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My mud has developed a skin infection in the last 3 days and now has 150 or so affected sites. I considered changing him into a drier (or more acidic) substrate but the rapid spread of the 'blisters' leads me to believe that the infection is throughout the snake with visual symptoms only on the skin. In that case would it be better to leave him in his current (more 'natural') substrate to reduce stress and then treat him with Baytril? Perhaps Antibiotic Ointment on the skin? Or a substrate change and antibiotic? Could Baytril be damaging to an emaciated snake?

The infected scales are white and raised posteriorly, normal towards the head. They seem loose. They do not appear in clumps, rather in iscolated, random scales over the entire body.

I tube fed 20cc of catfood/bloodworm/vitamine sludge this morning. About 5cc came back up. This is no doubt stressful but I can't see him fighting the infection in his current state.

I've raised the teperature to 88-90F to aid digestion and boost the immune system. I had kept him at 82F previously.

Any suggestions?
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"I'm tired of being a wannabe bowler! I wanna be a bowler!!"
-- Homer Simpson

Hi there:

Do you know about the tea trick?
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DAVE

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Sorry to hear about your delema with the mud snake, however there are too many blisters at this point to hope for a remedy. And those high temps will contribute to more blisters as will the stress of tube feeding. If you obtain another mud snake, perhaps you may consider obtaining the muds normal prey item such as baby eels or dwarf sirens beforehand or have a frozen siren reserved in your freezer to scent pinkies as tube feeding eventually leads to stress induced blisters on these delicate and fragile snakes.

>>>There are too many blisters at this point to hope for a remedy.

I'm worried that you might be right but hopefully not.

>>>And those high temps will contribute to more blisters as will the stress of tube feeding.

I've dropped the temp to 85F, I'm reluctant to go lower becuase I want to have a good chance at proper digestion and with lower temperatures comes a less active immune system.

>>>If you obtain another mud snake, perhaps you may consider obtaining the muds normal prey item such as baby eels or dwarf sirens beforehand or have a frozen siren reserved in your freezer to scent pinkies

If this mud dies then I will wait untill others meat with considerable success before trying another. It would also be a good idea to start with a baby rather than a sub-adult. I have some Amphiuma tridactylum that I've scented several different prey items with, but have not been met with success. Obscure southern amphibians are difficult to find in Canada.

>>>tube feeding eventually leads to stress induced blisters on these delicate and fragile snakes.

The blisters had already appeared when I tubed for the first time (yesterday). Normally I would reduce stress for a sick snake but I believe this one is too thin to recover without feeding.

Thank You for your reply.
Cam
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"I'm tired of being a wannabe bowler! I wanna be a bowler!!"
-- Homer Simpson

I have kept several mud snake happy and healthy for several years and many other people have been sucessful with them and scenting with a frozen siren works best if not a siren itself. Someone is selling them on the amphibian classifieds forum so check it out. Also, dozens of biological supply companies can ship you a frozen specimen if not live? You did not mention if your Amphiuma was frozen but there is a BIG BIG difference in the slime you can get from a live or frozen specimen, frozen being very slimy. And wash and wash and wash the pink and even freeze the pink first for this somehow works much, much, much, better? Also, if you get a baby again, keep it ONLY only damp or slighyly wet spagnum moss and put in one flat rock and place the scented pink on the flat rock once a week and it will be gone within 3 minutes of lights out. The moss with make the ph in the perfect range. Also, blisters are associated with heat regardless of the situation. Mud snakes live deep in the mud in cooler sections covered by shade and trees, hence although you warmed its enclosure for digestion, it is used to digesting meals with temps in the 70's. I had some eating unscented rat pups at one point. They are beautiful snakes. Good Luck.