I broke my own rule and wandered into the reptile section of PetSmart Monday while buying a frozen rat for my adult BP and found a baby BP, the smallest I have ever seen. I spoke with the "reptile expert" who told me that the snake does eat but hasn't for a couple weeks. I said he needed help, asked if they would take to a vet to assess if assisted feeding is necessary and the response was "that will just stress the snake out" and "the vet is far away." Anyway...I couldn't sleep that night and went back yesterday morning and brought him home. I asked for the records to show the vet if needed, and found out he had been there six weeks and hadn't eaten once. They were offering only pinky mice once a week. No records from breeder about age or previous feedings (or lack thereof).
His skin is hanging in spots but belly is not concave. Skin is shiny, no retained shed/eyecaps, eyes full and bright, no dents. Active.
I got him home and into a nice warm enclosure and offered him a F/T small mouse later that morning and he ate it without hesitation. I have left him to digest, only bothering him to check enclosure temps a few times a day and to make sure he didn't regurgitate the mouse. and to make sure that he's still alive.
I'm wondering if there is anything special I can do to help him increase his chances of recovering. Since there is little body fat, should I increase temps above normal BP temps? Can he handle eating every 4-5 days like a normal baby, or would that stress him out during recovery? Or should I feed more often to help put on weight?
Here are his settings:
Weight - 55 grams after feeding
In Sterlite tub with 2 hides, water dish, empty paper towel roll and UTH under 1/3 of bin.
Substrate - paper towels
ambient warm side - 88 degrees
cool side - 78-79 degrees
surface temp on warm side - 92-93 degrees (digital probe thermometer)
Water dish
hot/cool side temps are taken with temp gun
Pics:
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
Thanks for any advice...i wasnt planning on another snake but I just couldn't leave this little guy there, it was obvious that nobody cared about him. I've just never cared for one this small/underweight before and want to make sure I do this right.