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jamesyboyjim
Snake mite
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
 Posted - 06/12/2012 : 15:18:55
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Hi guys, firstly let me say what a fantastic forum this is and whenever I've looked for tips in the past, google has usually led me here so I thought it was about time I registered. But anyway, on to the snake..
When we first bought him about five years ago he wouldnt feed so a trip to the vets revealed he had an infection which meant his mouth went red and also his underbelly also went red, almost salmon like, he was put on anti biotics which did the job and hes been a pretty good feeder ever since, he had the odd week where he wouldnt feed but he'd usually be ok a week or two later, that was five years ago, hes about 9 now and went right off his food so we kept trying and eventually, my mrs noticed he was looking pink again.
His mouth was ok but the vet said he had asome kind of infection again so he was put back on more anti biotics, we also took this time to completely gut out his viv and clean everything inside with v10 disinfectant and changed his waterbowel and replaced all the bark, etc, something which we do time to time anyway.
well 3 weeks have passed hes finished his medicine, hes back to looking normal but he still doesnt seem right, he still has no interest at all in his food and hes just behaving bonkers!
He spends a lot of time climbing up the glass door of his viv and peeering out and just generally constantly roaming around, even now, during the day hes at it, he has a lunchbox with spagnum moss for him to sit in but he keeps pulling it all out everywhere, hes burrowing lots and just generally seems to be acting strange and very over active.
Id say hes quite well set up,
the cold end temps are about 75f, hot end 85f ish
humidity is reading 78% at the moment
he has hides in both ends,
he has a ceramic heater and a heat mat
a waterbowl he can fit in if he wants
on the floor he has orchid bark mixed with eco earth
his viv does seem like it struggles to keep the humidity in as its quite big and wooden, but its been lined with waterprrof plastic so it should be ok and isnt rotting. but with all these steps we've taken above it seems to work, I think hes going to go back to the vets some time this week but there doesnt seem to be anything obvious wrong! he hasnt eaten for a good 3 months now
At this precise moment hes vertically pressed up against the side of his viv (the cold side)
I really hope someone can offer something as hes my little man, hes such a great snake, so gentle and inquisitive and has never once gone for me even when giving him his medicine |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2012 : 21:06:18
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James, I'm sorry to hear you are having problems!
One thought that occurs to me is that it is breeding season. Do you or does anyone nearby own a female Colombian Rainbow that might be "setting him off"?
The second thought is that maybe a climate feature accidentally lapsed. Have you double-checked his temps and humidity?
Snakes can handle a three-month gap with no food. Still, it's starting to get on the long side. Is he maintaining his weight? Did the vet palpitate him to check for digestive obstructions? Is he passing urates normally?
It might also be he wants a certain type of food. Whenever I have enough refusals for long enough of a period, I do the live mouse test. Almost always, that gets them eating again.
If that fails and you do take him back to the vet, discuss tube-feeding him a small meal and see if that gets his digestive system going again -- sometimes drug treatment can disrupt that cycle.
Good luck! |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
Edited by - Snakesitter on 19/12/2012 21:11:00 |
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gmac
Grumpy Scots Admin
United Kingdom
710 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2012 : 22:48:27
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| im not gonna add much to what Snakesitter has suggested, has he been shedding the past 3 months?. I would also suggest adding reptoboost into your snakes drinking water, its not likely to get him eating again but will add electrolytes and certain vitamins and the likes into snake. |
GMac
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jamesyboyjim
Snake mite
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 18/12/2012 : 15:20:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Snakesitter
James, I'm sorry to hear you are having problems!
One thought that occurs to me is that it is breeding season. Do you or does anyone nearby own a female Colombian Rainbow that might be "setting him off"?
The second thought is that maybe a climate feature accidentally lapsed. Have you double-chcked his temps and humidity?
Snakes can handle a three-month gap with no food. Still, it's starting to get on the long side. Is he maintaining his weight? Did the vet palpitrate him to check for digestive obstructions? Is he passing urates normally?
It might also be he wants a certain type of food. Whenever I have enough refusals for long enough of a period, I do the live mouse test. Almost always, that gets them eating again.
If that fails and you do take him back to the vet, discuss tube-feeding him a small meal and see if that gets his digestive system going again -- sometimes drug treatment can disrupt that cycle.
Good luck!
thanx for the replies, his temps and humidity have been a bit of a struggle at times to maintain, im sure this is probably the reason he has become ill.
the vet checked him and found no blockages (constipation etc, he does still wee in his waterbowl, but not too often which is worrying, he is currently having anti biotic injections and i have added a new ceramic heater into his viv, i was also using a fogger but that has been sent off due to a fault and i have come home from work today to find his heater not working, i cant seem to catch a break with him :( the vet did say if we still cant get him eating he will have to have some kind of nutrient stuff syringed down his throat and blood tests etc from then on, i really cant believe the amount of failed equipment, his first heater failed, then the fogger i purchased and now his new heater, at such a critical time for him this is the last thing he needs, his temps are reading 65f in his hot end, ive cranked the heating up in the room he lives in im getting so upset over the whole thing :( |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 19/12/2012 : 21:16:07
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Glad to hear the vet visit went well. Sorry to hear of all the equipment failures, that's terrible. :-(
What are the antibiotics for? The fact this is round three worries me. Either he has a resistant strain or he has another underlying problem that is weakening his system and allowing repeated infections. Have you done a culture or tried a different antibiotic?
As for temps...65F is too low. Especially if he's ill, and however you can make it happen, aim for the low 80s -- it will boost his immune system and help him fight off any illness. If worst comes to worst, borrow equipment from someone.
Best of luck to you. The forum's ear is always open. |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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jamesyboyjim
Snake mite
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 21/12/2012 : 16:58:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Snakesitter
Glad to hear the vet visit went well. Sorry to hear of all the equipment failures, that's terrible. :-(
What are the antibiotics for? The fact this is round three worries me. Either he has a resistant strain or he has another underlying problem that is weakening his system and allowing repeated infections. Have you done a culture or tried a different antibiotic?
As for temps...65F is too low. Especially if he's ill, and however you can make it happen, aim for the low 80s -- it will boost his immune system and help him fight off any illness. If worst comes to worst, borrow equipment from someone.
Best of luck to you. The forum's ear is always open.
thanx snakesitter.
hopefully things will improve from here on! He's had the last of his antibiotic injections (thankfully as he doesnt like to keep still lol) he was looking a lot better and the redness has all but gone,
I have a new fogger which is on a humidity controller keeping his humidity at around the 84% mark I managed to borrow a ceramic heater which is doing the job with a little help from the radiator, his hot end is sitting at 84f now
the vet wasnt sure exactly what was wrong but said if it is just an infection the injections are stronger and should shift it as last time the redness almost went but returned so im really hoping we've nailed it this time if not he'll need a blood test and xray :(
his new heater arrived today so i'll get that set up over the weekend
What do you mean by culture?
he shed yesterday and it looked like a good one so im really hoping he fancies a bite as he used to always eat a few days after a shed :)
I'll get him out later just to give him another once over as I havent seen him since the shed (dont like to touch him for a day or so after.
thanx for listening :) |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 24/12/2012 : 18:50:30
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Sounds like things are looking up -- glad to hear it!
Let's hope it's just a stubborn infection.
By "culture," I mean when the vet takes a sample of the infectious agent and sends it to a lab, who grows it to determine the strain. Pricey, but worth it for a reall stubborn bug. Knowing the type also tells you which are the best drugs to use.
Woot on the good shed! |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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jamesyboyjim
Snake mite
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 27/12/2012 : 10:54:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Snakesitter
Sounds like things are looking up -- glad to hear it!
Let's hope it's just a stubborn infection.
By "culture," I mean when the vet takes a sample of the infectious agent and sends it to a lab, who grows it to determine the strain. Pricey, but worth it for a reall stubborn bug. Knowing the type also tells you which are the best drugs to use.
Woot on the good shed!
Ah ok, I follow now :) if it comes back I think this is what I'll ask about.
I've ended up leaving his old heater in along with the new one as the room gets quite chilly at night and we were struggling to keep temps in the 80's with just the new heater even though its a 500w ahs microclimate which we were told were pretty much the best you can get so now he has two ceramic heaters which are both on a thermostat so at least one is always on depending on his temps. hes just having a little drink at the moment which is great to see, I think im going to try him with a small rat shortly.
will rainbow boas pretty much eat whatever time of day or is it best feeding him in the evening? thats what we would normally do but does it matter too much to him? |
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jamesyboyjim
Snake mite
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 28/12/2012 : 11:00:03
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| Just wanted to update the thread, barry took a small rat last night which is a pretty big meal for him, took him about 15 minutes to eat the whole thing but he managed it! Im so relieved as he was looking a little thin! He must have been really hungry as ive never seen him so aggressive when feeding, he literally grabbed it by the neck as soon as i showed it to him, (it normally takes a bit of wiggling around to get his interest) slammed it into the side of his viv and ended up tearing half the rats neck off in the process! tried a second which he didnt take but one is definately a great start :D |
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Blackcat
Hatchling
United Kingdom
341 Posts |
Posted - 28/12/2012 : 15:36:12
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Good news regards Barry taking and eating the rat - lets hope he continues on this upward spiral  |
1.1.0 BRB's 0.0.2 CRB's
0.1.2 Corn Snakes
1.0.0 House snake
0.1.0 Crested Gecko |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 28/12/2012 : 20:31:54
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| I agree -- what a nice holiday bonus! |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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jamesyboyjim
Snake mite
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 31/12/2012 : 17:07:29
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| certainly is :) i really hope he continues and i'll keep the thread updated. thanx for the advice again guys :) |
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Topic |
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A bit of help and advise for my columbian rainbow
