Dead Babies

[VICTORY]

I lost two babies this weekend. One Saturday & one this morning. The first one, the Miami was very active. Always active at dusk. Saturday when I awoke it was dead. Upside down. It hadn eaten once since I got it, it looked hydrated and was very active. Any suggestions? Needless to say I'd like to get another one. Then this morning I lost another one. Although this ones skin looked very loose on the body. It ate since I had gotten it but it showed no growth. It was drinking also, I physically watched it drink. Then this morning it flipped the first half of its body upside down and died. Any help or suggestions?? I was a Burm guy before these corns. I need help please. Brief synapses: Feeding frozen thawed pinkies to those that will eat. The baby Zag Charcoal, Ghost, Crimson, & Okeetee will not eat. Trying every seven days. Replacing water every morning & nite. Housing all of them in a 55 gallon aquarium with fir bark substrate with undertank heater. Plenty of hides. I'm just getting frustrated and need some guidance.
:(

[Khaman]

I don't know what to tell you about the dead ones but what meathods have to tried to get the others to eat, I find scenting them with lizards and tease feeding to work for me.

[Neil]

It's very possible that they are stressed because they are being housed in a large group and in a very large tank. If you have any ice-cream tubs lying around I would line some up along a heat strip and house each corn separately until they are feeding well and look nice and healthy.

[VICTORY]

Thank you Khaman & Neil.
I guess I'll have to try housing separately until feeding well.

[Alicia]

Shoe box size Rubbermaid or Sterilite boxes work well for housing hatchlings. They are inexpensive and can be purchased at most Wal Marts and like stores.

Sorry about the loss of your babies:(

[VICTORY]

Where do I find heat tape? Not UTH. I guess I'll house them seperately until they're big enough.
Thanks,
Ken

[bmm]

You could use a heating pad as well! Just put partial parts of their little homes on it. You could easily put 4 on each one.

Don't worry about size, if they are hatchlings keep them in ice cream tubs until they eat. It might seem like zero room for them but they like this.

Another good reason to seperate them is in case the ones who died could have something that can be passed. Hopefully not though since by now they would all have it! Just another reason to keep them alone! :)

good luck
bmm

[Reptiles=3]

IMHO housing them all communally could also have transmitted some diesease that one of them had and now they may be dropping off like flies. Another reason is they could be stressed not only by all having to live with each other, but also all in a 55 gal. which is quite large could have also stressed them out. I would suggest that you separate them and get them all feeding. Another thing about feeding is to not feed all of them at the same time in that large tank, feed each of them in a seperate container. Hope this helps!! and sorry for your loss.

[VICTORY]

They're all from reputable breeders. Rich, Don, Kathy. So I'm not to worried about disease. I am feeding them in their deli cups not in the large tank. Thanks everyone.

[Alicia]

Originally posted by VICTORY
Where do I find heat tape? Not UTH. I guess I'll house them seperately until they're big enough.
Thanks,
Ken

bigappleherp.com carries heat tape. Type in flexwatt heat tape on your search page and it will give you others that carry it also.

[bmm]

Just because things come from big breeders doesn't mean they don't carry disease. (no offense don, rich and kathy) but many many animals in collections have been lost this way. Guy gets new snake from so and so, throws caution to the wind and puts it in the same room as collection, and bam something gets passed. Not saying this is your fault or you did this. Just thought I woudl mention.

Since the corns are all from different people I would DEFINITLY have put them in quaretine. For a few months. Two dead babies could very easily be the result of a disease but also it might be a very odd occurance that you had two babies die like that. I would check everything. Who knows right?

I wouldn't risk a collection because I got my snake from Kathy Love or Rich Z or anyone. :) :) :) I hope your babies are o.k. though! And hopefully it IS just a very odd thing that happened!

Good luck!
marisa

[VICTORY]

I hope so too.
Thanks