What will/or do you do with a dead snake?

Just curious what everyone does or plans to do with their snake when it dies.

I guess it would depend upon the reasons for its death.

If it just got to be really old, and died a natural death of old age, then I dunno, maybe I'd have it stuffed and mounted as a nice display piece

If it contracted the adenovirus or some other nasty disease currently attempting to be understood, probably donated to whichever body was doing the best work on the subject.

If it was an otherwise healthy snake, seemlingly dying for no reason whatsoever, I'd probably have a necropsy done on it to ensure none of my other animals were at risk - in which case they'd dispose of the body. Although, I guess technically that could class as given to medical science.

Other than that, probably buried - that ol' circle of life.

Any snakes that I've had die from a non-illness (such as hatchlings that never ate, etc.) get "recycled" into nature on my 5 acres. Ill snakes that have died get put in plastic and get cremated along with the surgical "waste" at the vet hospital I work at. If I didn't have that option, plastic bag and trash would be my next choice.

I think I'll die along with them when either of Katie or Kassie die! So put them in my casket!

Would dressing it, rolling it in flour, and frying it up with some scrambled eggs, biscuits, and gravy be in bad taste?

Well, I did eat rattlesnake once, and it wasn't bad at all! Corn snake should taste about the same, if not better since we know what our snakes have been eating. But then, I've named all my snakes, and it is harder to eat something that you've named. Oh, and the rattlesnake (big Eastern Diamondback...about 6 1/2 foot long) was killed by a neighbor when his wife found it in her laundry room. I grew up believing, "if you kill it, you eat it" so my husband skinned and cleaned it, seasoned it, wrapped it in aluminum foil and baked it. Tastes alot like a very mild fish, and once you get the hang of getting the meat along the top/spine, and not the rib bones, it was a very interesting appetizer.

LMAO

gregg - thats the funniest thing I've heard in a long long damn time - HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

Thanks Dartguy

I'd like to share a story that you and Susan might apreciate. This ain't quite as funny, but you had to be there--a good example of instant karma in my book.

The first time my brother cooked snake it was a copperhead. The poor thing was only wanting to cross the road, but my brother jumped out and dispatched it with a short tire tool. He brought it home, skinned it, and got the skillet ready. Unfortunately, my brother must of forgot about a snake being all nervous system 'cause, when it hit that hot skillet, it slithered right out, across the stove, and down onto the floor. My brother picked it up and put it back into the skillet. Again, it slithered out.
It wasn't until my brother realized he should cut the beast up before he had control of the situation.

So remember: if you're going to cook snake, cut it up into pieces first.

__________________________________

Now, I've had only three snakes die so far, all babies. I just put them into my compose. I think, however, if one of my snakes dies after they've reached adulthood, I'd like to have them preserved somehow--maybe have their hides tanned--so I marked preserved. Maybe, if they're freeze-dried, then, like coffee, they could come back to life if I just added water?

how could anyone put there snakey in the trash!! so so so wrong

how could anyone put there snakey in the trash!! so so so wrong

What do you do with the mice that have been refused in a feed?

You don't refreeze 'em. You throw 'em away. Yeah, they're not pets to us, but they're pets to somebody.

Some might be breeders, that have MANY MANY animals, and don't have the yard space to bury them all - that doesn't mean they cared for the snake any less.

If it's a long-loved animal, that's a good few years old, sure, I wouldn't agree that would be a fitting end. But, if you've just had a dozen clutches hatched of 15-20 snakes each, and a few of 'em don't make it, what are you gonna do?

The trash is generally the best option available to many people, especially those of us with moderate or large collections.

Depending on the type of snake and cause of death, I may sometimes just feed it to one of my monocles.

I agree

There is nothing wrong with the trash. Sometimes people live in apartments, sometimes they can't or don't want to dig holes on their yard, sometimes people have a yard but dogs that would easily dig it up. I can see where it would be ridiculous to bury your snakes if you were a large breeder. That would be a lot of holes.

bmm

This is slightly off topic but what do you do with any dead animals?
I was about 9 when my first bird died and we buried it outside but the next day I found that some animal had dug it up and eaten it.
I usually flush fish if they're small.
What about like...a rabbit? Or a cat/dog? What are you supposed to do?
Just curious

I think, with most larger pets, people bury them .... well, everyone that I know has done.

You can get pet cemetaries and have pet funerals too!

as well as snakes I have loads of rabbits and guinea pigs, when they die I just bury them in the garden.
I don't know what I would do if my snakes died, it wouldn't seem right to bury it.

the

Biggest animal I have had die was a 80-90 pound golden retireiver (big boy!) who was hit by a car. He was my sisters dog so we didn't want him to just "go to the vet" and never come back. We dug a grave. A big grave.

Unfortunatly, regardless of the fat we dug in about 4 feet, and added 1-2 feet rocks on top, animals dug him up! Thats one reason I am leary of burying things now.

bmm