlings that in the wild, would have formed part of the food chain many months earlier.

Sadly I think yours is probably just one of the unlucky ones, especially given that you still have two healthy clutchmates - it's plainly nothing to do with your husbandry. If it's any comfort, she probably had a longer life with you than she would have if she'd hatched in the wild and at least you know she was cared for and properly looked after.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. She was a beautiful snake. You did the best for her that you could.
 
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