Are they really this resilient?

[m1lkhoney]

My snake was dead. Like, dead-dead. Floppy, kind of cold, no reaction to touch. This went on for about 15 minutes; I tried to prepare myself for the loss of my best friend. But I decided to try two more things (and please don't get mad at me again; I was desperate) figured I had little to lose. I gently breathed into his mouth while massaging his body (ugh this sounds like a romance novel) and he started to twitch and tense up a bit from his limp condition. Started to sort of moved his head. Then I carefully used a blow dryer on low heat all over his body. He eventually started to move a bit and his body began constricting my hand again while flicking his tongue, so I put him in his enclosure. However, from the beginning of this debacle he has "seizures" if he's touched from the middle. Hard to explain but his whole body twists and flops. He's now climbing his tank wall which he never does; he almost always is in a hide.

Two issues: his respiratory infection mayve didn't clear up and I took my (old) vet's advice and put a few drops of tea tree oil in his humidity spray bottle to "naturally disinfect. Eye roll. He's going to the herp vet emergency room in an hour.

But im serious when I say he was LITERALLY DEAD AND I WAS WONDERING WHERE TO BURY HIM BEFORE HE ROSE LIKE JESUS. Is this why they live so long? So they can outlive you and eventually control our galaxy?

[Oxylepy]

You really need to get that snake to a vet. And possibly move it to a separate enclosure that's really clean, or really clean its enclosure and bring it down to a bare bones setup (hides, water, substrate).

You got its lungs working again, and kept it alive. You don't want anything else damaging its lungs or immune system right now.

[piedlover79]

Death is not always easy to determine! However I'm still very impressed that you got him going again. Hopefully he makes it to a vet. Good luck!

[Scotty1987]

Am speechless

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[redshepherd]

That's awesome that he still at least has a chance. I'm curious what the herp vet would diagnose.. Good luck!!

[voodoolamb]

These guys have really slow metabolism and can survive with much lower oxygen levels then mammals.

That's why they are capable of being shipped in deli cups. That's why they can stay under water for long periods. That's why it is not recommended to euthanized with C02.

My bet is your snake is in severe respiratory distress as evidenced by the post you made last night about the heavy breathing. Listlessness happens when RIs get dire. If there was still tea tree oil residue in the tank that could have been really bad. I use tea tree oil for various things with my other pets and tea tree oil toxicity can be devestating. Severe symptoms include, feebleness, paralysis, decreased consciousness, coma, tremors, seizures, and death.

I would insist that the vet take a blood sample. I'm not sure how tea tree oil would metabolite in a snake but I'm mammals it will elevate liver enzymes. Might be a good place to start to figure out if it is a case of poisoning. I would also insist on a culture if it is an RI to pinpoint the exact organism causing it so you can do a specific antibiotic instead of full spectrum (which tend to be weaker)

If the little guy makes it there may need to be a drastic change in your husbandry and handling practices.

But yeah. They can be pretty resilient. I worked in the exotics department of a big box pet store and have seen a few zombie / jesus snakes.

[voodoolamb]

Ugh. Sorry about the typos in the above.

[Jeanne]

Tea tree oil should never ever be used around reptiles nor should most essentual oils... Period.. None. Stop using advice from and old vet, that is an old vet for a reason. Take some time and read up the effect of things like tea tree oil and other essentual oils around reptiles.. And then read some more. Get that snake to a vet immediately, clean is environment properly..and quit w the oils!!! You are likely poisoning your snake w it.

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[m1lkhoney]

I took him to the vet. He's okay now.

[m1lkhoney]

I seem to have that effect on people.