Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We found a baby kingsnake in our pool. He is a California Kingsnake and about 12 inches long. He was near death when we found him and was barely moving at all. The local snake expert told us that he was "toast" and should be euthanized. He told us two symptoms showed neurological damage, the fact that he would not right himself when turned upside down, and the fact that he curled up / turned his head to the left when handled or bothered. He even offered to take the snake and have his vet euthanize it, but we took it home just in case.
We put it in a terrarium and gave it water, and after a day it was still alive and seemed a little more alive. I force-fed it a pinkie and waited 3 days. After 3 days it was acting more "normal" I think. When turned upside down, he would now immediately right himself. He still occasionally curled to the left when handled but not very often. We force-fed him a pinkie again today.

My question is, do you guys think we should keep trying to nurse him back to health? Does the curling up to the left mean he is neurologically damaged? He seems more energetic and is sort of exploring his cage now. I have never had a snake before so I don't know how they shoudl act. Please give any advice you can, thanks. I'd love to see him grow up to be a healthy snake but if he is too damaged then maybe it is best to euthanize him. How can we tell if he's OK?

I think you've answered your own question.

You said he now immediately rights himself if placed upside down whereas when you first rescued him he wouldn't. And you said that his tendency to curl to one side has lessened over the past day or two. That is sign of improvement. If he improved at all over the time since you found him, chances are he will continue to improve. Both of the symptoms you listed are signs of neurological compromise but, just as in people or any other animal, sometimes it can return to normal.

Considering the improvement you have seen thus far, I wouldn't even consider euthanasia an option at this point. If improvement stops or his condition begins to worsen, then you might reconsider. I think your snake expert's assessment was a little premature.

Just continue to provide supportive therapy and see if he comes around in the next couple of weeks. You might try assist feeding instead of force feeding if he won't take food on his own.

Thanks for the help. I don't know how to assist feed, could you maybe give me some pointers? Also, how can I "teach" him to eat pinkies on his own?

In force-feeding, generally the food is mechanically forced into the snake's stomach by means of a feeding tube/catheter or some device such as a "Pinkie Pump".

In assist feeding, you simply take the food item, such as a pinkie, and gently work it into the snake's mouth and patially down it's throat. At that point the snake will usually take over and swallow it the rest of the way.

What I would do is take the snake a place it in a small container, such as a deli cup (with some small holes punched in it for ventilation), along with the pinkie and leave it alone for a day or so and see if it eats on it's own. If it doesn't then I would go ahead with assist feeding or force-feeding if necessary. I would try this every 4 or 5 days until the snake eventually starts feeding on it's own.

OK, I will try that (deli cup) next. I don't have a pinkie pump or anything like that, what I have been doing is holding the snake, putting the pinkie in its mouth, and pushing it in with my fingers then using the back of a ballpoint pen to push it in a little farther, then when the snake can close his mouth again, massaging the lump until it is about 1/4 way down the body. I hope that's OK. I'll try to get him to eat on his own next feeding.

Also, he is VERY skinny. Is it OK to feed him twice a week to fatten him up? Any advice? Also, do you think he would eat on his own twice a week or would he not be hungry yet?

What you've described is "textbook" assist-feeding.

If he'll eat twice a week there's certainly nothing wrong with that. I wouldn't assist-feed more than every 4 or 5 days because of the stress involved.

Personally, to me it sounds like his primary problem was complete exhaustion from trying to keep afloat in the pool. I'd say keep going with him.