Arguing with the vet close to me

For starters, my brother who's living with me has a Super Pastel male, who's about 3 years old. For the last week just about, he had bubbles, and mucus coming out of his mouth. So, I thought RI. I don't have time to take my brother's pets to the vet, so I had my mother take it and I paid for it. The snake is kept in my room in a rack with my fiance and I's three BPs. My mother calls from the vet, says they asked what it was kept in, what bedding, heating, etc. Pretty normal questions, until I hear the vet going on and on about how no snake should be kept without full spectrum lighting, no bedding other and newspaper or paper towels, and that a rack system should only be used by breeders because they constantly move snakes that they sell. The reasoning behind the rack thing was the most idiotic thing I've ever heard: "You can't keep the temperatures constant, and any pet should be kept in it's own separate glass enclosure." Sounds like what the pet shop guy said when he tried to sell me a 40 gallon for a 300 gram male of mine. The bedding I understood to a point, with mulch and such but not things like aspen, reptibark, etc. Anyways, without doing a culture or anything, they threw him on antibiotics for a sinus infection. My mother didn't care to get me a printout of what the name of the medicine is, the cost, etc. So when he goes back for another injection I'll have to get that. He's now in his own Rubbermaid tub until he's healthy, then back to the rack. What's everyone else's opinion on this? I for one am finding a new vet.

My opinion is that vets who don't know anything about snakes shouldn't agree to see them, and charge money for bad advice.

Also, if your brother won't take responsibility for his pet, it is not your problem.

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Originally Posted by distaff

My opinion is that vets who don't know anything about snakes shouldn't agree to see them, and charge money for bad advice.

Also, if your brother won't take responsibility for his pet, it is not your problem.

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Some people just like helping animals.

You need to find another vet not based on husbandry disagreement that is not the important but based on the fact that meds were prescribed without a culture.

Not all vet are specialized in herps and if set in their own ways chances are you will get nowhere.

I agree!

Sounds like this guy is not keeping up on snakes.

From his point of view, dealing with wounds and diseases, paper towels and newspaper makes sense, to keep bacteria from breeding. But that is either for sick snakes or personal preference.

I would only use him/her for emergencies or if no reptile Vet was available.

New vet time. Ball pythons (most snakes) do not require full spectrum lighting of any kind. Breeders may 'move their snakes' but they tend to keep their good breeding pairs for years and years at a time in their rack systems. My ball pythons eat better when they are in tubs as opposed to tanks.

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Originally Posted by Terrified of snakes

For starters, my brother who's living with me has a Super Pastel male, who's about 3 years old. For the last week just about, he had bubbles, and mucus coming out of his mouth. So, I thought RI.

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Sounds like an RI to me!

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Originally Posted by Terrified of snakes

The snake is kept in my room in a rack with my fiance and I's three BPs.

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No problem (but get that guy into Q before the rest of the kids pick it up)...

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Originally Posted by Terrified of snakes

I hear the vet going on and on about how no snake should be kept without full spectrum lighting, no bedding other and newspaper or paper towels, and that a rack system should only be used by breeders because they constantly move snakes that they sell. The reasoning behind the rack thing was the most idiotic thing I've ever heard: "You can't keep the temperatures constant, and any pet should be kept in it's own separate glass enclosure."

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Sounds like this vet has limited exposure to exotics... just enough research to form an opinion, not enough to form a well educated one.

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Originally Posted by Terrified of snakes

without doing a culture or anything, they threw him on antibiotics for a sinus infection.

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When we got our boy Killer on antibiotics, we didn't do a culture - the vet said that 9 times out of 10, the full-spectrum AB would take care of it, but if he didn't clear up, we could do a culture (which is an additional hefty cost) to pinpoint the problem and put him on specialized ABs. Sounds like your go-between made the right choice with the limited information she had. But with that kind of attitude, I would certainly look into finding an Exotics vet, with more knowledge about BPs.

It's amazing what vets can do. They can save lives, improve quality of lives, but then say things that make no sense. Around here they are great vets, but recommend science diet, which is junk food. I would look for an exotics vet.

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Originally Posted by bpfirsttimer

Some people just like helping animals.

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I would actually be more concerned about fostering a responsible mindset in my younger brother. All we have is the one paragraph to go on, but the back-story the OP provided sounds like a very frustrating situation, both in what was clearly stated, and what was implied.

Why was the snake residing in the OP's rack? Had the brother obtained the animal before acquiring the proper equipment?
Had the snake come down with symptoms of an RI because it had been kept under conditions of poor husbandry?
What, is the younger brother doing, if anything, to take responsibility for the care of HIS animal?

I am not asking the OP to justify his reasons, nor give any more mitigating factors to the background.

In a similar position, I might have chosen to help the snake too, but only with clear understanding that in doing so (as this brother doesn't seem to be stepping up to the plate in ANY way), it would be MY animal.

I've decided to look for a dedicated herp vet, even if it's a bit of a drive. I'd rather spend more gas money than take shots in the dark honestly. Also, so far of all his reptiles, I've taken ownership of three. Probably soon to be five most likely. My mother has a bad habit of paying for his things, which lately has been snakes. So far I've bought a Black Pastel, a Normal, and a Bearded Dragon from him. The Super Pastel, after arguing with my mother that the vet's husbandry opinions made me laugh, and that I wasn't going to follow the whole UVB thing, is under my ownership now. I went out, bought a heat pad, and a Rubbermaid tub to keep him in quarantine for now. The reason it was in my rack in the first place was because I went in to feed his snakes when he was gone for a few days, and that one didn't have a heat lamp, or a heat pad on it. His logic was that because it was next to another tank with a heat lamp, it would be warm enough. Obviously not the case. Recently he's gotten a sub adult Boa Constrictor Imperator, and a Reticulated Python, both my mother's doing. At this point, he keeps snakes for a month or so and is bored of it and either sells it to me, or doesn't mess with them except necessities. It's basically a case of him not needing any animals to take care of, but wanting and then my mother happily getting them for him. I've made it clear since he got the Retic that there would be no more animals brought in unless they were mine or my fiance's, since we can actually take care of ours.

No offence ment but someone that acts like that has absolutely no place owning any live animals let alone a reticulated python, thank god those aninals have you around to rescue them... Looks like you maybe a future retic owner

Oh boy. I hope you like retics...

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Originally Posted by Terrified of snakes

I went out, bought a heat pad, and a Rubbermaid tub to keep him in quarantine for now. The reason it was in my rack in the first place was because I went in to feed his snakes when he was gone for a few days, and that one didn't have a heat lamp, or a heat pad on it. His logic was that because it was next to another tank with a heat lamp, it would be warm enough. Obviously not the case.

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Props to you for taking in the critter but he should have never been put into your rack, anything new goes into QT well away from your established, healthy critters. I'm guessing your brother's snake got the RI from being too cold for too long and he was sick when you brought him home, he just didn't show symptoms for a while. That snake needs to stay in QT for at least 90 days after he stops showing symptoms. Hopefully the antibiotics work.

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Recently he's gotten a sub adult Boa Constrictor Imperator, and a Reticulated Python, both my mother's doing. At this point, he keeps snakes for a month or so and is bored of it and either sells it to me, or doesn't mess with them except necessities. It's basically a case of him not needing any animals to take care of, but wanting and then my mother happily getting them for him. I've made it clear since he got the Retic that there would be no more animals brought in unless they were mine or my fiance's, since we can actually take care of ours.

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Does your mother understand just how large retics can get?

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Props to you for taking in the critter but he should have never been put into your rack, anything new goes into QT well away from your established, healthy critters. I'm guessing your brother's snake got the RI from being too cold for too long and he was sick when you brought him home, he just didn't show symptoms for a while. That snake needs to stay in QT for at least 90 days after he stops showing symptoms. Hopefully the antibiotics work.


Does your mother understand just how large retics can get?

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That's what I'm thinking about the RI as well. As for it being in my rack, the only reason I was okay with putting it in there is because the snakes have all seemed fine, and the idea was to keep it warm. Had no clue it was sick at all otherwise I would've just bought heat lamps and brought the tank out of his room. Also, my mother now knows how big a retic can get. Earlier today I took her on a trip to a friend's house, and let her watch us get out his 12 ft male, and had her watch me feed it a rabbit. She regrets it now. She said he told her it wouldn't get much bigger than a BP. She's agreed not to get him anything else without my permission.

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Originally Posted by Kokorobosoi

Oh boy. I hope you like retics...

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I like them, very much so. But, I have a 6 month old daughter, and with how big retics can get, there's always a chance of one getting out no matter how careful you are. Until she's a good bit older, it's only going to be BPs and lizards for me. The only way I'll be keeping that retic is if I can figure out somewhere to put it where she couldn't access it. Right now my rack and my dragon are in the bedroom, so a retic at full size is a no go.

I can suggest a custom wooden enclosure... two openings, one from the front and one from the top. Use at least 1/2 min plexiglass, solid wood, and heavy duty hardware. Set a clasp into the lid(s) that can be locked with a padlock. Use screws, not nails. The top access point would help prevent any tagging or direct interaction for feeding and maintenance. The front panel is for spot clean, or maintenance once the baby is old enough to know better.

If you happen to have a long bed pickup truck and about... three? friends.... I have the perfect solution for you, Im in Jersey :) If you can show up you can have it. All it would need is a padlock.

Anyways, good luck. :)

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Originally Posted by Kokorobosoi

I can suggest a custom wooden enclosure... two openings, one from the front and one from the top. Use at least 1/2 min plexiglass, solid wood, and heavy duty hardware. Set a clasp into the lid(s) that can be locked with a padlock. Use screws, not nails. The top access point would help prevent any tagging or direct interaction for feeding and maintenance. The front panel is for spot clean, or maintenance once the baby is old enough to know better.

If you happen to have a long bed pickup truck and about... three? friends.... I have the perfect solution for you, Im in Jersey :) If you can show up you can have it. All it would need is a padlock.

Anyways, good luck. :)

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Would be nice, but I'm in Kentucky and drive a short bed S10 lol. Probably wouldn't work. Either way, I'll figure out something with it like I have the others.

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Perhaps you should suggest to your mother that the retic be rehomed ASAP, especially if your brother loses interest in it. They are much easier to move around when they are young than when they get up to adult size.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Perhaps you should suggest to your mother that the retic be rehomed ASAP, especially if your brother loses interest in it. They are much easier to move around when they are young than when they get up to adult size.

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That may very well be happening. He begged me to come help him clean it's tub yesterday. He got it under the impression that it was hook trained, and it obviously isn't from what I saw. The first few days it was really tame, now that it's gotten comfortable, it's showing it's true colors. I took a small bite from it getting it out of it's tub, and handling it while he cleaned. So, only time will tell but unless he can get it hook trained, or at the very least take care of it by himself until it gets some size, it'll be re-homed.

Oh dear. A retic is not easy to train once the handler is intimidated by it, which it sounds like the brother is. Rehoming is the best option for everyone involved at this point. It'll just get harder with every inch.

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Originally Posted by Yodawagon

Around here they are great vets, but recommend science diet, which is junk food.

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Oh if only @Anya could see this post.....

ANY time you get a new snake, even if it "looks" healthy, it should always be quarantined in a separate room if possible away from the healthies. Better safe than sorry, and it's a lot cheaper treating one RI in the long run, as opposed to one for each of your snakes :/

Good luck. I can't imagine being in your situation, and can only hope your family starts listening to you.