Sudden Ball Python Death

Question
We got our Ball Python about 26months ago as a baby.  He had been a healthy and active snake.  He ate 4days ago.  He eats live feeder mice.  We are aware of the issues surrounding live feeding and we stun the mice and our snake constricts it also.  We are confident that the mice were dead before he consummed them.  He ate two SMALL feeder mice.  He was handled before he ate and was his usual self.  He was also handled within two days after his feeding with no problems.  Today, there was an extremely foul odor (like feces) coming from our snakes' room.  My boyfriend went to pick him up and when David did blood poured out of his mouth and nose, he was dead.  He was still warm though.

Personally, I think he looked thin recently.  And he had not been eating consistently, but we've experienced this before during the colder months.  Lately though, he was better and eating the past 3weeks.  We've been told it could be internal bleeding from a mouse injury or some sort of parasite. We have a 15year old Ball python that we keep in the same room as our 2yr old, but we are planning to take him out.  Sorry for the long-winded question, but we are just beside ourselves.

Answer
Hello Valerie,

I am sorry. I thought I answered this question for you. It does indeed sound like an internal trauma issue. There is also a good chance there may have been a tumor and the more his food went by it the more it got tender. If you had not disposed of the body you could bring him into the vet and have them open him up and look around. This will confirm or at least give you the answer you are looking for.

Eric