Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A friend of mine found a coral at work today, and in trying to capture it, he injured the lower jaw.
I examined it, and it appears as if he ripped the skin from the muscle.

I would like to save it.

THANK YOu

Corals can be fairly difficult when all is well, you have quite a challenge if you decide to try to save it. If the injury is not too bad, and we can’t tell from your post, maybe you and the coral get lucky. I would put some antibiotic on the wound as an aid to healing. Set it up in a typical cage with a tub of sphagnum that is thoroughly wet at all times, and a water bowl too. Spray the sphagnum every day or two to keep wet. It will probably settle in and you won’t see it until you dig it out and check up on it. If it survives a week, I’d offer a small snake or frog. If you fuss over it every day you’ll kill it. It will probably heal on it’s own or die. It will probably go through a couple of quick shed cycles- that could mean it is trying to get better. Good luck.

Your best bet is to get it to someone qualified to deal with this problem. If the skin is badly ripped from the jaw it doesn't sound like something that is easily fixed over the internet.

I agree, only a licensed and qualified herp veterinarian should make a diagnosis. The other post mentioned to keep the substrate "thoroughly wet" - I couldn't disagree more. That's a recipe for disaster - even for subterranean seeking dwellers like corals. Localized dampness would be more advisable but also have dry areas as well.

Either way, the prognosis is probably not good as these snakes stress very easily even when healthy as the other person mentioned. The key is to prevent infection while the area heals...don't get bit trying to save this snake.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center

>>Your best bet is to get it to someone qualified to deal with this problem. If the skin is badly ripped from the jaw it doesn't sound like something that is easily fixed over the internet.
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

“Set it up in a typical cage with a tub of sphagnum that is thoroughly wet at all times.”

I was trying to say have a typical dry cage with newspaper or whatever, and also provide a tub, just a tub like a little plastic tub, of wet sphagnum. Not the whole cage. I also said use an antibiotic on the injury. Then just leave it alone. I figured if you are taking this snake to a vet, you don’t need us. Coral snakes do not get blister disease, and the wet might sound wrong, but with antibiotic it will be o.k. Or die, like I said. Keep it dry and your coral snake is doomed. We have all seen snakes with pretty bad injuries heal up, so can a coral, with no vet involved. The very best thing would be to get it prompt vet care, but I doubt that was what you were looking to hear. I don’t want to argue about it, just offering my opinion, I keep them.

Thanks for clarifying, that makes a lot more sense and that's exactly how I would set them up.

>>“Set it up in a typical cage with a tub of sphagnum that is thoroughly wet at all times.”
>>
>>I was trying to say have a typical dry cage with newspaper or whatever, and also provide a tub, just a tub like a little plastic tub, of wet sphagnum. Not the whole cage. I also said use an antibiotic on the injury. Then just leave it alone. I figured if you are taking this snake to a vet, you don’t need us. Coral snakes do not get blister disease, and the wet might sound wrong, but with antibiotic it will be o.k. Or die, like I said. Keep it dry and your coral snake is doomed. We have all seen snakes with pretty bad injuries heal up, so can a coral, with no vet involved. The very best thing would be to get it prompt vet care, but I doubt that was what you were looking to hear. I don’t want to argue about it, just offering my opinion, I keep them.
>>
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL