Feeding after antibiotics???

[Linda]

Could someone tell me please how long before I can feed my ball python, Camille, after she has stopped being given oral Baytril for a slight upper RI?
I was told it affects the digestive flora so I need to find out how long before
she can be fed again.
Thank you.

[gncz73]

hi linda i wish i could help . but i never used that yet but i would say right away if she's hungry she'll eat and if not she won't.

[Adam_Wysocki]

Oral Baytril is a hard, stressful road for ball pythons.

I would wait 2 weeks after the entire course is complete before offering food. I'd still keep her very warm and leave her alone.

-adam

[Linda]

Adam and list members,

The vet, who really didn't know snakes very well, wanted her on a 21 day treatment of oral Baytril, 2ml per day.
I gave it to her for 9 days but I have since stopped.
I was told she should be given shots by some folks and others that she was too young for shots and others that I should just use high heat to heal her.
She just had a minor RI, just several wheezes and one or two clicks.
I caused it by keeping her humidity too high since I got her.
I now know better.
She hasn't wheezed in days, did a terrible shed. I had to run water over her and she is very good about that. Let me get all her shed off of her with no problem.
So I don't know if she is stressed or not.
BUT, she is a baby, only weighed 226 at the vet and is about 9ish months old, if that.
She hasn't eated for almost three weeks now. At that weight, can she go another two weeks without eating?
Or do I put her back on the Baytril for another two weeks and then wait two more weeks to feed?
I just really love this little girl and want to do what's right for her but don't want to hurt her any more as my ignorance before did.
I was thinking that I would just watch her closely for any more wheezing and if she did then put her back on it. She had no bubbles or spit or mucous coming out of mouth or nostrils either.

Hope this makes sense and you and maybe others can give me some good advice. The vet is useless.
Thanks.

[SatanicIntention]

For animals, we usually prescribe a 12-14day run with the antibiotics, just to make sure the illness is gone. Reptiles heal much slower, and 9 days really isn't long enough to do much good. Take heed to what the vet said and keep on with the meds. The snake can go quite awhile without eating and will be just fine. Even if she isn't clicking/popping/wheezing now, the bacteria will still be multiplying in her body, and can overrun her before you realize it.

Not giving antibiotics will do more harm than giving them. If you don't beat this now, she could end up having recurrent RI's for the remainder of her life. What I have used that works great is injectable Baytril given orally. You give a smaller dose and it works just as well, usually better than when given as it is supposed to(injected).

Even though you caught the RI early, doesn't mean that the antibiotics don't need to be given for the full amount of time. It's even more important to give them the entire time, so the bacteria doesn't come back.

Is she thin? Spine showing? A triangular look to her body? When you do a skin-pinch test, is she dehydrated(on her side where there is some skin, lightly pinch a fold between your fingers and see if it "tents", if it stays tented for more than 3 seconds, she is a little dehydrated)?

It's the same way with children, even if they aren't showing signs anymore, you still give all of the antibiotics prescribed, since you know they will get sick again if you don't. Same thing with snakes, and they are much slower healers, which is why the vet gave such a long treatment with the Baytril. I hope you continue with the meds until they are gone. Also be sure to keep her temps spot on(94-95 warm and 83-85 cool) and humidity low. You can reduce her stress by covering her cage with a dark sheet or covering the glass sides with cardboard. Try and keep the room as quiet as possible. Hope this helps a little bit, and let us know how she does.

[Linda]

Ok, Becky, I just gave her the antibiotic again and will finish it all.

She is thinner. She now weighs 218 grams and she was 226 at the vet's office.
Yes I can see her spine and it looks triangular. I don't see ribs yet but
she feels very light.

In your experience and anyone else's who would please post, do you EVER
feed while on antibiotics? If so, will they regugitate due to change in digestive flora from antibiotics? I know that regurging is not good for them and I don't want that to happen to her.

Has anyone fed and NOT had them regurgitate?

I was wondering if I fed her a tiny pinkie if that would bother her or would anything cause problems?

So many people tell me snakes can go so long without eating. I am aware of that as I have a 4 year old corn who just went over 4 months and is now eating again. He got very thin but he is much older and had flesh to lose.

Sudan is a muscular guy as he is a fantastic eater and I just got him about two weeks ago. I just fed him again and he snarfed it down. He could afford
to go two more weeks without food which is what I have been advised to feed him on that schedule anyways.

But Camille is or seems fragile to me.
The vet did mix cod liver oil with the oral baytril so she would get Vit. A.
Does that matter or will it help at all?

I wish we had a snake vet close by. Closest one is a 3 hour drive each way.

What about liquid vitamins? Would that help or do I just have to face the fact that she has to go another week or two without food and just keep losing weight? How low in weight can she go before she would start having major health issues?
Thank you to Becky and everyone else who answers me.

[frankykeno]

Linda, I don't have a thing to add or advise to give, just reading this thread I feel for you and your worry over Camille. Just sending our best wishes on Camille's speedy recovery.


~~Joanna & Mike~~

[RobertCoombs]

Your going to be much better off waiting, let the meds do their job. Feeding now will put more strain and sress on your snake and digestive system and if she does regurge you have only complicated matters. once your done with meds your going to want to feed small meals for a few weeks to get the digestive system back in order

[SatanicIntention]

Just as Robert mentioned, antibiotics kill off ANY bacteria in the body, even the good stuff. It doesn't know better It's best to wait until the antibiotics are gone to try to feed, so the snake can slowly start building up the good bacteria in their gut again. Smaller meals are better, and if she was on large adult mice or smaller rats, try a few small mice the first few feedings, making sure she doesn't regurgitate anything. Keeping her stress level down is the main concern.

You're doing an awesome job taking care of her. I'm with Joanna on this one, sending many well wishes your way

[Linda]

Thanks to Joanna, Robert and "Becky for your posts. I truly appeciate your kind words and your good advice.

So on with the antibiotic and hopefully sweet Camille won't lose too much more weight.

She has only been eating small hoppers up to now. She had been a picky eater for me as the pet store fed her live but told me she ate f/t. They finally admitted it to me, as a mistake, when I called them frantic because she hadn't eaten in over a month after I got her home. Now I heat those f/t up in hot water and right before I offer it with the tongs I dip it in extra hot water.
She now takes them.
So I'll probably offer her large pinks and then fuzzies first.

Once off the antibiotic, should I wait another week to feed or just a couple of days?