Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My bp is on antibiotics for a RI right now. I just don't seem to have enough hands though. I hold her head in my left and open her mouth and inject with my right. It would almost work, but she pulls her body over her head. It took several tries to hold her and get it in. Any suggestions like an easier way to control her body?

Tuck its body under your arm. They are a pain to medicate by yourself....Very strong.

Or sit down and put its body between you legs.
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CB

beat me to the reply lol
I do the same thing, it's the only I can do them alone.

TomChambers

I'm not sure about why you say you open the mouth???

I have two techniques :

1) Send the tail/body (depends how big the snake) under an armpit, and hold the head/neck with the same hand that has the tail/body under that arm. You need to inject into the front third of the body so I use the other hand to inject. Amikacin burns so upon injection is when mine start to struggle.

2) Similar to the first technique. From a sitting position I hold the tail/body between my knees; one hand holds the head/neck the other injects.

I find that being fast is best, not negligently, just get it over with.
Also, I inject with needle at an angle maybe 45-60 degrees pointing towards the front to get under a scale. I hope that makes sense.

Good luck,
TomChambers

Thank you. It's an oral antibiotic so I use a syringe with no needle.

ok, I didn't think that was common anymore(that really sucks to do), I did that route using the same techniques. I only inject now it is soooooooo much easier.
What meds are you giving, just curious. I've breached the client doctor relationship with my vet, and I like to discuss stuff other doctors prescribe.
Thanks,
TomChambers

BTW if anyone else out there reads this, do you inject or are oral meds still common, just curious.
Thanks

The hardest part is flushing the tube. I used to keep a second syringe with 3 or 4ml of water ready to flush the meds through the tube after they were injected. switching the syringe was the hardest thing to do alone.
Sorry about my confusion the word injection and RI threw me off. For some reason my mind only went one way.

have fun, j/k
TomChambers

Its byatril 0.1 ml a day

The vet said I need to let her know if the pb stops eating. Is that common with RI- a lack of appetite?