Well I'm sitting here watching my western ribbon snake die from thiaminase poisoning. He was captive born last August and fed live whole fish. This spring he started to show symptoms of thiamine deficiency, rolling their heads back up over their body. I bought a multivitamin (Herptivite) and sprnkled it directly into their mouths, followed by a couple drops of water. Within 3-4 days they were totally back to normal. Since then I sprinkled the minnows they were eating very lightly with the multivitamin, but started to slack off lately. Tonight I fed them and as he tried to eat started the backward spasms quiet suddenly. Even so he managed to eat 3 medium bait minnows, all of which I sprinkled with multivitamin. I hope I've been able to catch this problem in time (again). The Nerodia sipedon I've kept with the ribbons and fed identically have never displayed any of the symptoms. They have surely ingested at least a little of the multivitamin powder, but I wonder if they are more resistant then the ribbon?
Joe
