Hey everybody, I'm Josh from Jacksonville Florida. Have a few snakes, Ball Python (King), Dark brown red tail (Dusa), and a new burmese baby, unnamed at this point. He is the main reason I am posting instead of just lurking. I purchased him on Friday the 24th, from a Pet Supermarket here in Orange Park. He was/is dehydrated bad, all of his skin was loose. I soaked him a few times, and he has drank each time.



The pet store that I purchase my rodents from has a guy that is pretty knowledgeable. While I was in there purchasing him his first meal, he noticed that the snake wasn't moving at all. He asked if it was sick acting in the pet store I got him from. He also stated the snake is smaller than even a newborn burm, and the pet supermarket claims to have had him for 2 months, feeding him pinkies every week. When I hold the snake over 1 finger, he doesn't try to move his back end to get comfortable. When he is out of the cage he rarely moves. Inside the cage he doesn't move. He finds a comfortable spot, and stays there until I move him again. I put him into his water dish this morning and he hasn't moved in 12 hours.



The people at Pet Supermarket, where I purchased him, said that he was an aggressive feeder, and that they never had problems with him eating. Going along with what I've heard about burms, I bought him. I purchased a small mouse, and offered it to him 3 diff times. Twice during the day, and once late in the night after all the lights were out. He kept refusing, so thinking it might be the mouse, I bought a pinkie. After refusing that twice, I finally took him to Adam at Pet World (knowledgeable herper) to have him force fed. He spit it out twice, and after getting it all the way down, he has accepted it.



Now when I purchased him, he was skinny as could be, and flappy skin. It has been a week since I got him, he's looking a little more plump, but still skinny. I just saw a picture of a burm baby on someones hand, and I have big hands, but he is no where near the size of a new born. I am a little worried about him. Adam said I should attempt to get my money back, but Pet Supermarket isn't wanting to do it. I've thought about getting the store credit and getting them to order me a new one, but I just can't give up on this little guy.



My questions, if you have made it this far.. Does anyone have any experience with a malnourished and dehydrated burm baby? Has he come through? Will he ever accept food without being force fed? Should I give him back and try a better quality snake? How should he be acting? When will I be in the clear with him if I decide to keep him, which I will probably end up doing?



I have been down this road with my red tail, and an afrock. My red tail has come through, and is striving. The afrock made it through the sickness til he was around 8-9 months old. He then began refusing meals, after 3 of them, he regurged his final meal. A week later he passed on. I thought he was doing good, which is why I am curious if the burm will make it through. Any help is greatly appreciated.



Josh

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