Sounds like you need to start your own veterinary clinic! We have started using Fortaz with excellent success but Baytril or Amikacin will get the job done. These medications are typically injected IM approx. 1/3 down from the head. I have found that the best way to give a shot to a large python is to first place it in a large bag (you will need two people). Have one person put gentle but steady pressure over the entire snake while the person giving the shot opens up just a bit of the bag to find the "target" area. Once the shot goes in, the person holding the bag/snake down needs to put a bit more pressure as the snake will fuss a bit. This has worked well w/out having any bites. In terms of mouth "rot" (not a great term, but I know what you are talking about), swabbing the affected area out with a weakened betadine solution once or twice a day for a few weeks will usually do the trick but antibiotics may be necessary as well (and BTW; there are some oral baytril antibiotics but I haven't personally used them). Much of these problems you describe are due to poor husbandry. Burms need spacious enclosures, warm/humid conditions (day temps should range from 78-80 cool end to the mid to upper 80's warm end with a basking area that reaches 90-92 deg F.; night temps shouldn't fall below 78-80 deg F.), clean water and a proper diet. If you have any additional questions please feel free to email me directly.
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL
>>my pythons are suspected to have RI they are now under 40watt red incandescant bulbs.
>>i don't live in the US and we don't have any legit reptile vets here. i heard of 2mg/kg of amikacin or is it 5mg/kg of tylan. wanted to be sure first before doing anything.
>>also, those this need to be injected or is it ok to be administered orally? if injected, intramuscularly or subcutaneously? where exactly should i inject them, they said on the area of 1/3 of the snake? 1/3 from the head or from the tail? any exact instructions? is nebulizing also better than injecting?
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>>then for mouthrot? sometimes i encounter this from retics, burmese, bloods, greentrees... i just swab out the white mucuos, then what...?
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>>then, on redtail boas, encountered this one time, the boa is emaciated then when i get to hold it, the skin can off like i was removing a condom... what causes this and can this still be medicated/healed?
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>>in a tropical country, how much or what's considered the minimum number of vents in a python/colubrid enclosure? for arboreal pythons? as it is humid here, newspapers and a water dish is ok. but i have experience that ground pythons can do well on a smaller container but arboreal snakes need more room, ventillation and still humid.
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>>thanks and all the help will be much appreciated
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL
