How do I tell if my snake is dead?

[Madejyathink]

I know, that sounds like a really stupid question, but, here it goes.

I rescued a little garter snake from my cat the other day, and it has a couple wounds on it but they don't look too bad. I put it in a little tank thing with some sand and a little bowl of water. It had been moving around a bit, but it hasn't moved in a while (about 12 hours). However, it hasn't gone stiff yet (I'm assuming snakes go through rigor mortis). Is it just in shock maybe? And is there any other way to tell? Maybe their eyes glaze over or something? I don't know. I know next to nothing about any kind of reptiles.

So yeah, sounds like a stupid question, but any help with it would be great.

[KillSwitch_J]

Why not call a veterinarian, and ask them this?

[PROJECT PAT]

I always thought they were Gardener Snakes

[SHARP]

Originally Posted by Madejyathink

I know, that sounds like a really stupid question, but, here it goes.

I rescued a little garter snake from my cat the other day, and it has a couple wounds on it but they don't look too bad. I put it in a little tank thing with some sand and a little bowl of water. It had been moving around a bit, but it hasn't moved in a while (about 12 hours). However, it hasn't gone stiff yet (I'm assuming snakes go through rigor mortis). Is it just in shock maybe? And is there any other way to tell? Maybe their eyes glaze over or something? I don't know. I know next to nothing about any kind of reptiles.

So yeah, sounds like a stupid question, but any help with it would be great.

Try picking it up, if it's either totally stiff, or totally limp, chances are it's dead.
Also, check if it's breathing, you should be able to see its body expand and contract if it is.

Check the Compendium stickied at the front of the forum page, and PM some of the other snake keepers if you need a second opinion from other people with snake-experience.

[underOATH]

Poke it.

[beergoggles]

Originally Posted by underOATH

Poke it.

First thing I thought.

For some reason I laughed at loud at your post.

I just got a mental image.

[JREwing]

If you chop off its head it'll probably be dead. I'm not a zoologist though, so you should probably burn the body or something, just to be sure.

[blerrh]

Poke it with a point-ed stick.

[zooting22]

if the head came off, it's probably dead

[Tunicate]

If it hasn't moved in 12 hours you might need to put some really easy small food in there to see if its instincts kick in... depending on size and age, maybe at most a pinky

[Method of Madness]

put it in a bowl of water-sink=dead

swim=alive

[Mor3BL7]

Originally Posted by TehWTF

If it hasn't moved in 12 hours you might need to put some really easy small food in there to see if its instincts kick in... depending on size and age, maybe at most a pinky

Dont let the guy put crickets in there. they are carnivirous and will eat that snake lol.

[reallystupidstuff]

Originally Posted by blerrh

Poke it with a point-ed stick.

or a banana

[T.K. Baha]

You did keep it warm didn't you? They get all lazy when it gets cold. Their blud don't work rite.

[ShutMeUp]

Originally Posted by Mor3BL7

Dont let the guy put crickets in there. they are carnivirous and will eat that snake lol.

That's untrue, crickets eat bran and oats and veggies in captivity. The only way they're able to feed on the animal is if they've been left in the tank for an extended period of time, or if the snake is weak and / or ill.


Anyway, OP - is your snake dead?

[Agent 008]

Did you hear anything of this sort?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulEisLcFEl4

If you did, it's probably dead.

[ShutMeUp]

Originally Posted by Agent 008

Did you hear anything of this sort?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulEisLcFEl4

If you did, it's probably dead.

Lol, I'm playing MGS3 and just died. Weird.

[Agent 008]

Originally Posted by ShutMeUp

Lol, I'm playing MGS3 and just died. Weird.

They really, really should release it for PC.

[bornkiller]

If its stiff its fine....if its limp its not.
Try rubbing it rigorously until it spits the poison out.

[Madejyathink]

Originally Posted by ShutMeUp

Anyway, OP - is your snake dead?

Yeah, it's dead.
It never did start moving, and it's eyes looked rather... deflated.
So I dumped it in the bush that we throw all the other animals our cat kills.

[Agent 008]

Originally Posted by Madejyathink

Yeah, it's dead.
It never did start moving, and it's eyes looked rather... deflated.
So I dumped it in the bush that we throw all the other animals our cat kills.

Suddenly this is appropriate again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulEisLcFEl4