Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a juvenile corn, (6 months old). She escaped from her enclosure and was missing for 9 days. I ripped up carpeting,moved appliances and found her after 9 days with some scratches and a ugly wound to her bottom jaw. A tendon/ligament/muscle..something is exposed. I initially thought it was just a deep scratch and treated it with neosporin and warm water soaks. The wound doesn't look infected or smell infected. She drinks,she does jaw stretching post feeds, she has eaten twice and I force fed her once since she's been back. The exposed tissue was not an issue until this shed. The she was on week four of a usual 6 week shed schedule. During the shed she somehow has dislodged this tendon from her wound. She fed twice unassisted prior to the shed and I thought I was in the clear i forced the last feeding after disinterest in meals since this tendon thing has been exposed. The tissue moves and with neck movements and bottom jaw movements. The closest vet that accepts snakes as patients is an hour away and my initial visit he thought my hognose was a corn,and gave me snake care advice he printed offline..so I'm not confident he'd tell me anything you experienced keepers couldn't. I'm willing to put her in the freezer after all reasonable efforts are exhausted. I was hoping that a good feeding schedule,warm temps, and wound cleaning might lead to recovery. My concern is with the food refusal now, but that may be affected by a cold snap in my area that cause temps to plummet. I have increased temps in her habitat to maintain temps in the high 70's to mid 80's, but I wonder if the temp change outside might have something to do with the refusal? I have pictures of the snake and wounds, but I don't know how to attach them to this post...if anyone knows how I will do so. Thank you for your advice!

I meant to include that when she escaped she was on week 4 of a 6 week shed cycle.

Sounds like you have two options.

1 drive further for a good herp vet.

2 keep treating the wound with antibacterial ointment and hope for the best.

Remember that reptiles in the wild will sustain horendous injuries and survive. If your snake is in good overall condition and has good body weight it should be able to heal.

Unless your snake is under weight I would hold off on force feedings. If it wants to feed go for it. Other wise let it rest and heal. Snakes with good body weight can easily go weeks or months between feedings and be just fine.

Best of luck,
A
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1.0 BP Nicodemus
0.4 Cal Kings 3 alb 1 het Dora Queen Ace Pearl
2.0 Alb Corn Bizaar Elixir
0.0.1 Rev Alb Nelsons Oden?

It appears the shed aggravated the injury. I have seen this happen in both snakes and lizards. The wounds looked fine then reopened after shed. Eventually they healed from the inside out and no longer affected the animal. Since the snake was feeding OK prior to the shed and reopening of the wound, I would leave it be and keep up the home treatment. If its a deep wound, it may just require more time to heal from the inside out until no longer affected by the surficial shedding of old skin. Force feeding could potentially cause non repairable damage, so I would avoid that. Keep it warm and treated, then eventually if the wound heals sufficiently again, the snake should eat. Just be aware it may take SEVERAL sheds and diligent treatment to keep the wound clean and infection free before its no longer an issue. Dont give up hope yet, just keep doing what your doing and be patient.

>>It appears the shed aggravated the injury. I have seen this happen in both snakes and lizards. The wounds looked fine then reopened after shed. Eventually they healed from the inside out and no longer affected the animal. Since the snake was feeding OK prior to the shed and reopening of the wound, I would leave it be and keep up the home treatment. If its a deep wound, it may just require more time to heal from the inside out until no longer affected by the surficial shedding of old skin. Force feeding could potentially cause non repairable damage, so I would avoid that. Keep it warm and treated, then eventually if the wound heals sufficiently again, the snake should eat. Just be aware it may take SEVERAL sheds and diligent treatment to keep the wound clean and infection free before its no longer an issue. Dont give up hope yet, just keep doing what your doing and be patient.

Good point about healing inside out. I was picturing something sticking out...hence the close the wound suggestion.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

Even if something is sticking out, the wound could still heal and the exposed tissue, bone, etc. would just eventually wither and sluff off. It may cause problems, and I dont think the animal will ever heal to be completely normal. But, if it heals enought to survive and thrive on its own, then thats pretty cool. I caught a very large grey rat a long time ago that had a MAJOR gash across the front of its face and across its lips. It was very well healed, but permanently disfiguring. Looking at the severity of the scar, I was surprised something could have lived. From the looks of the scar, the top lip/jaw had to have been completely split in two from tht tip of the snout to midway of the eye. I can guarantee you it did not affect his ability to eat or bite LOL!!

>>Even if something is sticking out, the wound could still heal and the exposed tissue, bone, etc. would just eventually wither and sluff off. It may cause problems, and I dont think the animal will ever heal to be completely normal. But, if it heals enought to survive and thrive on its own, then thats pretty cool. I caught a very large grey rat a long time ago that had a MAJOR gash across the front of its face and across its lips. It was very well healed, but permanently disfiguring. Looking at the severity of the scar, I was surprised something could have lived. From the looks of the scar, the top lip/jaw had to have been completely split in two from tht tip of the snout to midway of the eye. I can guarantee you it did not affect his ability to eat or bite LOL!!

I agree. It is a tough one with a pet but I too have seen scars on WC milks, garters or waters especially that must have been devastating wounds. One milk looked like he had been ripped nearly in half...spine at an angle half way down his body. He was fine. I kept him a few months to see if he ate and all and he thrived. Makes you wonder how they survive the initial healing and still hunt.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

Yeah, I can see them selecting areas that would keep them cool and not burn up reserves, but I assume that would also delay healing. I guess they do what they have to and hopefully survive with enough resources to feed again, or persish. Luck of the draw that they heal quick enough before starvation I quess.

I would raise the temps in her cage to upper 80's. At least 84 to 88. That will also help in a quicker healing and may do wonders for it's appetite. Also offer it very small meals. Tiny 1 or 2 day old pinks to kick her in gear. Good luck with it!
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

thank you for the advice well wishes. It's reassuring to hear that aside from the one force feed you all think i'm doing the right thing.

Pictures might help. My only other input is that if it is an open wound you MAY (and not something I put out there willy nilly) but you MAY be able to superglue it. I would NOT do this to something internal but if it closed an area that was exposed and gaping. ....

Personally unless she is totally losing weight I would NOT force feed her. That is totally stressful both emotionally and physically and not conducive to healing.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

Thank you everyone for your advice. I'll not force feed again unless she looks to be losing weight. I know it's a stress to force feed. I did it as quickly as possible while still being gentle and with as minimal handling as I could. I just really thought that this extra nutrition might benefit, but I won't do it again. She is in very good body weight still. I have been monitoring the wound and apart from being open again the flesh looks healthy.
I have pictures on my desktop...but can't seem to figure out how to upload them to the message here? If someone could advise me on how to do that I'll post pictures.

I would not force feed her period!!! Like I replied earlier, you do not want to stress her or possibly worsen the injury and cause permanent damage that would make feeding on her own impossible for good!!! If she looses weight and will not resume feeding on her own, chances are she would starve to death regardless. If the weight loss gets too bad, you may have to make a decision to euthanize her. I hate to say its natures way, but she would prosper or perish in the wild under the same terms based on her ability to recover or not to feed again. Like Jorge suggested, offer smaller meals to see if she feeds on her own, but I would not force feed.