Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all,

Haven't posted in a while, but am wanting to get together your best advice for this issue...

First off - This is NOT my snake!
I don't know this person, I'm just trying to help someone who obviously needs the advice of some seasoned ball keepers.

I would like to get your best advice and then compile it into a response to this persons post.

So... here's the OP, (sorry it's long):

We have 2 year old male ball python that when we got him the people who had him, had tried to feed him a hampster which attacked him and caused several nasty scars up and down his back. They told us he had not eaten in 6 months but that a veterinarian had told them this is ok. We took him (free) and when we tried to fee him he ignored it completely.

We have now had him for a year and a half and he has not once eaten on his own, we've tried
Mice: Pinkies, Hoppers, Fuzzys, Adults.
Rats: Pups, fuzzies, Hoppers (to small for adults)
Hampsters: Pinkies, Fuzzies and Hoppers both live and prekilled.

We've also tried smearing the blood on the food and my least favorite the brains on the food. He wont take them. We had to resort to force feeding. He's large enough to eat a full grown mouse but I of course couldnt get that down his throat so I had to switch to forcing him a prekilled Fuzzy 2 times a week. This is encredibly stressful on the snake and many times he throws it up if I dont help slide it down.

Just yesterday we took him out and discovered he's very very week and dehydrated we gave him as much water as he would take and a little bit of blue gatorade but he threw up the food a couple times and it stressed him really bad. I'm going to try today to give him a pinkie which is almost redundant since its so little food but he must have something since he doesnt get even half the amount he needs.

Does anyone have any ideas what I can do?

We had a suggestion of Taking a syringe and filling it with blended chicken livers, hearts, eggs(farm raised so no salmonella) and minced rat pup(gross) and sliding the syringe as far into his throat as possible and pushing it down I'll try it if other people tell me thats safe to give him. We know the chicken would be fine as far as bacteria because if the chicken eggs or the meat has salmonella the chickens would have died but its that kind of food ok for him?

Please help we dont want him to die we've worked so hard to keep him alive and i'm willing to force feed him for the rest of his life if its necessary.
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Allison

.2 adult normals
1.1 08 yellowbellies
1. 08 pastel DH albino clown
1. 08 DH caramel glow
.1 09 het orange ghost
1. 09 pinstripe

Did the vet say anything was noted upon examining this animal? Did the vet do a fecal exam on this animal?

My thoughts are, if you are going to force feed this animal, it should be with a feed tube and a mix of substantial nutritional value such as baby food gatoraid or pedialyte,with vitamins and maybe some flagyl. You can also use prescription diet called A/D diet by Science diet available at the vet's office.
Did you give him a hide box and under tank heat?

You have a serious condition here when it has been so long since the snake has eaten. You should take the animal back to the vet.

Susan
susan@ssnakes.com

Was this snake only 6 months old when it was bit by the hamster? Or was it two years at the point you took him in your care and hasn't eaten for the last year (or the care of the original poster, I mean).

The OB should post his setup, if his setup isn't correct, that could explain why the snake keeps regurgitating and refusing food. If that is perfect, then a vet trip is needed. A vet at least can give him nutrients via IV...to hopefully give the snake a boost, then tube feed a little...the digestive system is probably all messed up for fasting for so long. Checking for parasites is a good idea too, and giving him something to ensure his gut flora is healthy to ensure good digestion once food does get into him successfully.
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PHLdyPayne

Thanks for the replies,

I had already sent an e-mail asking if the snake was currently under vet care and if the vet had done a fecal or if there were any other health issues. I also has asked for clarification on the exact age and timeline of events. Along with a request for a detailed description of the setup.

Unfortunately the message came back as undeliverable as the OP had pulled the post.

Thanks anyway guys.
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Allison

.2 adult normals
1.1 08 yellowbellies
1. 08 pastel DH albino clown
1. 08 DH caramel glow
.1 09 het orange ghost
1. 09 pinstripe
.1 09 mojave
.1 09 het clown
.1 09 het caramel albino

I have left pre killed/frozen thawed overnight with a troubled feeder once. He took it over night. I have also tried it with another snake and it didn't work, so you could try it, but I can't promise anything.