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Should I euthanise? '06 runt

D

Demonique

New member
One of my '06 amel hatchlings has only fed once voluntarily

Since then it was first fed mice legs cut from the pinkies it refused to eat, and then fed whole pinks via the pinky pump.

I can't use the pinky pump anymore because a vital part, the disc with the holes in it, has gone missing.

For the past two months its been fed rat pup feet.


On Wednesday of last week I brought home five 2 day old hatchlings from the Reptile Haven (Dublin reptile shop) where they were incubating the eggs for me.

I compared the size of the '06 runt with that of one of the new hatchlings. It is about an inch longer than the new hatchlings at most and noticeably skinnier.


Is it time to throw in the towel and say goodbye to my beautiful little amel baby?

If euthanisia is the answer, how could I go about doing it?

1) Blow to the head followed by burial in the garden (seeing as it would be a hatchling from the first clutch I bred plus it would be the first to die on me plus the fact that I buried the eggs (complete with dead babies inside) of the first clutch its mother produced this year when the clutch died two weeks before they were due to hatch)

or

2) Blow to the head followed by a visit to my Cali king?
 
I would euthanize it. If you have the guts to quickly crush its head, that would be the best method. I wouldn't feed it to another snake for the sole reason that if its failure to thrive is due to internal parasites, you wouldn't want to pass those on to the king. Sorry you have to do this.
 
Have you tried all the tricks, such as washing the pinkie, scenting it with anole, or even a live feeder?

If you have tried everything you can think of and decide to end her suffering, I would go with the circle of life approach and brain her, then let your cali king do his thing.
 
It does sound like it's time to throw in the towel, unfortunately. You definitely gave it a good, honest effort, so nothing to feel bad about. I commend you for going with the blow to the head as your method, as it's the only sure way to quickly and painlessly do it. Sometimes you just can't beat nature.

As far as disposal, I would go with your feelings. If you really want a place to remember the little one, than go with the burial. Nothing wrong with that.
 
I've brained the pink, offered a pink in an enclosed space, wriggled a pink at it, used lizard maker on a pink, it still refused

I can't get hold of live pinks in Dublin and I don't have an anole, would rubbing a pink on a leopard gecko help?
 
If you don't have a anole, I'm not sure about a leopard gecko, but I've heard that tuna water can also do the trick. I'm sorry for you and your little one, an 06 that still isn't eating is a rough burden.
 
I don't see a suggestion for a soap washed then very well rinsed pinky, a very very warm pinky in a covered container over nite a warm chix broth dipped either. Have you tryed feeding a pinky head? That would have more nutrition then the feet, tail and legs.
I was wondering how often you fed your lil one? Here i have seen if you feed a head then feed every 3 days, a half pinky every 5 days.
Im very sorry your sitution is as it is and i wish you the best what ever your final decision....
 
Only you can make the decision whether to euthanise, but it sounds like you've given this snake a good chance at life.
Could you get a pair of mice so you have a live pinky supply for the future?
 
Hi There,

Been in a similar situation to you fairly recently. While I was still deciding whether or not to euthanaze, the little guy died on his own.

It sounds like you have done all you could possibly do for the little guy. I would throw in the towel. As hard as it is.

I had the same with my little one, fed him enough to keep him alive but not enough for him to thrive, I think some just aren't meant to make it...

Sorry you have to go through this...
 
Well, there's no going back now.

I decided to euthanise, I gave him two sharp blows to the head with a hardback book, he wasn't moving. I cried and kissed his little head and told him I was sorry.

I then placed his poor little dead body on top of his bark hide and shut his box. I was planning on burying him the next morning as it was 2am. I couldn't sleep so I read a book and half an hour later I went over to his box. He wasn't on the hide, he was curled up beside it.
I took him out and was shocked to discover he was still alive! He was actively flicking his tongue and moving about on my hand.

I thought 'Karma is smiling on this one' and made the decision that he was a fighter and I would continue working on him.

It wasn't to be, the next morning he was no longer of this world.

I feel ill in that I condemned him to a slow, painful death from head injuries.

I put him in the freezer and will be bringing him home to my parents' house for burying under the apple tree.

I can't shake the feeling that I could have done more to help him.
 
I'm sorry to hear it was so traumatic...

When I euthanazed mine, I just put her in the freezer, I understand that their bodies just shut down as if they were going into hibernation... It was faster than slowly starving to death I figured.

I'm really sorry for you but I think you did all you could! It's never easy.... I tried with my little one for so so long and felt so guilty when he died on his own, I should've euthanazed him so that he didn't suffer as much. When my little girl got sick, I tried with her as well, did all I could but eventually I could see she wasn't going to make it and euthanazed her before she could suffer any longer...

I guess what I am saying is that the guilt of not euthanazing when you had the chance is worse than the feeling that you could've done more...

*HUGS*
 
I think whenever we choose to play god and euthinize, guilt is natrully the first response we feel. I know I struggled for months after having my 10yr old rottie euthinised due to severe authritis. The vet agreed it was the right thing to do but still the guilt was there. Just remember you gave this little one a chance when many others would have chucked in the towel long long ago. I think you should be proud of yourself for rearing this little one then finally being brave enougth to say goodbye when the time was right.
 
Jillie said:
I think whenever we choose to play god and euthinize, guilt is natrully the first response we feel. I know I struggled for months after having my 10yr old rottie euthinised due to severe authritis. The vet agreed it was the right thing to do but still the guilt was there. Just remember you gave this little one a chance when many others would have chucked in the towel long long ago. I think you should be proud of yourself for rearing this little one then finally being brave enougth to say goodbye when the time was right.
Click to expand...

I fully agree!

Part of being a pet owner is knowing when enough is enough. This decision is never easy and yes, guilt will follow but you can take some small comfort in knowing that you did the right thing.

I also think you should be very proud of yourself!
 
Velvet said:
When I euthanazed mine, I just put her in the freezer, I understand that their bodies just shut down as if they were going into hibernation... It was faster than slowly starving to death I figured.
Click to expand...
Sorry to say, but according to the experts, this is not the case...
http://cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44198&highlight=euthanize+humane

As for the blow to the head, I had to do it once (only once so far *knocks on wood*), and what I did was put the hatchling in a baggie (for containment) and then held it still on top of a brick. I used a mallet to make sure there was no doubt it would work on the first try. It is messy, but I knew for sure that it was quick and there wasn't any suffering.
 
If you haven't already done so, my suggestion would be to put her down too.

Jillie said:
I think whenever we choose to play god and euthinize, guilt is natrully the first response we feel. .
Click to expand...
:-offtopic I don't think guilt needs to be involved here at all. Maybe playing God is not in the euthinizing, but was in trying to feed a snake that wasn't meant to feed in the 1st place. That said, trying to get it to eat was the compassionate thing to do. I had an '03 that I jump started who never really got going on her own. Eventually she had to be put down too.
 
you should speak to some of the guys on the irish forum, someone like bribrian, or simon or his brother ricky? mabe someone can help before you make ur final decision
 
I'm sorry that it went so rough for you. We live and learn, and perhaps you can learn from this experience and be able to move on. Even if it was a slower death, however, death of starvation would have been much slower, so I would still believe that the right thing was done. My condolences, and good luck with your other two.
 
Very sorry to hear it turned out like this. I recently had to have a beloved pet put down, it is a horrible decision and I am very sorry that you had to make it.

Guilt is a very common and understandable emotion, even when you KNOW you did the right thing, such as now.

Best wishes to you.
 
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