Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My WC corn layed her clutch, then went lemp for days. Wouldn't move an inch for days, so I felt I needed to make her shed ( placing her in warm water an gently helping her ) ( her eyes were very cloudy). Well now she is more active but has a viscousy ( slimy ) grey snotty substance on her eyes. HOPPY thinks it is probably that the eye lense wasn't fully developed yet and infection has set it. What should I do , their is no vet in my area they will mess w/ snake eyes ( I called around within 40 miles ). What should I do? PLease help me.

Of course this is only based on what you tell me and I have no first hand knowledge of your snake. But I do think that you shedding the snake uncovered the eyes too early and that the infection set in (as I said before) But with that in mind you have to realize that the eyes are a mucus membrane area and an infection in them will quickly become systemic. It is not like a skin infection that is mostly topical and can be treated with creams. This will or is in the blood and will start to affect other areas.
It is not the eyes specifically that the VT needs to treat, it is the infection. More than likely the snake will already be blind if the infection has gotten this bad and his eye caps were removed prematurely. A snake that does not have sight is not a huge disability though and if the infection is cured that snake can and will survive well in captivity. In fact it can still breed and live a normal healthy life. But the infection needs to be cultured and the proper antibiotic needs to be given.
If you do not have a VET in your area that normally works on Herps, you can go to the public Library, check out Dr. Mader’s Guide to reptile medicine and bring it with you to the VET’s office. In that book any Vet will be able to get the correct dosage of the available antibiotics for the weight of your snake. The Vet will already know how to do the culture, it is a first year med school procedure.
If you just have no way to treat the snake and can not bring the animal to the Vet, the snake should be euthanized. I know it sounds harsh but there is no need for the animal to die a slow death due to an untreated infection.
This of course is my opinion and I strongly recommend that you get others.
Please let me know if there is any other info I can provide to you to help this girl out.
Good Luck
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Jim Hopkins "Hoppy"
Hopkins Holesale Herps
Hopfam1@aol.com

I just got through a problem with one of my ratsnakes that makes me think, you really need a vet. My snake went AWOL, found her 2 months later in the 40* side of the cellar. Seemed fine for a week then started going limp, opened her mouth and it was black and smelled bad, she developed blisters. She had gone septic. Over a month of treatment later....including a round of baytril that held her even but not better, and two sets of Tazicef...a godsend that made immense differences. She is now eating and gaining and looking almost normal. Okay, she is still growing over a nose sore...that seemed to be a sinus infection.

Personally, I would find a vet. Without good drugs I really think she is gonna linger, but not improve. Unless I am missing some posts that she is eating and improving other than her eyes. (which I might be, given my ADD)

Basically though I would think that something that seems "small" can be big or go big fast. Be awful for her to suffer or for you to lose her after all the work you have done. Is there a university near you that might have a vet option? I have the 'luxury' of Cornell if I need it.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron