Deformed hatchling- Photos

[wasuslitherin]

This is my second year breeding, and I only bred one pair. Candy Cane(amel) X Lavender het hypo, bloodred, poss. het anery, amel. I wanted to prove the amel in the male. So May 3 The Candycane gave me 12 eggs, and had about 9 more to go that I could easily count in her. The whole month of May she past the rest of the eggs, clearly duds. One of the 12 eggs went bad so I have 11 good eggs. June 2 she passed the last egg.

July 3 (60 days) the first hatchling pipped. They all were hatching and doing good..
This morning all but 3 had pipped, so I cut the eggs on them. A little later 2 of them were out. I noticed one of them were deformed. Someting I had dreaded from the beginning of breeding. I dont know if there is a chancefor her or not. She can move around with it. She is not nippy like the other hatchlings. Real active. Is there a chance for her? Should I try to feed her? or how would I euthenise her?

[tsst]

I am far from an expert but I would think she would have issues passing a meal.

[wasuslitherin]

Yes, so what now?

[dionythicus]

I would euthantize her, myself. I don't see her being able to process food or having a good quality of life. That's just too bad. I've had a whole clutch with bad kinks and euthanized them. It's never easy.

[pgrimes]

I know it's tough to do but putting the snake in the freezer would be the most humane way. I don't think it will be able to pass fecal matter either. Best of Luck Paul.

[Tatile]

I know it's tough to do but putting the snake in the freezer would be the most humane way. I don't think it will be able to pass fecal matter either. Best of Luck Paul.

Not to step on any toes here, but from what I've heard, freezing reptiles is the worst possible way to kill them as they don't react in the same way mammals do. I'm not sure if anyone can back me up here, but I think it's about as far away from falling slowly to sleep as you can get.


Awful about your poor pippy :( I hope she doesn't suffer.

[Outcast]

OP, If you breed mice to feed the snakes and use a CO2 chamber, that could be used to put the snake to sleep. I know it is a hard thing to do.


Not to step on any toes here, but from what I've heard, freezing reptiles is the worst possible way to kill them as they don't react in the same way mammals do. I'm not sure if anyone can back me up here, but I think it's about as far away from falling slowly to sleep as you can get.


Awful about your poor pippy :( I hope she doesn't suffer.

Being as reptiles cannot internally regulate their temperature as we do, cold slows down their metabolism, and as far as I can see, with that, slows brain function and will be a lot like going to sleep.

Freezing for mammals is painful, I am not sure about for reptiles.

[Dustilyn]

I think I read somewhere that the best way to euthanize a hatchling is to first put it in the refrigerator for awhile then move it to the freezer. The more gradual decrease in temps is better. But don't quote me on that!

[OldDetroit]

I just read an article on freezing. It came from the internet so I can't guarantee its accuracy.

"...as they get cold, they become torporous, that is, alert mentally but unable to move or respond. This is in contrast to mammals, which become unable to move, but also become mentally dull and comatose as they become hypothermic. As a result, reptiles and amphibians can feel their body get cold, which produces pain, but they can do nothing about it. Studies show that they can, literally, feel their cells freeze and rupture as they get further chilled, sensing pain as intensely as if they were being burned alive, but unable to move or respond."

The full article can be found here http://www.pnwhs.org/Articles/Freezing-reptiles-form-euthanasia

[cobained]

I just read an article on freezing. It came from the internet so I can't guarantee its accuracy.

"...as they get cold, they become torporous, that is, alert mentally but unable to move or respond. This is in contrast to mammals, which become unable to move, but also become mentally dull and comatose as they become hypothermic. As a result, reptiles and amphibians can feel their body get cold, which produces pain, but they can do nothing about it. Studies show that they can, literally, feel their cells freeze and rupture as they get further chilled, sensing pain as intensely as if they were being burned alive, but unable to move or respond."

The full article can be found here http://www.pnwhs.org/Articles/Freezing-reptiles-form-euthanasia

Thank you for sharing this link. I too had read somewhere here about cooling then freezing as being an acceptable, humane way to euthanize snakes, and definitely appreciate the info.

[Outcast]

I just read an article on freezing. It came from the internet so I can't guarantee its accuracy.

"...as they get cold, they become torporous, that is, alert mentally but unable to move or respond. This is in contrast to mammals, which become unable to move, but also become mentally dull and comatose as they become hypothermic. As a result, reptiles and amphibians can feel their body get cold, which produces pain, but they can do nothing about it. Studies show that they can, literally, feel their cells freeze and rupture as they get further chilled, sensing pain as intensely as if they were being burned alive, but unable to move or respond."

The full article can be found here http://www.pnwhs.org/Articles/Freezing-reptiles-form-euthanasia

Interesting. Shows that I don't know everything...LOL, thanks for correcting me.

[Naagas]

I am not an expert, by far, but I would suggest a humane way to be decapitation. I know this is not a savory topic, but I would think with a hatchling decapitation would be fairly easy with a knife.

Or, you can make a CO2 chamber with dry ice. I remember reading a thread on it somewhere.

[Outcast]

I am not an expert, by far, but I would suggest a humane way to be decapitation. I know this is not a savory topic, but I would think with a hatchling decapitation would be fairly easy with a knife.

Or, you can make a CO2 chamber with dry ice. I remember reading a thread on it somewhere.

Decapitation is extremely to do with a knife. I had to decapitate a baby bull snake when I was in the military. We have a trailer out on one of the ranges that we clear and one of the guys set up a bunch of sticky traps all over the place. Well, the baby got so stuck in it that it had a hold of his tongue and there was nothing that I could do. So I placed the sticky trap on a log, set my knife, just behind his head and hit it in order to make it as quick as possible.
It was rough to do, but I knew it was the only way, and the little one was suffering.

[zyklonbetty]

Hey Cass, yeah 2 of my hypo plasma babies are kinked. it only leaves me with two. Theres a vet not too far from us at Ferguson Animal Hospital that honors a "coupon" that Jim (at Exotic ARC) gives out that are also floating around at the shows. I had to take my female amber blood there last year and he euthanized her for free (she had crypto when i got her.) it just reads first visit for the reptile is free. Ill be honest, it was a big bummer to watch her die slowly but i was assured she didnt feel anything. I have been dabbling with the idea of just breaking the necks by pulling the head from the spine (internal decapitation.) This will only break the neck and not leave us with babies with no head which is sad in itself but is just as quick of a death as cutting it off i hear. ..

[Jessicat]

What about blunt quick force to the head. As in a rock. Seems to my common sense that the best way to kill a freshly caught fish may also be the most effective for a baby corn. Decapitation seems like it might be slightly unnecessary and traumatizing for someone to witness/ perform.

[Dustilyn]

There is no way i could decapitate a snake. NO WAY. I had to put down a newborn rabbit years ago and the recommended method with a quick hit to the head with a hammer. It was a terrible experience and made me physically ill. Watching an animal slowly suffer or starve is painful too, so i know it has to be done.

Do the CO2 chambers work for reptiles? i imagine it would take a longer time, but that seems like a gentle way to go about it. I recently had to put down my pet rat and found instructions for a homemade chamber on the web using baking soda and vinegar. It was so easy to set up and worked very quickly and he showed no sign of pain or trauma.

[james]

chloroform you could knock it out with that , then do what you need to do. And yes I know it's not easy to come by.