Posted by:
BillMcgElaphe
at Sat Jul 16 12:07:58 2011 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by BillMcgElaphe ]
Jonathan,
You did the right thing with the vet. Very good.
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However...
And this is rhetorical (you don't have to respond.)
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You need to evaluate your husbandry (the conditions in which you are keeping your snake.)
Blowing bubbles, mites, possible mouth infection, and the bites are often indications of a few problem areas.
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Bubbles and mites persisting are often an indicator of cage strata (and sometimes the air itself) that is, too cool and too damp.
A snake too cool and damp has lower resistance to fighting parasites, disease, and even rodent bites.
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There is nothing more fascinating than watching a snake hunt, catch, constrict, and swallow live food, but one of several down sides is, when a snake is weakened by other conditions, they are prone to injury.
Though rodents are mostly herbivores, the will eat meat when nothing else is available.
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Terrible story, but a lesson learned.
When I was young, I dumped 4 mice and a free hamster into a spacious cage with a large Black Racer. The Racer ate well regularly, but was not ready this time.
I left them together over night and, in the morning, there were:
two dead mice, half eaten from tail up,
..one mouse with no tail,
..one healthy mouse,
..and one healthy hamster.
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Still optimistic that the snake certainly is safe, I left them overnight again.
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Result:
..One dead mouse, half eaten from tail up.
..One 5 foot Black Racer – dead – lower ¼ eaten to the bone.
..One fat, healthy hamster…….
Lesson: all the warnings of not leaving live food with a snake are true.
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Bottom line on all this is that your vet may fix your animal, but if husbandry is not right, the vet will see it again some time in the future!!!
Good Luck….
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Regards, Bill McGighan
[ Hide Replies ]
- please help!!!! - jonathanbennett, Tue Jul 12 23:27:14 2011
- holy smokes! - DMong, Tue Jul 12 23:39:16 2011
 RE: please help!!!! - BillMcgElaphe, Sat Jul 16 12:07:58 2011
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