Of all the dogs, cats, fish, guinea pigs, hamsters, and birds I've had the pleasure of sharing my home with over my lifetime, it's sad to say I have lost several of my friends.
It's also a sad truth that I have lost one corn snake, however, it was a snake recently purchased as a 'surprise' by my boyfriend from a Petco...a young ghost corn that was clearly underfed and dehydrated to the point that its spine was clearly visible and its skin hung loosely against its body.
Sad to say it passed away the next day after getting it situated. I did not bury it, but gently took it and placed it in the Petco box it arrived in, and placed that in the refridgerator until the next morning when we returned and were fully reimbursed thanks to the fourteen-day guaruntee. Needless to say, I was rather sad at the loss, but since I hadn't had the time to grow attached to this new snake as I have with Toulouse (I don't even want to fathom losing my little guy!) it was less of a blow, but it still sucked.
I don't recommend anyone buy animals from Petco, as most employees I've talked to don't know crap about the animals they're caring for, or how to properly go about taking care of them.
Anyway, losing a pet for me is like losing any other loved one: they recieve a proper burial. I'd never stuff or mount any of my pets which have passed; it would be too emotional and downright weird to see them everyday without the life they once had. Just recently my ten-year-old Alaskan malamute, London, had to be put down due to cancer and now she rests in the earth in a corner of our backyard, underneath the tree whose shade she loved to sit beneath.