Reptile & Amphibian Forums

These were posted on a different forum. I would show a link but I think that would get me banned. Anyway, whats wrong with the eye? Does this look like a retained eye cap?



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That probably did start from a stuck eye-cap or more, then progressed into retaining bacteria underneath it. This usually leads to a horrible infection and blindness quite often. Sometimes it can be drained if it isn't too far gone and be okay. But that looks pretty bad.

Whoever owned it should have gotten the snake to a good reptile vet way before it got to that point.

That's too bad that happened for the poor snake.

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

my website -Serpentine Specialties

If that were mine, at this point I would keep a big moist dab of antibiotic ointment ALL THE TIME on it just in case it can be saved by lubricating it and eventually sloughing off whatever old ocular lenses might still be stuck on there and treat any possible bacteria in the process too. It could "possibly" spring back into shape if the snake is very lucky. But the longer it goes with nothing done the worse the outcome as you would guess.

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

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Thanks, Doug. I'll pass the word on to the original poster of these photos.
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Sure thing Ross!...and thanks for doing that for the sake of the snake too bud. That is the LEAST the owner could do for the poor thing....know what I mean?

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

my website -Serpentine Specialties

the guy that posted it on the other forum isn't the owner. It's his sister or sister in law's snake.
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We wouldn't have 6 and a half billion people if you had to be beautiful to get laid.
6.6 African House snakes
3.2 reticulated pythons
.1 corn snake
4.2 Florida Kings
1.2 speckled kings
1.2 ball pythons
0.0.1 Argentine boa

Yeah, that is par for the course I guess.

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

my website -Serpentine Specialties

sadly. People see a pet that ain't theirs and they care more than the owner. Sad isn't it?

My vote is for better husbandry first and see what happens. The eye's probably shot either way though.
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We wouldn't have 6 and a half billion people if you had to be beautiful to get laid.
6.6 African House snakes
3.2 reticulated pythons
.1 corn snake
4.2 Florida Kings
1.2 speckled kings
1.2 ball pythons
0.0.1 Argentine boa

Yes I agree, it is very sad to see. And yeah, the eye is very likely shot already, but the ointment is at least worth giving it a whirl. As we all know, it is DEFINITELY shot otherwise. This is really it's only last hope.

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

my website -Serpentine Specialties

With no intervention on my part I've had snakes with worse looking eyes than that shed out to be completely normal.

I was going to say the same thing fox. I've recieved several snakes with way worse eyes and they shed out just fine. I remember one fl king inparticular that when I returned it to the owner he thought it was a different snake. In that case the place the eye should have been looked so bad I didn't think there was an eye there.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

WWW.TDSNAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM

Yes, there is no doubt that if there is only some dried layers of old ocular lens(brille) on the eye and no real infection going on underneath, that they can sometimes manage to shed it off eventually and be just fine. But I think the real point with the post would be to help it along and not neglect the issue to ensure that it does not permanently ruin the snakes eye. Wouldn't you agree?

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

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Hey Doug or anyone else, I was asked if topical anti biotic creams meant for people are safe to use on a snake. Any idea?
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I've used terramycin opthalmic ointment on many reptiles that came into my shop with eye problems including retained eye caps. I've also use Neosporin and Triple antibiotic ointment in treating bodily injuries with good results. These are all the same ointments we used when I was a vet's assistant back in the mid '70s.
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BigT
There is a difference between ignorance and stupidity. The ignorant can be taught, stupidity is beyond our control.
1.2 P. m. melanoleucus B/W N. J. Northern Pines
1.2 P. d. deppei Mexican Pines
2.2 P. l. lineaticollis Linis or Lined Pines
1.2 P. m. lodingi Black Pines
0.3 P. c. sayi Kingsville X Stillwater red bulls
1.1 Drymarchon melenurus Blacktail Cribo
1.2 D. corais Yellowtail Cribos
1.2 M. s. cheynei Jungle Carpet
2.6 L. p. pyromelana Arizona Mt. Kings
1.1 L. g. californiae B/W Cali kings
0.0.3 M. f. flagellum Eastern Coachwhips
1.2 G. m. bottegoi Western Plated lizards

Yeah, what Big T just said!......also, keeping the animal on a paper towel or newspaper substrate so it doesn't keep getting everything stuck to it and rubbed off would be a good idea too.

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

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I keep a tube on hand all the time and use it regularly on my snakes.

byron.d

Just thought I'd add to everyone else's post. Those ointments work extremely well. I have treated a Cal king that had open cuts, a crotalus with a damaged tail (idiot hit it with a golf club) and a leopard gecko of all things.
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Mark

Thanks a lot everyone. I passed the word to him and sent him a link to this thread for any additional info. The snake belongs to his sister and has shed at least 4 times since Christmas. Two of those sheds in the same week. He also had her add a moist hide place to the cage for now on.
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