• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

To cull or not to cull

Roy Munson said:
You're welcome. :) But I wouldn't draw the assumptions you do about these snakes based on the fact that they are clutchmates. I've had corn clutches where some took f/t immediately, others took them gradually, some required live, some required scenting, and some refused everything-- all in the same clutch. I'm guessing that this could happen with BPs too. :shrugs:
Click to expand...

I worded that wrong...I just meant that the drastic growing difference between the two didn't give me much hope. In no way do I think she should be exactly like her clutchmate, but I don't hold out much hope for this little girl because her brother has had a 30% weight gain while she has had a 30% weight loss. The signs don't bode well for her. I understand differences in clutches (having raised hundreds of animals myself), but not to this degree...then again, they are BP's...

Don't you guys hate it when we women try to force you to read our minds? ;)
 
texastailfeathers said:
I worded that wrong...I just meant that the drastic growing difference between the two didn't give me much hope. In no way do I think she should be exactly like her clutchmate, but I don't hold out much hope for this little girl because her brother has had a 30% weight gain while she has had a 30% weight loss. The signs don't bode well for her. I understand differences in clutches (having raised hundreds of animals myself), but not to this degree...then again, they are BP's...

Don't you guys hate it when we women try to force you to read our minds? ;)
Click to expand...

That's one of the tough things about "cold-blooded" animals-- knowing when to let go. A mammal or bird MUST eat soon, or all hope is lost; a reptile can leave you guessing for a long time. It's up to you. But you may not want to publicize your decision. ;)
 
Roy Munson said:
That's one of the tough things about "cold-blooded" animals-- knowing when to let go. A mammal or bird MUST eat soon, or all hope is lost; a reptile can leave you guessing for a long time. It's up to you. But you may not want to publicize your decision. ;)
Click to expand...

I've never been shy about culling (I didn't breed these anyway), but I probably won't publicize my final decision. The .1 may just quietly drop off the BP part of my sig line... ;)
 
Such a hard decision, and that's how I started off on this forum with my non-feeding snake. I worried the whole time when I started tube-feeding and then trying to get her to feed herself that I was doing it for myself rather than for Lil. All I can do is offer support whichever way you decide, and hope the male carries on from strength to strength
 
Well... I do Ball Pythons. Period.

If you could please post a photo of how she looks, that would help.

I reserve judgement until I can see how badly she is doing, although she sounds like there is something for sure wrong.
 
texastailfeathers said:
I've never been shy about culling (I didn't breed these anyway), but I probably won't publicize my final decision. The .1 may just quietly drop off the BP part of my sig line... ;)
Click to expand...
I would support your decision either way, but it could give confidence to other people in the place you are.
 
Have you tried a probiotic mixed with water yet? What about picking the snake up and directing it towards the water? Seems to always work with thirsty corns....
 
I forgot to take a photo last night, but she is caved in on all sides and hardly moves. She weighs 38g now.

I'm going to cull her this week. Here are my reasons, in case anyone has ever struggled with this decision before:

-I'm running out of options. I've done everything that everyone has recommended, and I've tried all the ideas I came up with on my own. I asked many BP breeders and collectors, as well as other experienced herpers. The fact that her clutchmate is more than twice her size at the same age with identical husbandry gives me some assurance that I did not kill this snake. However, I will continue to monitor him just in case.

-I don't believe in keeping an animal alive that will never be normal. (NOTE: My life/death beliefs do not apply to humans.) In fact, I fed off a button quail chick just last night that had hatched with a deformed foot. It was feeding night for my corns and my young RO got the quail. The quail would not have been able to serve its natural purpose, which would be to grow and reproduce, so it served another purpose and nourished another animal just the way it would have in nature.

-I am only willing to give "special care" to a certain extent. When the cost of one week's care for a sick or deformed animal is several times more than the cost of one week's care for the entire remainder of one's stock (or flock or herd or _______), it's time to cull. While I do not believe that an animal's life should have a price tag, I cannot ignore the fact that I would find it somewhat irresponsible on my part to ignore 50+ animals simply so I could place my focus on one sick/deformed/nonfeeding animal. I apply this belief to $5 animals as well as $500 animals.

and finally...

-I believe when nature can't do the job of regulating who lives and dies, that responsibility falls on us--the breeders, collectors, and fanciers. A listless skin-and-bones hatchling would not survive in its natural environment. Therefore, it would be unnatural for me to keep this snake alive past a certain point (and yes, I have had to decide where that "certain point" began). I won't watch an animal waste away to nothing in my care.
 
I don't know what to say about it all, I'm not expert nor do I have the experience to give any advise on ill snakes because mine has never been Ill.

If you do (cull her) witch I'm guessing means ending her life? then I'm sure you will do it in a humane way and from what I have read she seems a very ill snake so its probably best..

I'm really stuck what to say..
 
I completely respect your decision on this. I recently had to make the choice to have a beloved pet of mine (with me for 10 years) put to sleep. It was the hardest decision of my life yet I made it because I knew it was right.

Even if recovery is a possibility, sometimes the stress of treatment is just too hard on a sick or elderly animal.

Sorry that it's come to this, but I really think you're doing the best thing.
 
I agree with Becks you are doing the right thing for her, and I am also sorry it came to this for you and her.
 
So sorry, but not at all surprised to hear this, such a hard decision. Total respect to you and support from over here
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top