View Full Version : why the hell does this happen to me?
I am very devastated, more so than I have ever been before.
I woke up this morning to see something weird with my baby rack (which is a series of drawers stackles vertically) and noticed the fifth one was completely open, of course the snake was gone. It took me another half second to notice a snake hanging from the second drawer (which was closed). The snake was dead, and was caught between the drawer and the divider between the next drawer right by where she ate last night (for this to happen the drawer would have be disconnected, and reconnected when she was half out). Her head also had two deep cuts. That doesn't make any sense to me! I KNOW the drawers were closed last night and I know that they can't be opened by the snakes. It's not like I get up at night, sleepwalk, and kill them.
Of course, I can't find the fifth one, but I still have no idea how the drawer opened. And it's not like it was open a little crack, it was completely open. I doubt I ever will, because of his size, but I have searched long and hard and put out a hide box on a heat pad. I hope he comes to it.
I really don't understand what happened, because short of someone doing it it just doesnt make sense!
This has really left me without a taste for breeding snakes. Everything is going so awfully and I can't understand how. I didn't do this to see half my babies die (with my luck they all will). I am even contemplating just selling everything (but I doubt I'll do that).
I'm not sure what I can do now, I can't seem to cry. Go hug my cat I guess.
Zoe
beth wallbank
05-29-03, 04:31 AM
sorry to hear of your tragedy Zoe, but things happen for a reason. Whether be bad or good, things always occur when least expected, and the best thing is to chalk it up as a learning experience, find that little snake that is still AWOL and move on with confidence. (hugs) and good luck
Thanks beth,
But that's the thing, I don't know how this happened. If I knew, like I didn't snake proof them right or something then yes I could learn from that. But for a drawer to COMPLETELY open like that, someone would need to do it, or a snake would have to wedge his nose on the edge, and his tail on the frame, push the drawer out. And for that happen, the drawer would have to be open enough to get his tail out to push against the frame.
Same thing for the other one, I was looking at it and it just didn't make sense. I could maybe possible see it getting stuck and dying in between the drawer and the frame IF the frame wasn't properly closed (which it was, I always check every night), but that still doesn't explain the deep gouges on its head, which must have happened before the snake got stuck because they would have killed it right away.
If I understood it would be a little better, but I don't.
Zoe
Emily-Fisher
05-29-03, 04:53 AM
Has this happened before? If yes, maybe you should start using several glass aquariums with locking screen lids. Just a thought!
Nope, it hasn't happened. Up till today they were very effective.
Emily I believe this was her first clutch...and aquariums aren't always the best for tree loving species.....
Anyways
Zoe I am so sorry this has happened but I am completly comfused! I understand what you are saying....and its obivous something other than snakes did this...is there any possible way a cat got in your house overnight? A racoon? Anything? A window left ajar?
If it was human interferance I don't see why one would have wounds.
This is just terrible....I really hope you find the loose one!
Marisa
The drawers are in my room and I live on the 20th floor. Nothing got in, my door was still closed when I got up this morning. The wounds don't look animal inflicted, they look more like two knife wounds or something, but quite wide.
I KNOW my dad would never do this, and I've never sleepwalked in my life so I really don't know.
Wow what the hell? Seriously I am going to be thinking about this thread all day long, although I am sure not more than you missing your babies :( So sad. But so weird. I don't have any rational clue as to what could have come about...I mean I would understand just plain escapes....sh*t happens right? But the cuts are so weird!!! ANd why would two try escaping on the same night if it was just the snakes.
:( I hope you can peice this together.
Marisa
The open drawer is stranger, I find. I could see it being open a few inches, like if I hadn't closed it correctly the snake could worm its way out. But not completely open!
Ugh, I just can't make any sense of it and it's completely discouraging.
LILCREEP
05-29-03, 07:04 AM
keep your chin up it's sad when any tradegy happens
my friend had a ball python die when it got stuck escaping.
sorry to hear but dont give up
I hate to say it, but I think you gave us the answer Zoe. Sounds like the cat did it. If the cat saw the movement or a baby half hanging out???
Would explain the wounds as well.(**%#^%$cats)
Best of luck finding the missing one.
Mardy
I'm sorry to hear that Zoe!!:( I think Mardy has a point.
ThEmAdHaTtEr
05-29-03, 08:06 AM
Yeah, I think it could have been Sushi. This sort of thing happens to the best of us Zoe, nothing you can do to stop it. When bad things like this happen, just remember that it could happen to anyone. This was not your fault so do not take it out on yourself. I feel real bad tho :(. I know this breeding project meant a lot to you. At least you still have your health eh? All the other ones are alright correct? Well, good luck with nursing your feelings back to happiness.
Wow Zoe, I don't know what to say. You've had some terrible luck with your animals the last few weeks. Don't give up! We've all had set-backs like this.
My deepest condolences. *hugs*
Trace
JKUROSKI
05-29-03, 08:45 AM
Cat's suck...and that's your culprit!!! Cats kill anything that moves...they aren't allowed anywhere near my snakes.
Tim and Julie B
05-29-03, 09:18 AM
Zoe don't give up! I had a bad experiance were I came close to throwing in the towel as well. All I can say is there is always going to be ups and downs. When your hobby is living things it pretty much sets you up for some heartbreak but remember why you liked it in the first place and how many good moments you've had. I bet they far out weigh the bad. All you can do is learn for each experiance and try to make the next one better.
Damn cats!!!!! they suck.
gonna have to figure out a way to lock those racks.....
That cats lucky there wasn't anything big enough in that draw to eat him.
Cats dont suck... but they arent afraid of snakes either. sounds like sushi killed that one hanging out (with the gashes).. and probably even opened the drawer too. cats are smart. the one that's missing probably got away, but who knows how badly hurt it is (if at all)... doubt sushi ate it or you'd find a big mess somewhere. dont let your cat in the room with your babies! do you let sushi climb on top of your larger tanks? i always swatted my cat away from doing that because she fell in one time, right through the screen... scared the **** out of my baby monitor.
gonesnakee
05-29-03, 01:32 PM
I too would blame the Cat. Felines & reptiles don't mix & the Cat should never be allowed access to the room in which the animals are kept. I have heard too many horror stories of how a cat killed this or that or worse yet they can knock over lights etc. possibly causing electrical fires. I don't consider it cute to have a cat hanging out on top of cages etc. If all of us people into Herps up & quit everytime something went wrong, none of us would have any animals. Live & Learn & especially keep the cat OUT! They are cute, but remember felines are the only animals other than man that will kill for "fun" & they find reptiles are quite entertaining. Sad but true. My thoughts.
Mark I.
I'd agree, IF my cat had been in my room.
If it was sushi, it happened like this: she flattened out, came in under the door, developpened a thumb and opened the drawer all the way, climbed into the drawer, opened another drawer then lifted the top of the frame, waited for the snake to crawl partway out, then jumped onto the frame closing it on the snake. THEN she inflicted two parallel, wide cuts on the snake's head but not any thing else. And then flattened out again and left the room under the door.
I did find the baby today in english class, he was in my bag. My english teacher was very cool and suggested I bring it to bio class and put it in one of the cages there. I find that rather strange, too, because my bag was closed.
By the way, the cat stays away from the tanks. Even if an animal escapes she never hurts it, in fact she's usually the one to show me where it is by sniffing at it. I know that doesn't mean she wouldn't kill a snake, but I know cat-inflicted wounds and these were not so. And I mean it doesn't matter because my cat wasn't in my room.
ThEmAdHaTtEr
05-29-03, 03:39 PM
Well hey, at least you found that baby. Sorry about the whole mis-hap tho. Sorry for accusing Sushi :(
nicola_boulton
05-29-03, 03:51 PM
lol, its good u found him. :) plz dont give up im sure we have all come this close 2 stop breeding herps. But the way i see it if u are breeding more herps then u are losing its ok....... well not ok. But its not like ur dipriving the world of herps. sorry
So Zoe you think a person did this ?
Marisa
its wierd you say this. woke up this morning to find my sugar gliders out.. was really wierd, very secure door, no holes nothing. No cats either, nothing down here to do anything. Thankfully they were fine and so was the baby. But completely wierd. Just a coincidence I know, but when i read this it just seemed odd.. Too bad about your snakes, and it's good you were able to recover the last one even though it was at school.
good luck finding the source of the problem!
NewLineReptile
05-29-03, 05:11 PM
I think Mardy is right with this one Zoe. I had a clutch of corn snake's and my cat would go to the back of the rack and push the snake boxes out and claw her way in to the snake's. I lost 4 baby's that way until i found out how they were getting out. Cat's will do anything to get what they want even if it looks impossible
the way that it is set up
But i am real sorry that this has happened to you and i hope the other one will come out for you
Brandon
snake_goth
05-29-03, 05:13 PM
ok reading this i think i know what hapend
1st ur cat see's the snake moveing and goes to investergate,
2nd ur cat some-how opens the draw and ime afraid to say killes ur snake then drages it of sum where or may b the snake got away,
3rd ur cat some-how opens the draw and swipes with its paw at the snake i.e. the cuts on the head,
4th the snake goes for the cat and the cat legs it,
i am so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry for typing this but this is what might of hapend,
what u do is if u can meshure ur cats paw the the cuts if thay rufly match then..........
NewLineReptile
05-29-03, 05:16 PM
Oh sorry zoe forget my last post i did not see this page when i replyed but i am glad you found the other one and hope you find out what did the damage to the other one
goth/burmese - my cat was not in my room. Unless she has a teleportation device, it was not her.
Marisa - no, I don't think it's a person. Short of me sleep walking for the first time in my life and for some reason killing a snake, someone breaking in and killing the snake, or my dad having turned evil, it can't be. That's why I'm so baffled! I mean, one drawer was OPEN, and the other was CLOSED on the snake. The snake wasn't just hanging there, it was stuck between the drawer and the frame, with no room to move. It would have had to have been halfway out and then havee had the door close on it.
Maybe god is smiting me for not believing in him fro 5 years. What the heck else could do this?
Zoe well reading all the information its one of those things where you want to say "hey setbacks happen to us all" but when you bring up points like closed door, no cat, 20th level so no wild animal, snake stuck in drawer, one drawer open all the way....it seems to me a person must have done it.
Snakes wouldn't open a cage all the way to escape, they get an inch open and take off. To me that's the most damning evidence of human intervention.
I mean it didn't just happen out of nowhere. And I am sure most people reading this think its one of those escapes no one believes but one that snakes pull off all the time, but it doesn't sound that way to me.
I would put the snake you found in your purse right back where he came from, and late at night if he is cruising and somehow this WAS the snakes themselves, he will try the same escape attempt. But I don't see how it could of been after reading your information.
Marisa
Maybe you were sleep walking. if your door was closed, cat wasnt inside the room and you say someone had to of done it.... plus you said you found one in your bag even though it was closed. maybe you sleepwalked, put one snake in your bag and sadly crushed or killed one of your snakes. sounds bad. hope that's not the case.
Well, I really doubt that. First of all, I've never sleepwalked in my life. Second, because when people sleep walk, they don't do things. They just walk around.
Also, my bag was closed, but it would be possible that the bag was open a few cms. I just find it strange that the snake would go there of all places.
asphyxia
05-29-03, 06:17 PM
I think the cat was in the room when the door was shut at night.
Zoe, do you know for sure you have never sleep walked (if that makes sense :P ).. Ever since my brother was a kid he has walked in his sleep, even to this day. My sister in law has told us stories of my brother getting up in the middle of the night and moving the TV around, straightening a picture or opening the drapes and closing then again, all while he was asleep.. He swears on his life that this never happened but i have seen him do things first hand.. I'm Really sorry for your loss no matter how it happened!!
Brian, she wasn't. She sits at my door and meows at night when I don't let her in. Even if she was, she couldn't have opened the drawer, definitely not all the way. Nor could she have closed the drawer on a snake exiting the cage. Lastly, those gashes really didn't look cat-inflicated.
Anyway, it wasn't the cat.
Matt - Yes, I know I don't sleepwalk. My father is in the habit of staying up till 4am (or later), working, and would no doubt have observed this and have told me if I slept walked.
Zoe
JKUROSKI
05-29-03, 07:38 PM
If the cat meows at your door all night maybe one of your parents let it in and don't want to fess up now.
A cat could have clawed the drawer open a little and then got inside to play with the snake. On it's way out opening it all the way. Moving on to the next drawer it could have opened it a little and when the snake poke it's head out jumped at it and closed the door on it and swatted it to death. Or the snake could have just sqeezed it's way out self inflicting those wounds.
What type of drawers are we talking about here. If they are what I think they are...they are hardly escape proof.
My dad never lets it in. Why would he let the cat in then take it out and close my door again?
They are plastic drawers that have been snake proofed. They have no cracks, click into place and can't be opened unless the handle is lifted and pulled.
depressor86
05-29-03, 07:55 PM
what is your dad saying about all this?
and nobody heard any of this happen?
What is my dad supposed to say? What noises would have come from a closed room, exactly?
I really don't think this will resolve itself unless I new piece of information is put forward. Frankly I don't really want to think about it anymore, constantly knowing you're not fit to take care of living animals is not exactly comforting. In a way I hope I get over it soon and resume normal activities, but i don't know.
Zoe
wow, that really sucks Zoe, i'm so sorry. Stuff like this happens to everyone, in some respects it's better not to know exactly what took place.
Coincidentally I do have some good news for you, pm me if you're up for it. (cresties!)
Thanks,
Yeah, I know. Still though, it's hard to hard to handle. I probably sound like I'm feeling sorry for myself which isn't at all my intention.
Great sara! I'll pm you now.
Originally posted by Matt_K
Ever since my brother was a kid he has walked in his sleep, even to this day. My sister in law has told us stories of my brother getting up in the middle of the night and moving the TV around, straightening a picture or opening the drapes and closing then again, all while he was asleep.. He swears on his life that this never happened but i have seen him do things first hand..
Hahaha for sure! I've seen friends do some crazy stuff in their sleep... an old friend of mine used to get up and walk to the store every morning in his underwear...lmao :p Never remebered doing it... the employees just tolerated it... but sure enough every morning like clockwork.....lol... I;ve even been known to do silly stuff like go to the fridge and take food to bed with me or just eat a bunch of condiments....lmao :p Nobodies ever seen me sleepwalk though... and theres always someone home...
Originally posted by JKUROSKI
If the cat meows at your door all night maybe one of your parents let it in and don't want to fess up now.
Always a possibility. Nobody will fess up to letting one of the dogs into the basement the one day... now I know a Jack Russel cannot unbolt a door at the top, open the door, and procede :rolleyes: All my rodents are in the basement and the dog killed (and set free a few) all the mice in the bottom level of the rack and several of the rats from the second level. Grrrrrrrr :mad:
Zoe,
Sorry to hear about the catastrophe... is there anyway you could post pics of your setup?
Actually Zoe, when you sleepwalk you can do alot of things. One time my brother got up, went downstairs past my parents... he grabbed a jug of lemonade and a tablespoon... he went back upstairs... woke me up and placed them beside my bed saying "here's your medicine" and he walked away. you'd be amazed what you can do while you're sleeping.
since you're insisting there's no way the cat got inside the room then it was either you or a ghost
do you think the snake that got out could of killed the snake that got crushed somehow? i couldnt picture it.
could be a ghost! one time my ex was babysitting these two kids and the one kid had a habit of getting up in the middle of the night and sleepwalking.. she hurt herself a couple times falling and stuff. so her parents tied a piece of string at the top of the door to keep it shut .... my ex went upstairs and found the girl standing outside the door. and when she asked how the girl got out she said "the man let me out" and the string was still tied in a bow at the top of the door, where the kid couldnt reach. the other girl was still inside the room. and there was no way out of the room.
freaky..
it may be macob but I think if we had pictures of the wounds and the situation the dead snake was found in..... that'd help us help you understand what happened
OK.. I think I've got it.
here's how it went down.
1) the one which was pinned between the drawers did that to itself.... it squished between the frame and the bin. I think that is entirely possible, because there are always stories of snakes getting out of seemingly escape proof enclosures.
2) that snake didnt die right away, it got out half way or whatever.. and you know how snakes will wrap the upper part of thier boddies under the lip of the tank, or a branch to kinda pull thier bodies through? well maybe it wrapped under the lip of the container, or handle or whatever there was... and pulled one of the drawers open in an attempt to pull the rest of its body through that small crack.
3) then the other snake attacks it... smells a mouse on the snake maybe, because they recently ate I think. and it attacks, biting the head causing those injuries.
4) the freed snake leaves the box and hides in Zoe's bag.
if there was no cat, no sleepwalking, no nothin.. that's got to be how it happened!
Well, there are some problems with that:
The open drawer was way lower than the other snake's head.
The wounds on its head were NOT caused by a snake. Actually I found a big slit in the plastic about where the snake's head was, I found that strange.
Zoe
how deep of a slit.. does it look like wounds from a cat?
almost the same thing happened to me last week, just built an enclosure for my kingsnakes with sliding glass did not get locks for 1 of the units cause store ran out, did not think the snake could move a big piece glass, but it did now its gone ive looked everywhere, now my female has no mate and she just layed eggs. needless to say all the enclosures now have locks. im sure he will turn up
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