Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can anyone help me out with my female BRB. I have just discovered that she has one of her eyes totally clouded,see the pic ( and this is not due to shed prob)Her other eye is ok. Is this treatable? I cannot take her to a local vet since no vet on the island handles snakes. Can I do anything myself? is it fatal? Please any help is urgently needed.

It looks like subspectacular abcess. This can be caused by a blockage in the nasolacrimal duct which drains fluid from the space underneath the spectacle. Usually, an infection in the mouth causes the blockage. Alternately, an infection in the mouth can spread upwards.

Take a look inside the snake's mouth and look for any signs of infection. Unfortunately, you can't do a lot yourself. Treatment involves antibiotics to clear up whatever infection might be at the root of this. Typically, an incision is made in the spectacle to drain and flush any fluids. The spectacle wil be replaced at the next shed.

If you absolutely cannot get to a vet, I guess I'd recommend sterile cage conditions (replace your substrate with newspaper), higher cage temps (make sure the animal has an 86° basking area), and oral application of betadine if there are signs of infection (betadine can be prchased at a drug store).

Good luck and pleae keep us posted as to any progress/development.
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

wow, did you take a course in vet med for herps or did you learn that reading books? If so could you recommend some books?
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-Jasmine

6.5 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
1.1 Peruvian Rainbow Boas

I worked at the East Bay Vivarium in Berkeley for about 7 years through and after college. I learned a lot about herps there.

There is one reptile medicine book that I highly recommend. It's called Retile Medicine and Surgery by Doug Mader. My copy is from 1996 but I think there's a newer edition out there.
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

Hmmmmmm, I may have just found my new "vet" specialist he's close and does make house calls. Can't prescribe anything but would be great as a first opinion!!!
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
24.36 BRB
19.19 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

hey thanks alot for that useful info. The problem is the lack of expert help available. I have moved her to a quarantine with better temps and all. I could not see if the mouth is infected though. I feel at a loss though, not being able to treat her properly. Tomorrow I will contact some vets maybe, they can do something.thnks again

Great! Thanks. I'll get the book and just have my boss help me understand the hard parts. (I'm a vet tech)

>>I worked at the East Bay Vivarium in Berkeley for about 7 years through and after college. I learned a lot about herps there.
>>
>>There is one reptile medicine book that I highly recommend. It's called Retile Medicine and Surgery by Doug Mader. My copy is from 1996 but I think there's a newer edition out there.
>>-----
>>Mike Lockwood
>>www.tooscaley.com
-----
-Jasmine

6.5 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
1.1 Peruvian Rainbow Boas