Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm posting this in here because I need help ASAP.

Okay I hadn't posted earlier for a fear of being flamed, considering that quite a few of you don't like me because of my views on venomoids, and the fact that I am currently housing another sick snake.

Okay here is the deal. I bought a Green Tree Python hatchling from Underground reptiles on December 17, 2003, the snake arrived at my house on December 19,2003. The snake appeared healthy, and accepted water as soon as it was shown the water source. I let the snake be for a few days in its new enclosure (a 10 gallon tank) with a 1/2 inch PVC pipe jungle gym, a 100 watt heat bulb at one side, and tree bark as a substrate.

I messed up in the snakes care, and I take full responsibility...but with that being said, I would like to try and save this snake.

I offered the snake a frozen/thawed pink on 12/21 and the snake accepted it to my suprise. The snake was observed in a normal tree python pose on the jungle gym throughout the week.

I again offered the snake a frozen/thawed pink on 12/30, again the snake accepted it and was observed on the jungle gym.

Someone had told me that the Jungle Gym being 1/2" in diameter was too big for this GTP that is only about as fat as a pencil. So the next week I observed the snake hanging out on the rim of it's water dish, which is about the same thickness as the snake.

I again offered the snake a frozen/thawed pink on 1/6/04. The snake struck at the pink and missed, then the snake proceeded to come down off of its water dish to "persue" the pink. I again placed the pink in front of the snake and the snake struck at the pink and missed,(now here's the weird part) the snake then fell back into its water dish with its mouth open, and i think it took some water...I pulled the snake out of the dish as fast as i could, and the snake appeared to be fine. The next week the snake was observed only on the floor of the enclousure, he never went up into his gym..in fact he stayed on the floor with his head buried in the substrate for a few days...I notcied that the snake was turning darker and figured he was going into a shed cycle, and since I've never had a GTP before, I let him be...After a few days, i picked him up and noticed that he had broke the skin off of the front of his nose and that he was indeed beginning to shed, i put him back in the enclosure and let him be.

Now here is where I messed up. Whilst tending to my other snake that has mouth/body rot, I let this snakes water dish dry out for a few days and I didn't mist the snake. The snake appeared "dried up" in his enclosure, the skin was very dry and so was his enclosure, and he was not moving around much. His movements were lathargic, like those of a snake coming out of brumation...
Once I realized what i had done, i immediately misted the snake down and pretty much soaked his entire enclosure, and let him be for a day. The next day he appeared a little bit better, but fearing dehydration i called up Underground reptiles. They told me that he wasn't dehydrated, he was just needing help shedding, they told me to put him in a delicup with a wet papertowel and leave him there overnight. I did so, this was maybe 4 or 5 days ago. I took him out of the cup at night and placed him in his enclosure, the appeared fine. He was once again hanging out on the jungly gym and basking in his light.

Late Last night I observed him on the floor of his enclosure again, appearing "dried up" so i again proceeded to mist the snake. Today when i woke up, he was still on the floor of the tank, but as i checked him periodically throughout the day, and misted him, he was moving around.

Then just now when i looked in the cage, he again appeared "dried up" and was laying on his side. His pupils were also very large and his eyes appeared almost totally black(I assume this is because he hasn't shed his eye caps yet?)

So now here i am at 12AM with a very sick snake and not knowing what to do, i put him back in the deli cup with the wet paper towel and he has started moving around slightly, but not much?

What is wrong with this snake, dehydration? I'm out of options and i lost the number of a guy i met online who's friend was a herp vet...i don't know what to do? the snake doesn't appear amaciated so i dont think its starving, should i offer it food anyways? is there anything i can do?

Please help me..
Thanks for your time,
Ralph
-----
0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu
0.0.1 Baby Aru Green Tree Python
2.1 Bearded Dragon
0.0.4 Hatchling Bearded Dragons
1.1 Honduran Milksnake
1.0 Florida Brooksi Kingsnake
1.0 Blood Red Cornsnake
1.0 Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Desert Kingsnake
1.0 Western Hognose Snake
1.0 Bull Mastiff

::

Ralph,
i have no interest in flaming you but this is most urgent,your snake needs a veterinarian now!
Do you have a Herp vet to take it to?
Do you take any of your snakes to a Veterinarian when sick or do you always try to treat at home?
It's really important to establish a relationship with a herp vet so that when you have things like this happen you can take it to someone and not have to rely just on adivce from other keepers.
I have kept reptiles for many years but I'm not a Vet and not many of are,I can;t diagnose your snake or tell you how to treat it but something is definitely trribly wrong with it!
It sounds dehydrated to me,even an unshed skin shouldn't be dry and crinkly unless the snake is dehydrated and the enclosure itself is extremely dry or that it's so seriously retained that it's separating on it's own,the skin should retain moistness until it's shed,if it gets dry and crackly there's a problem,such as said above.
How high is the humidity in your enclosure?
It should be at a tropical range of 70-80 percent,do you have a humidity gauge?
How are you humidifying your enclosure,spray misting,automatic mister/fogger,water bowl,moss,plants,etc?
There is something wrong with your snake above just lack of humidity but it shouldn't be so dry either,I'm thinking your snake is severely dehydrated as well.
I would put her in a bowl of moist sphagnum moss or moistened paper towels,this will give her moisture to her skin without drowning a weak snake,maybe even offer her water through a plastic syringe tip or something that will drip lightly.
You must take snake to a Vet,your description sounds very grave and foreboding for the poor thing,I don't know if she will survive if you say she is lethargic.
Do you know of any emergency vets?
Whether they are herp vets or not they can maybe make a referral if they can't care for your snake,call them if you can and ask them what you should do or where to go if you don't already have a herp vet.
If you do have a herp vet to go to in the morning then keep her in the moss bowl,offer her water and keep her warm until you can take her in first thing.
That is all i know to suggest,without a Vet's help i don't think your snake will make it.
Keep us posted!
Keep in mind too that the dehydration is a symptom of a bigger problem,meaning it's probably not the only thing causing your snake's distress but one of the effects.

StormyHall
You should take her to a Vet immediately

StormyHall,

Thank you for your concern and trying to help me out, unfortunately when I woke up this morning the snake had died.

Although I think the snake was dehydrated, I think there was an underlying problem with this snake, when the snake accepted the water as soon as it was offered and proceeded to drink for a couple of minutes, it was a concern to me. I think there was something else wrong with this snake, someone else said it might have been had worms, and that Undergrounds snakes are known for that.

Either way, I'm very disappointed in myself and quite upset at this loss, but I just wanted to say thanks.
-----
0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu
0.0.1 Baby Aru Green Tree Python
2.1 Bearded Dragon
0.0.4 Hatchling Bearded Dragons
1.1 Honduran Milksnake
1.0 Florida Brooksi Kingsnake
1.0 Blood Red Cornsnake
1.0 Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Desert Kingsnake
1.0 Western Hognose Snake
1.0 Bull Mastiff

I seriously think you should contact the vet about a necropsy...
sorry for your loss!
-----

1.0 ball python(normal)Maximus
0.1 golden retriever Amber
0.1 dalmation/lab mix nikita
0.2 bettas

I don't see where you actually did anything wrong. You said you let the dish dry out once for a few days but that's really no crime. A healthy snake can go without water for a few days to a week without any real harm...unless there's something wrong already, which it sounds to me like there was. Anyway, my point is, it sounds like the poor snake had problems and you shouldn't blame yourself for it dying.

Does the person you bought it from have a guarantee?

I too didn't think that the few days would harm the snake to the point of dehydration. I don't know, I think there was something else wrong with the snake too, no way to know for sure now.
-----
0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu
0.0.1 Baby Aru Green Tree Python R.I.P. 01/26/04
2.1 Bearded Dragon
0.0.4 Hatchling Bearded Dragons
1.1 Honduran Milksnake
1.0 Florida Brooksi Kingsnake
1.0 Blood Red Cornsnake
1.0 Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Desert Kingsnake
1.0 Western Hognose Snake
1.0 Bull Mastiff