Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi yall. I thought I would give you an update on two snakes that I attended to last week. The first was the cali king that was striking itself and trying to eat itself. As I reported, it stopped doing that after I got it to my friend's education facility, and has put on weight! It is going to survive and she is looking forward to using it in her program
Here was the snake before. I wish that I had taken better pics

Here it is now

The other snake that came through last week was a texas Rat snake that we think was displaced by Hurricane Ike. It was found near here, and was emaciated and either beaten or chewed by something

It spent several days at our wildlife vet's office getting Nolvasan baths, Batril injections, and tubed meals of fluids and A/D canned prescription cat food. Here it is today after I picked it up

So the snake rescues all have happy endings today. Thank yall for the conversation, the advice, and the support!

Great news,Keep up the good work
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"Wake me when its April"
Doug L

I think what y'all are doing is great and you deserve around of applause!
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Todd Hughes

Great stuff there! Doing this kind of work always comes full circle in one way or another. Thank you for sharing with us all.
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Jerry Kruse

"One often meets his destiny on the path he takes to avoid it". - Master Oogway

Congrats on your progress so far. Hmmmmmmmmmmm

Please understand, while that king may not be attempting to consume itself now. It has displayed that syndrome and will again. As long as you are supporting it properly, it may not reoccur. But as soon as a meal or two is missed, it may(most likely) will occur again.

I only hope you understand, it may never be cured, only the extreme symtoms avoided.

You may consider getting a pinkie pump(if they are still available). This device liquifies pinkies and pumps them into the gut of snakes. Its a wonderful device that hopefully you never need. In the case of rescue, you will need it a lot.

I am a firm believer of giving them what they actually use, a natural food, is best. While dog stuff may have worked. The pinkie pump can work so much better. So please consider it. And if anyone knows where they can be purchased, how about a link.

I have one of the originals, from the early seventies, and I have several from the Barkers(Daves dad, BOB) Like the other Bob Barker, Daves dad is also retired. Cheers and good luck

We use the A/D because it is designed to provide high protein nutrition in a highly digestible form to emaciated and dehydrated carnivorous animals, whether they are snakes, hawks, cats or dogs, etc. If you shove a pinkie down the throat of an emaciated snake, you risk regurgitation, aspiration, impaction, and kidney failure. A/D is designed to be easy on the kidneys while re hydration is occurring. We learn this in rehab TRAINING and from our VETS who help us with these animals!

We will not be feeding the snake dog or cat food from this point forward, and if you are not TRAINED in rehab, and have never attempted to rehab an animal in as dire shape as this snake, please refrain from giving advice. I am attempting to inform here, and if a rehab novice reads your advice and attempts to shove a pinkie down the throat of an emaciated, dehydrated snake, he or she will kill it.

Just so you know a pinkie pump liquifes whole food animals and makes them like canned dog/cat food. Scary little device lol
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts

But it does not change the fat, protein, and calcium content, and these are what affect the kidneys in an emaciated carnivore. I am well aware of pinkie pumps. Thanks.

But it does not change the fat, protein, and calcium content, and these are what affect the kidneys in an emaciated carnivore. I am well aware of pinkie pumps. Thanks.

well rosebud first let me say good luck and it is an admirable thing(rehabbing)i also do it in houston and surrounding areas.
i find it funny and sad that you would come to this board(anywhere actually) and come off like you do.
FR is Frank Retes, ask your vet or ANYONE who knows ANYTHING about herptoculture about him or simply dig around yourself you'll find out he is to snake/reptile keeping what jaques coustaeu is to icthyology(please excuse my spelling) close to 50years HANDS ON experience!
now pinky mice are basically water very little fat, protien and virtually 0 calcium and being the NATURAL food item for ratsnakes are much better than cat food period end of discussion. please get a DVM or anyone with a credited knowledge in herpetology/biology to state otherwise, also i'd check the fat,protien,calcium content in a pinky to say 1to2cc of catfood my guess is they would be VERY different.
now as to the snakes in question the calking will do the biting itself again if deprived of food or some other husbandry issue is not addressed so no worries with him/her just keep it well fed with a good proper setup within all proper parameters hopefully you know these if not ask.
as to the the ratsnake tubefeeding was UNEEDED ive seen and had ones in far worse condition and not need tube feeding and if it did a pinky through a pinkypump is better in my as well as MOST experienced keepers opinion than ANY manmade canned petfood. snakes are not just carnivores they are designed to consume WHOLE prey items so hop off that horse. fact is you coulda fed that ratsnake a hotdog with no problems them darn chickensnakes are tough as nails the only time ive ever had to tube feed one was one that had its bottom jaw blown off by a hunter no joke and that was only until it healed after a month or so.
good luck,,,,,,,,,thomas davis
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Morphs... just like baseball cards BUT ALIVE, how cool is that???

my website www.barmollysplace.com

He ain't no Cousteau...more like Quint from Jaws. We all know what happened to him,lmao!

Matt Hooper.

To quote FR, HAHAHAHAHAAHA!

np

"snakes are not just carnivores they are designed to consume WHOLE prey items so hop off that horse."

I've used pinkie pumps with great success in the past however the concept of providing a few interim feedings of something that might be less stressful to kidneys is not a bad idea. To me this is particularly true where you might lack an animal's history. Its one thing to pinkie pump a non-feeding hatchling and quite another to do so to an emaciated rescue project.

That said, I think Franks point, which I read to be that the sooner Rose gets her charge back onto a more natural diet the better, is well advised. Given that Frank wasn't his typical overbearing self I found the poster's reaction surprising too. This is just me but when you come here asking for opinion / advise, you take what's said, say thanks and then utilize the provided info as you see fit.

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That is a a completely narcistocanibolizistic thing to say!

A flack jacket may be needed to fight your way back out.

maybe more . . .

But he may not be completely off point however if you look at it as a whole. Sometimes the symptom does serve a function.
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Jerry Kruse

"One often meets his destiny on the path he takes to avoid it". - Master Oogway

Hey Frank is right about getting the animal onto natural food but he is also the one saying to keep trying something new which is what was done here. All in all the exchange was positive even if the tone was not!
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That is a a completely narcistocanibolizistic thing to say!

>>But it does not change the fat, protein, and calcium content, and these are what affect the kidneys in an emaciated carnivore. I am well aware of pinkie pumps. Thanks.
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts

Sorry, I have been keeping and breeding THESE snakes, since 1964. I have lots of rehab, zoo, keeper, breeder experience. What I suggest you is superior to what your doing. Or I would not have recomended it.

Of course if your happy and do not want to have more options To help those animals, good on you. Cheers

I did not tube the snake. A REPTILE VET did. I trust him far more than I trust you.

Thanks anyway. I am quite happy with the snake's PROGRESS. Sorry that you aren't.

Wow, a bit sensitive. I said congrats, and offerred you/your vet more options. All you have to do is say thanks and do not use a pinkie pump.

It is a very good tool for husbandry and particularly if your in the business of rescue.

For good keepers, its a very good tool to keep in a drawer. One successful use pays for it. Cheers

Frank who is always getting pummeled outclassed a rehabber! We should cut her a break though. To be fair it's human nature and we all get a little carried away with ourselves from time to time. She's trying to do the right thing. Good form Frank!
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Sometimes I think the kid with two pet snakes has something that those of us with 50 to 200 lost a long time ago.

Any pics this year of that Gopher/Bull snake that's been feeding during the winter on your place? Always have enjoyed those. Thanks.
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Sometimes I think the kid with two pet snakes has something that those of us with 50 to 200 lost a long time ago.

Welcome to the forum......
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Jerry Kruse

"One often meets his destiny on the path he takes to avoid it". - Master Oogway