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bad turn for a relocation

Strike_Force_Reptiles

Strike_Force_Reptiles

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well today i get a call from a couple thats very very afraid of snakes and they want me to relocate it. not a problem since i relocate snakes all the time but this one turned bad. after finding it i quickly realized it was a 2 1/2 foot garter snake and had ate not to long ago. i removed it as quickly and as safely for the snake as possible but before i got home the snake throwup a bird and died. i have relocated many snakes but this was the first to die on me. i tried to keep him from getting killed but looks like i caused him to die by trying to relocate him. i really feel like crap and i am starting to wonder if i really want to do it anymore. i am going to go have a few beers and think long and hard about dealing with snakes anymore :(
 
Its not your fault man, you were stuck between a rock, and a hard place. You tried your best, but things happen. If we all quit after one death, I think a lot of us wouldn't be here.
 
William,

They might would have hacked it to death had you not shown up. Ask any doctor, nurse, EMT, sometimes despite the best you do, things happen. You know that overall you help critters. I'm sorry this one didn't make it, but don't let that stop you from helping others.
 
thanks guys! i just feel like maybe i could of done something different or something. i just looked her over good while i was putting her in the freezer and it is a female and she was about 4' beautiful coloring. i'm just disappointed in myself that i lost 1, just thought it couldnt happen, you know? God knows i tried. it just broke my heart to know instead of saving a life i took 1. i know i have to get over it and move forward but i hurts. thanks for the support!
 
you might not have killed her Will. She could have been internally injured from the bird. She might have threw it up no matter what because of that.
 
lucille said:
William,

They might would have hacked it to death had you not shown up. Ask any doctor, nurse, EMT, sometimes despite the best you do, things happen. You know that overall you help critters. I'm sorry this one didn't make it, but don't let that stop you from helping others.
Click to expand...

:iagree:

The bird may have been poisoned and that was what killed it.
 
I agree, I've had snakes throw up after handling and not die, it may not have been the cause. Who knows what the people or another predator had done before you got there? And for sure she'd have been killed if there wasn't the alternative of relocation.

Sorry you had one go bad, but don't be put off, you're doing a good thing, and the alternatives are all worse. (Don't imagine the people who called you would have considered leaving her for a week to digest safely, right?)
 
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you are right. the bird she throw up was about 3 times her size. i was told after i caught her that when they first seen her she was huge and a foamy color where the bulge was but when i got there she wasnt that big cause she started to diguest it but trying to figure out the foamy color cause there is no white on her but her underside. the strange thing is she wasnt a checker pattern like usual garter, more of a granite with pattern with gray stripes. very pretty but odd. wondering if she throw it up because of the size and the birds claws cut her up inside? just a lot of ifs thats going through my head. any thoughts on the ifs or pattern is very welcomed. i will have pics of her alive tonight or tomorrow and will post them here. thanks
 
the people that called were friends of ours and use to work with my wife. they would have left it alone but would have been scared as hell to go outside but was told if it made it over to the guy next door it would of been dead. they were worried it might make it inside and then his wife wouldnt never go back in the house lol.
 
You chose the right choice, in deciding to relocate it, even though it had just fed. If you had left it to digest it's meal, more than likely, it would have suffered a more cruel death, at the hands of someone that went with a knee jerk reaction to seeing the snake. Even though the snake did die, you in fact saved it. Hopefully that will bring you some comfort, even though i know it's hard to stomach.
 
First of all, don't go beating yourself up over it.

Meal regurgatation is a defence mechanism in snakes. When a snake has a big meal in it, it is vulnerable to attackers. So by regurging, it can move quicker without restriction. The snake probably injured itself during the regurge, and died. I'm sure it was stressing out big time as well. You did nothing wrong. It was just one of those freak things that happens. You ment well, and that's what matters. Yeah, it sucks the snake died, but it wasn't your fault.

If it makes you feel any better, every time I run over a racoon, or some other animal, I feel bad. But, there really isn't anything I can do about it, it happens.

Thanks for posting.
 
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