« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: snake illnes  (Read 262 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline kenneally1

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 4
  • Reputation: +0/-0
snake illnes
« on: January 19, 2009, 09:15:54 AM »
 Help

  I have a female banded water snake that i have had for two years and it has been absolutely fine eating and shedding, then about 6 weeks ago it stopped eating and started drinking extraordinary amounts of water, it has also started passing white slimy stools with very large quantities of water . My local vet gave it a broad anti biotic but it dosnt seem to have helped.
Im hoping someone out there might be able to help.

Kenneally1
Logged

Offline Southern_Boa_Gurl

  • ~Social Butterfly~
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5,802
  • Reputation: +30/-0
Re: snake illnes
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2009, 09:23:16 AM »
I don't know much about this species, but I'm sure someone will be able to help.  Let's start by getting the type of setup you have: temps/humidity/hides/etc.?  Also when was the last time this animal ate/shed?

Is this the only animal you have that is experiencing health issues?  Do you have any others that are sick and near it?

Give as much information as possible so that it will be easier for someone to help you with this situation.

Thanks  ;)
Logged
"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts" ~Terry Phillip

Offline kenneally1

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 4
  • Reputation: +0/-0
Re: snake illnes
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2009, 11:50:21 AM »
HI
   My water snake has a temp of 70 ( which is what chris mattisons book says it should be in the winter months) the viv is 4ft x2ft x2ft , the humidity is quite high ( 2  x spray a day ) , the hide is of the fake rock style which she has always fitted into perfectly , but now she leaves about a third of her body outside, she shed about 4 weeks ago and ate about 6 weeks ago, she has always ate regular as clockwork, literally right up until the day she sheds. My other snake is  a BRB and she has shown no symptoms ( still eating and shedding as normal) I always use herp disinfectant after handling. I just hate the idea that she might be suffering. I have kept snakes for 10 years ( 1 or 2 at a time ) and have never had this problem.
I really hope someone might have some ideas.
Kenneally1
P.s Hi to southern boa gurl, thanks for the reply, I'm new to this interweb business
Logged

Offline Southern_Boa_Gurl

  • ~Social Butterfly~
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5,802
  • Reputation: +30/-0
Re: snake illnes
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2009, 07:32:54 PM »
Well like I said, I don't know much about this species, but telling us all of that may help someone help you.

And hi back :)
Logged
"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts" ~Terry Phillip

Offline Southern_Boa_Gurl

  • ~Social Butterfly~
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5,802
  • Reputation: +30/-0
Re: snake illnes
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2009, 07:50:23 AM »
How is that snake doin??  I'll try to learn about them today and see if I can help you with any questions you have.
Logged
"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts" ~Terry Phillip

Offline Southern_Boa_Gurl

  • ~Social Butterfly~
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5,802
  • Reputation: +30/-0
Re: snake illnes
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2009, 10:19:09 AM »
Okay I talked to a friend of mine that knows more about them.  I told him exactly what you've said so far and he responded with this:

"Well, first you gotta find out WHY they changed the temps, and WHY they are misting a watersnake.  Also, need to know what they have been trying to feed it.  Is it a wild caught, or is it captive.

The only reason to lower temps would be in attempts to trigger breeding.  The misting doesn't make any sense at all, they like to be dry when they aren't in water, other wise they are prone to moisture blisters.  Also, wild caught snakes tend to eat more amphibians when temps are cooler then fish that head deeper and are harder to find during cooler temps, where as, frogs become more available around water sources during cooler times.

Also, depending on what it's been fed, it could be a parasite.  They said the vet treated it for bacterial infections, but if they've been feeding is a lot of live food items, it could be parasitic, or if they've fed it solely goldfish, it could be a vitamin B defficiency.

Just too many variables and not enough information."


If you can tell us more information, I can relay it back to him and see if we can get things settled for you.
Logged
"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts" ~Terry Phillip

Offline kenneally1

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 4
  • Reputation: +0/-0
Re: snake illnes
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2009, 08:55:38 AM »
Hi
 I got a bit confused, the misting is my BRB. But the temp was lowered after referring to the book keeping and breeding reptiles ( c mattison) My snake was
passing far to much water before the temp change anyway . The sad news is that I had to have her put down . I managed to find a reptile experienced vet, he took one look and said she needed to be euthanized. She'd lost all muscle tone and could hardly move, and she passed a lot of water mixed with a large amount of blood on his examening table. I hated seeing her suffer like that! He took a sample of her stool to send off , but he said the symptoms looked like a bad case of ptotazoa ( i think ive spelt that right) When i get the results back from him ill let you Know.
Thanks for the help anyway.  She was called Harold, and she was the most loving snake............R.I.P HAROLD
Logged

Offline Southern_Boa_Gurl

  • ~Social Butterfly~
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5,802
  • Reputation: +30/-0
Re: snake illnes
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2009, 09:09:48 AM »
So sorry to hear that hun, RIP Harold  :(
Logged
"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts" ~Terry Phillip

Offline Conrad

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 7
  • Reputation: +1/-0
    • Too Fast Reptiles
Re: snake illnes
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2009, 09:23:00 AM »
Sorry for the loss...it always sucks to lose an animal like that.  Just one last set questions though.  How long did you have her?  What is her origin?  What kind of diet did you have her on?  There isn't anything to fix a condition now, but with those answered I could possibly help you figure out "why" something like this happens.
Logged
Conrad
Too Fast Reptiles
www.toofastreptiles.bravehost.com

Offline kenneally1

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 4
  • Reputation: +0/-0
Re: snake illnes
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2009, 07:31:19 AM »
hi ,

  I'd had harold for about 2 years she was a nerodia fasciata, and i,d been feeding her on sand eels, and the very ocassional mouse ( which she loved) up until about 6 weeks ago she was eating regular as clock work. I'm just waiting for the results back from the vets now.

 Thanks for all the help
Logged
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
« previous next »