Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Wanted to share my progress with this 1.2 group I purchased a few months ago. I honestly did not fully realize what I was in for when I brought these guys home, although I purchased them knowing full well they were wild caught. I have heard horror stories with these guys but did not fully appreciate it. Well they crashed hard by the end of the first week. Mouths agape with bubbles blowing from there noses. Flagyll, Panacure, Batril, worms, parasites and the whole mess. I at one point expected to loose the entire group and I am so excited that they made it. A few of you guys and several trips to my vet helped me save them. I have them set up the same way I used to keep green trees and it worked out well. They love the elevated hides made from recycled fence pickets. They are parasite and worm free now and are actually eating on their own for the first time. They are extremely thin as you can see in the picture but should finally start putting on weight. If anyone ever decides to work with these guys I would do yourself a great favor and spend the extra money on a healthy captive bred animal.

Allen Sheehan

My friend has a CB animal and it is growing like mad and it is a spectacular animal. One of my favorites in an excellent collection and if I do get some it will have to be CB. Good luck with yours, hope you make it to producing some CB awesomeness!!

Jason

I totally spaced sending you the Baytril! Let me know if you still need it for future needs. I have 5 good eggs from one pair and hopeful the other female is gravid. Add to that 10 Mangrove Snake eggs from 2 clutches and next is an arboreal hatchling rack to be built this weekend!

Bill

Hey no problem on the Batryll. A complete stranger came thru for me on my local craigslist for 20 bucks. I swear you can find anything an craigslist..

Allen Sheehan

Its rough I know and your lucky to have saved them.
I went through the same thing with a large blue beauty. Open mouth breathing, weezing, bubbles, it was lung worms. Panacur and antibiotics saved him and others as it managed to spread to others in my collection.
Some others were not as lucky.
He has since been dosed with flaygl to and is bigger and badder than ever but there has been a lasting effect from the lungworm infection that the vet told me to expect. The lung worms cause some damage that does not totally heal. Even though he is outward healthy eating extremely well you can hear some wheezing when he breathes. You probably can expect that too from yours.

I also followed up the flagyl with probiotic dusted of the frozen thawed mice. The flagyl kills the good bacteria with the bad so the probiotic helps the snake regain a healthy balance again. It also cures a regurge problem quite effectively while boosting appetite. I also have a RTGR and while it didn't get ill as the beauty it was very thin and full of open sores when I got her. With like treatment she is 100% now.
Mike.

Yea I spent a month or so pumping meds into these guys. All the while they would not eat. I took fecals to the vet and he called saying they are just loaded with bugs. The bubbles and wheezing was no mistake either. So far I do not hear any signs of labored breathing but it is still very very early for these guys. At this point I am jumping up and down just to see them finally eat on there own. I had to assist feed all of them a few times as they were just emaciated by the time I got them and then getting all out sick. My heaviest one is 6 foot and only 375 grams. I have another that is 5 foot and 295 grams. To pit it in perspective I have 3 corns that weight more then this. It is really sad to look at in person. But then again they are now eating so I am not complaining.

Allen

Thanks for the tip Allen! I always subscribe to that rule, but keep in mind, it's people like you to do what you did, to add new blood and keep the gene pool fresh in captivity! Congrats!

Yea thats a good point. I would like to breed them but that is a ways off yet.

That is a fabulous outcome to a somewhat risky venture as you mentioned. If that were to happen to most hobbyists those snake's would have certainly have been doomed!

Congratulations Allen!!!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Thanks Doug. But to be honest I made a rookie decision that day. I saw these gorgeous green rat snakes and made an impulse buy. I have brought in wild caught dozens of times with very little issue. This I have to say humbled me a little. Not to mention put a small dent in my snake budget once it was all said and done.. LOL
oh well

Allen

Doug,

Did you warn him about the personalities of wild caught Gonysoma? LOL. I hope he has lots of iodine & gauze!
I owned a 6 footer back in 93. One of the scariest animals I've ever handled! LOL

Matthew

LOL Yea that is another thing I have learned the hard way. These guys will draw blood quickly.