Posted by:
Fish_Demon
at Wed Jun 3 02:20:14 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Fish_Demon ]
What are you feeding your snake? I've heard from many people (online and in person) that feeding your snake a diet consisting exclusively of Cyprinid fish (goldfish, feeder minnows, etc.) will eventually cause neurological issues and death. This is due to an enzyme found in these fish called thiaminase, which breaks down vitamin B... A vitamin B deficiency can cause the symptoms you listed and can be fatal.
Get your snake on pinky mice ASAP if it will still eat... I don't know if that will help the symptoms but it will at least stop them from getting worse. It's too bad that many pet stores that sell garters will try to tell unsuspecting owners that the snakes can live their entire lives off of goldfish, especially since that is often their main selling point ("I don't want a snake that eats rodents!").
Sorry about your snake, I hope he manages to pull through.
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- Natalie
(San Francisco Bay Area)
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RE: What is wrong with my ribbon snake? - Fish_Demon, Wed Jun 3 02:20:14 2009