Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My snake is fine, he pulled through the RI no problem.

He was sick for about a total of ten days, just like the herp store people told me. I had added the extra heat, and he clung to the cold corner of the cage, avoiding it. But I just covered the top of the cage and forced the issue with the heat, I knew it was good for him. There was one day where he was bad and was struggling to breathe, and I said I'd take him to the vet if it got any worse. But the next day he was just ever so slightly better, and I hung in there and monitored him every day. Soon he shed his skin, coughed up a great deal of green phlegm in his water dish, and today I fed him some hard boiled egg until I can get some frozen mice.

You know, everyone was telling me to take him to the vet, and annoyed at me saying that I would end up with a dead snake. But you know what, I trust the store, it's not where I bought him from. And secondly, no one really knows my snake like I do. You can't tell me a vet knows exactly how sick my snake is better than I do. I raise more than just this one pet. I knew when the time to take him to the vet was. He came close, but the morning after that bad night I knew he'd get better. I also knew if I had to take him to the vet it wasn't too late at all.

Sigh, flame away, lol.

Seriously, thanks for your concern everyone.
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Mark Martinez
University of Florida

Unless you have the lab equipment to do a fecal or bloodwork, I have to say your statement about knowing more about your snake than the vet is wishful thinking (no insult intended). Many problems in animals are not readily visable to the amatuer till they have reached a serious level. At that point a quick analysis is critical to save the animals life.

I have almost thirty years of experience working with hundreds of different types of reptile and still get fooled by the occasional mystery illness/death. It can happen very fast. Taking a snake the vet can be costly but then so is losing your animal.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

I hope you don’t take this too personal and alas I can find no nicer way to put it, but I find what you did, letting that snake suffer for days is very irresponsible. Snakes purposely do not show disease or sickness unless it is really bad. That is one of their defenses against predators preying on a sick or injured animal. The fact that your snake was obviously sick as an example “coughed up a great deal of green phlegm”, and the fact that you could hear the snake wheezing just goes to show how sick he really was…or is.

The fact that you took the responsibility as a pet owner to take care of this snake and did not and as of now still haven’t is just beyond my comprehension.

Do you self a favor, take 30 bucks (if that much) and an hour and go to the vet. Its cheap insurance
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Jeff
0.1 Wife
1.2 Kenyan Sand Boas
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas
0.1 Doberman
1.0 Pitbull
1.0 Collie

Yes you and that "pet psychic" on Animal Planet (channel) are very unique and talented. My guess is your snake is still sick it probably needs a round of antibiotics yet you are to proud or ignorant to go to the Vet. You are a poster child for why some people should not keep snakes. Seems a little harsh to say that but you are simply irresponsible.

Keith
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