Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I received 3 babies in the mail today, and this is the first negative shipping experience I've had. Two of them appear perfectly healthy, but the third looks horrible!

First off, last night's low reached around 37, and these snakes were shipped with NO heat source... I'm guessing this is the cause??

The little guy came out of the bag gaping, limp, and half deflated/twisted. I immediately put him in a fold in my shirt to warm him up, then put him in his warm new cage to get some peace and quiet. It's been a couple hours, and he still looks deflated (has a wrinkled ridge along his spine and has flat spots along his rear third) and weak, and just seems... Off.

I took pictures and contacted the seller, but do you think there is any hope for the poor thing? Would this be a reaction to the cold, or did he get injured in transit? The others seem 100% healthy, and they were all in the same bag. I can't tell if he is on his way out or if he may pull through... Any suggestions for what I can do for him? Right now I'm just playing the waiting game...

Thanks!
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1.1 Brazilian rainbows Nico, Tally
1.0 Carpet X Diamond python, Steve
1.0 Ball python, Stan (Rescue)
1.0 Blood python, Porthos
1.0 Northern blue tongue, Jabbi
1.0.1 Mali Uromastyx, Ajani (rescue), Goober
0.0.1 Egyptian Uro, Ahktep
1.0 Leopard gecko, Frank (rescue)
1.0 Red eared slider, Spunky (rescue)
1.0 African mud turtle, Francois the Tortois (rescue)
0.0.1 African bullfrog, Grendel
1.0 Fiance (WC) who approves of my addiction

>> "has a wrinkled ridge along his spine and has flat spots along his rear third) and weak, and just seems... Off."

Unfortunately, from your description, this snake was badly emaciated well before it was ever shipped, some cold weather doesn't produce loose folds of skin on a snake at all, nore should any signs of the spine be pronounced.

I'd guess this snake has NEVER eaten it's entire short life, and he/she should have never, ever shipped one to you in that condition....period!

It sounds like it's well on it's way out, which is too bad, but if you can get it going, that would be fantastic.

This person would DEFINITELY be hearing from me if he pulled something like that. That is just plain WRONG to do, and a terrible way to do business with live animals.

hope the little guy makes it.

You might put a VERY small amount of "pedialite", or Gatorade
in an eye-dropper, or syringe with a small tube attached to give it some fluid and electrolytes to hopefully keep it alive until it can eat a very tiny meal soon, and I do mean TINY!. A large meal right now would probably kill it just the same, as it's delicate little system would not be able to even BEGIN to digest a large meal.

Good luck with it, and stay trying to get in contact with whoever pulled the slick stunt!

best regards, ~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

>>I received 3 babies in the mail today, and this is the first negative shipping experience I've had. Two of them appear perfectly healthy, but the third looks horrible!
>>
>>First off, last night's low reached around 37, and these snakes were shipped with NO heat source... I'm guessing this is the cause??
>>
>>The little guy came out of the bag gaping, limp, and half deflated/twisted. I immediately put him in a fold in my shirt to warm him up, then put him in his warm new cage to get some peace and quiet. It's been a couple hours, and he still looks deflated (has a wrinkled ridge along his spine and has flat spots along his rear third) and weak, and just seems... Off.
>>
>>I took pictures and contacted the seller, but do you think there is any hope for the poor thing? Would this be a reaction to the cold, or did he get injured in transit? The others seem 100% healthy, and they were all in the same bag. I can't tell if he is on his way out or if he may pull through... Any suggestions for what I can do for him? Right now I'm just playing the waiting game...
>>
>>Thanks!
>>-----

I'm with Doug on this one.
That snake didn't get in that bad of condition over night, even if the temps "outside" did get down to 37.
I would say that there is a 99.99% chance that this snake never fed and the seller tried to, well, rip you off. This wasn't an accident. You don't accidentally send an emaciated animal.
I would get in touch with this person and discuss a refund. Not a replacement. I wouldn't be able to trust this person enough to accept another snake from him/her. Things can and do happen in shipping, especially for people with little to no experience with shipping, but this wasn't one of those cases.
Try the things Doug suggested and keep your fingers crossed. I seriously doubt it will make it but good luck.
get in touch with the seller!!!
and keep us posted
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

>>>>I took pictures and contacted the seller, but do you think there is any hope for the poor thing?

>>
>>

>>I'm sorry, I missed the part where you said you contacted the seller
What did he say?
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

Thanks all for the advice, unfortunately the little snake died a couple hours later I'm new to sexing, but I tried my hand at it post mortum, and it was one of the females, so at least I still have 1.1

I called the guy after the snake passed, and he was very accomodating over the phone, and said he will send me another one. It would be tempting to ask for a refund instead, but this is one of my favorite species and is fairly hard to come by... If this new one isn't healthy I will certainly be asking for a refund, and either way I will not be doing business with these people again...

In his defense the weather where they were shipped from is very hot, so if they had used a heat pack the snakes would have fried...

Also, with how far gone the snake was when I got it, I can't tell if the saggy appearance along the spine was due to starvation or massive body cramps/spasms... Either way, live and learn. I will not risk doing business with these people a second time.

Thanks again for your input
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1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas Nico, Tally
0.1 Amazon Tree Boa
1.0 Carpet X Diamond Python, Steve
1.0 Ball python, Stan (Rescue)
1.0 Blood python, Porthos
1.1 Baby Fox snakes
1.0 Northern Blue Tongue, Jabbi
0.0.1 Red Tegu, Sushi
1.1 Mali Uromastyx, Ajani (rescue), Goober
0.0.1 Egyptian Uromastyx, Ahktep
1.0 Leopard gecko, Frank (rescue)
1.0 Red eared slider, Spunky (rescue)
1.0 African mud turtle, Francois the Tortois (rescue)
1.0 African bullfrog, Grendel
1.0 Husband (WC) who approves of my addiction

Well, live and learn for sure. I once bought a pair of WC mandarin ratsnakes from a vendor a couple of years ago that were "feeding and acclimated". Both were dead within a few weeks. My replacement animals consisted of a trio of yellow ratsnake juvies and a pair of tree snakes that were rear fanged! EVERYONE that deals quite a bit over the internet will eventually get ripped off at one point or another. I agree with Doug and Jimmy on the refund, but understand your desire to acquire one of your dream species that may be hard to come by. I do doubt it was shipping trauma as the other two were not affected. Sounds like a bum snake was shipped to you and I would want my money back instead of another potentially sick snake. I personally sold a perfectly healthy baby corn to someone at a show which died in the cup. It was a few weeks old and had fed three times on F/T pinks before I did the show. I questioned if the person took the snake out of the show building and maybe left it in there car for awhile to grab lunch or something. A couple of my herp buddies at the show vouched for them that that was not the case and they never left the show, so I did the good guy thing and gave them a choice of replacement or MONEY BACK. The point being, sometime weird stuff does happen!!!

"EVERYONE that deals quite a bit over the internet will eventually get ripped off at one point or another."

Unfortunately I have to agree with Kevin. through the mail I'd received a large Blue beauty that had a serious lung worm infection that almost killed the animal and recenty a Red Tailed Green Rat the in the ad was spectactular.
Ya ok, what I got was emeciated and covered in sores. It had one abscess the size or your thumb on its side filled with dead tissue and puss. I happy to say both animals have made a full recovery (and sharpened my home veterinary skills in the process ).
One thing I may suggest when dealing with baby snakes that won't feed is to gently slide a snipped 1/4-1/2" piece of a mouse tail down its throat. That will usually get their appetite jump started to where they will feed on their own. It may take a couple trys though.
Mike.

I agree, sounds as if the snake never fed and was dehydrated to boot. Out of curiosity, what species was it?
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Todd Hughes

Western Fox. I volunteered at the local zoo starting in 5th grade, and they had a pair of Foxes, first snakes I ever worked with, so I've got a soft spot in my heart for them.
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1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas Nico, Tally
0.1 Amazon Tree Boa
1.0 Carpet X Diamond Python, Steve
1.0 Ball python, Stan (Rescue)
1.0 Blood python, Porthos
1.1 Baby Fox snakes
1.0 Northern Blue Tongue, Jabbi
0.0.1 Red Tegu, Sushi
1.1 Mali Uromastyx, Ajani (rescue), Goober
0.0.1 Egyptian Uromastyx, Ahktep
1.0 Leopard gecko, Frank (rescue)
1.0 Red eared slider, Spunky (rescue)
1.0 African mud turtle, Francois the Tortois (rescue)
1.0 African bullfrog, Grendel
1.0 Husband (WC) who approves of my addiction

>>Western Fox. I volunteered at the local zoo starting in 5th grade, and they had a pair of Foxes, first snakes I ever worked with, so I've got a soft spot in my heart for them.
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>>

well, if you have two healthy ones and they are going to replace the third, it's not all bad. It would be hard to accidentaly send a non-feeder but not impossible if in a hurry.
Since they are going to do the right thing let's hope that was the case and all goes well.
good luck
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____