Are they really this resilient?

Gotcha. Glad I could clarify. :)

I will share - twice I have had ATBs appear to be dead and I was able to 'bring them back'. Snakes can be very resilient.

It was the early 2000s, I had moved to Vegas. Having all sorts of humidity problems. This particular ATB was in a screen top tank. I totally missed multiple times that her water had gone empty. This was 100% my fault. I came in and she was in her empty water bowl, upside down. I pulled her out and she was non-responsive, not breathing and appeared to be getting stiff. I knew she was dead. It was my first ATB and I was very distraught. I was getting ready to put her in a ziplock for disposal but just couldn't give up on her. I got a tub of warm water and submerged her, then started trying to straighten her out and massaging her. She very slowly appeared to come back to life in my hands. I could not believe it, she was alive.

Second time was last year. I was feeding some boas and happened to glance behind me. After thinking about it, I can see what happened, amazon was in her (semi heavy rock) hide. They always come out to see what's going on when I am in there. She must have gone up into the branches and anchored her tail on the opening of the hide and lifted it. Then coming down and around back to the front, put her head under where the hide was lifted and let her tail go to hang onto the branch. What I saw when I glanced behind me was my amazon twisted up with her head and 1/2" of neck caught under the hide, her neck and head was swollen as the hide had cut off all air. I freaked and yelled for the b/f, grabbed her out of there and was holding her as she was completely nonresponsive and upside down. I cupped her head in my hand and started blowing trying to give my snake CPR. I had the bf get a tub of warm shallow water (since this worked with the other one) and once I had breathed for her for a bit and the swelling was down, I put her in the water and started making her body swim in hopes it would get her going. Also took a bit but she finally had a really long slow tongue flick and 'came back to life'. It took a while for her to regain muscle control, at first it was just the head and neck, then eventually it moved down her body and she was able to move again. She had seizures the next day. I worried there would be brain damage from the lack of oxygen (shaking or loss of motor control). She is fine now. I have also removed all heavy hides from my ATB cages.

Very scary and I thank my lucky stars I caught them both in the nick of time. If I had been 10-20-30 min later on either one, I expect they would be dead. I still get shaken up thinking back on it.

I wonder if the tea oil caused the seizure in your BP? I hope he continues to improve and good luck with him!

Wow, that's quite a story! I'm very glad your snakes are okay. Seeing them lifeless is so scary and it's nice to know I'm not the only one who's been reduced to trying CPR...

I am almost sure it was the tea tree oil. I actually got kind of mad at it and shoved it in the back of the medicine cabinet.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by redshepherd

That's a diagnosis! Glad to hear he's doing okay and on antibiotics.

We were thinking fishy, only because there is no way for a snake to be nearly dead/ill to the point of seeming lifeless, and then to "okay" within the same day. Seeing a vet doesn't cure on the spot, but it brings a diagnosis on what the issue was with the animal and a process over time of what you have to do to cure it. So hope that makes sense. Your posts just now explained all we wanted to know!

---

Yes, this. Couldnt say it better.

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by m1lkhoney

I am almost sure it was the tea tree oil. I actually got kind of mad at it and shoved it in the back of the medicine cabinet.

---

Please, whatever you do..do not ever use tea tree oil or any other kind of oil including essentual oils and scented oils you warm in burners near or in same environment as a reptile... Not ever. They are poisonous most of the time to reptiles.

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk