Rescued burm need some advice

So I recently acquired this poor little albino Burmese python from a complete idiot. It's so thin and looks like it's never been fed. I was able to get it to eat once and it was more then happy to bite my finger to try to get the mouse. Which I figure is a good sign. And she also has mites but that's easy to handle. My question is how often should I feed her? I figure I should go slow at the start till she gains a bit more weight and then offer bigger food items. The pictures dont look as bad as she really is. Any advice would be appreciated. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...37bd68e570.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...db100a5bbd.jpg

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

I would def go slow. Prey items on the small side every 10 days or so until it starts to put on some weight and fill out. Fresh water. They bounce back quick. Glad to see it ended up with someone who cares.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cletus

I would def go slow. Prey items on the small side every 10 days or so until it starts to put on some weight and fill out. Fresh water. They bounce back quick. Glad to see it ended up with someone who cares.

---

Thanks! That's what I was thinking. I have a good feeling about her. Shes got a good food response so there is that at least

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Toasted Hippo

Thanks! That's what I was thinking. I have a good feeling about her. Shes got a good food response so there is that at least

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

---

That's great news. I would say rehydration is just as important as food at this stage. Good luck!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cletus

That's great news. I would say rehydration is just as important as food at this stage. Good luck!

---

I agree, and especially because of the mites. Getting rid of them will help...delaying could mean her demise.
Remember that digestion requires hydration, so feed small for quite a while...hydration is actually more important.
Glad she's eating & in someone's hands who cares...she's pretty, just go slow & minimize all stress. Good luck! Poor snake...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I agree, and especially because of the mites. Getting rid of them will help...delaying could mean her demise.
Remember that digestion requires hydration, so feed small for quite a while...hydration is actually more important.
Glad she's eating & in someone's hands who cares...she's pretty, just go slow & minimize all stress. Good luck! Poor snake...

---

Thanks. I made sure she has water, I've only had her 3 days so shes got a ways to go but I'm confident she'll be alright. I've got some small little fuzzy mice that I'm using to feed her.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Get her on frozen thawed rat pups ASAP, and feed every four days to get some weight going....then every 5-7 days. You do NOT want a mouser Burm and they can be pretty difficult to switch to rats once on mice. Albinism can alsio add feeding problems in Burms as well sometimes. If all she'll take hs mice, then use them to pack on weight but then keep trying to make the switch.

A majority of hydration is provided via prey items by the way.

I disagree about 10 days and very much disagree about going slow to start, the snake is underweight and in the hatchling stage, breeders feed every 5-7 days on a normal schedule. Also recomended by world of Burns, which is a group of about 20 Burm breeders. I respectfully wish people who have never owned one would research before giving advice in scenarios like this. These are not BP's and Colubrids, they have extremely fast digestive systems in this stage.

Good on you!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KevinK

Get her on frozen thawed rat pups ASAP, and feed every four days to get some weight going....then every 5-7 days. You do NOT want a mouser Burm and they can be pretty difficult to switch to rats once on mice. Albinism can alsio add feeding problems in Burms as well sometimes. If all she'll take hs mice, then use them to pack on weight but then keep trying to make the switch.

A majority of hydration is provided via prey items by the way.

I disagree about 10 days and very much disagree about going slow to start, the snake is underweight and in the hatchling stage, breeders feed every 5-7 days on a normal schedule. Also recomended by world of Burns, which is a group of about 20 Burm breeders. I respectfully wish people who have never owned one would research before giving advice in scenarios like this. These are not BP's and Colubrids, they have extremely fast digestive systems in this stage.

---

I fully agree with this. Baby burms process meals very fast. A 5-7 day schedule is fine.

I would also suggest offering the prey wet/damp if she'll take it that way, to help with hydration.

Get the mites sorted ASAP.

She is beautiful.
Best of luck with her.

Congratulations on your new burm and thank you for taking in one that needs extra care. I’ll second the advice to feed every 5-7 days to put some weight on her as well as getting her on rat pups or weanling rats at the earliest opportunity. The albino burm I had was started on mice and was difficult to get switched...multiple mice per feeding is a pain. Your girl is probably pretty hungry and may not be as picky right now.

I’ve had two other snakes that were rescues (ball python and Colombian rainbow boa) that I received in poor condition- dehydrated, severely under-weight, etc. Both of mine were seen by my vet who prescribed a supplement to dust onto their rats due to their poor condition. Not sure what that product was any more since that was over 20 years ago, and may have been unnecessary, but my bp in particular was in very poor shape and we both wanted to give him every opportunity to recover and thrive. I’d say it worked because I’ve had him for 26 years. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dianne

I’ve had two other snakes that were rescues (ball python and Colombian rainbow boa) that I received in poor condition- dehydrated, severely under-weight, etc. Both of mine were seen by my vet who prescribed a supplement to dust onto their rats due to their poor condition. Not sure what that product was any more since that was over 20 years ago, and may have been unnecessary, but my bp in particular was in very poor shape and we both wanted to give him every opportunity to recover and thrive. I’d say it worked because I’ve had him for 26 years. :)

---

There is a reptile probiotic powder called NutriBAC that helps debilitated critters, or those coming off of a course of antibiotics, to re-establish good gut flora. Perhaps that was it.

Dusting a pinch of the powder onto the burm's damp f/t feeder certainly wouldn't hurt.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

There is a reptile probiotic powder called NutriBAC that helps debilitated critters, or those coming off of a course of antibiotics, to re-establish good gut flora. Perhaps that was it.

Dusting a pinch of the powder onto the burm's damp f/t feeder certainly wouldn't hurt.

---

I don’t think this was a probiotic, or at least not that alone. It was more of a nutritional supplement (extra protiens, vitamins, etc.) due to the poor body and muscle condition of my bp. The goal was to pack as much nutrition into each feeding as possible.

The girl who had him was intentionally under-feeding him so he wouldn’t “get 6 feet or more”...her words. He was 2 when I got him but didn’t have the body mass or length appropriate for his age or species. It still makes me angry to think about such stupidity. :irkd:

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I mostly work with ball pythons so I just wanted to make sure I get info from people with more experience.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dianne

I don’t think this was a probiotic, or at least not that alone. It was more of a nutritional supplement (extra protiens, vitamins, etc.) due to the poor body and muscle condition of my bp. The goal was to pack as much nutrition into each feeding as possible.

The girl who had him was intentionally under-feeding him so he wouldn’t “get 6 feet or more”...her words. He was 2 when I got him but didn’t have the body mass or length appropriate for his age or species. It still makes me angry to think about such stupidity. :irkd:

---

People who buy big snakes and under feed them so they stay small are morons. If they want a small snake they should get a small species of snake.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Toasted Hippo

People who buy big snakes and under feed them so they stay small are morons. If they want a small snake they should get a small species of snake.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

---

Unfortunately, this was a small snake she underfed...ball python. :weirdface

I’ve had two burms. The first was a foster because social services made a good friend get rid of her 13’ burm when she got custody of her 6 month old granddaughter. They didn’t mind the boas and colubrids, but wouldn’t allow costody transfer until the snake big enough to eat the baby was gone. My second was an albino burm that I had from a hatchling for 16 years.

Thanks for rescuing her. She deserves love.

Well done she's a pretty girl too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KevinK

Get her on frozen thawed rat pups ASAP,

I disagree about 10 days and very much disagree about going slow to start, the snake is underweight and in the hatchling stage, breeders feed every 5-7 days on a normal schedule. Also recomended by world of Burns, which is a group of about 20 Burm breeders. I respectfully wish people who have never owned one would research before giving advice in scenarios like this. These are not BP's and Colubrids, they have extremely fast digestive systems in this stage.

---

WELCOME Burm Bro [emoji106][emoji2533][emoji106][emoji2533][emoji106][emoji2533]
I agree get her on Rat pups ASAP. The heck with Mice.
I do say start slow with feeding and dont feed large items because she is obviously dehydrated and her insides arnt use to digesting much. Ive seen a burm hatchling underweight and not taken care of Prolapse because of to much food being pushed when their body wasn’t use to it. Thats a whole other problem I’ve seen follow a animal for years once its happened. Theres nothing wrong IMO with starting slow, once they defecate and get back to normal bump to a normal feeding schedule. I go every 7 days on Hatchling burms.. once they’re 5- 6 months i go every 2 weeks. Others feed more but im old school and always will be. Some people say guys like me are trying to make our Giant Constrictors small, thats BS. Im trying to grow these snakes as they do in their normal habitat and I’m not talking about Florida who seems yo have a buffet in the Everglades. Burms in Vietnam are not 9’ and thick as Jay Cutlers Bicep at 18 months. (There is always a exception of course)
Enjoy the little guy and please start a Progression Thread and list it under my Members Progression thread so the other Burm owners like kevin and I can follow you. Also check out my FB Group if you have a page. [emoji106][emoji2533]
Find The Progression Threads. Members Reptiles.
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sha...9&share_type=t
Burm FB Group.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/870502199821484


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Having dealt with injured/sick/rescued snakes a few times over the decades, my experience feeding wise is pretty much what has been described...7 to 10 days. Mice vs rats? That would be the least of my concerns. Find what it will eat right now and worry about any transitioning later. In addition my go to for rehydration of a snake is Pedialyte. Inject the rodent with fluid by using an insulin syringe. Not to the point of where it is next to exploding but you will be surprised how much fluid you can inject. To this day I still inject a small vitamin supplement into my rodents prior to feeding on an infrequent basis. I know, I know the internet jury has already decided vitamins are not needed for snakes but right now I think your little guy could use all the help you can give him. My snakes have always appreciated my deafness to the internet jury especially Loki, my Granite Burmese Python.

I agree with Momokahn about the importance of extra hydration by injecting water or Pedialyte. Severely dehydrated snakes cannot digest until they are rehydrated,
and the last thing a snake in this condition needs is to regurge a meal...even a small one.

In rescues like this, I would also inject some reptile vitamin/mineral powder too, or else pack a little of the powder into the rodents mouth...that way you don't need
to use a syringe or try to dissolve it so it doesn't clog the needle. (if you go the injection route, get liquid vitamins)

How is it going so far? :please:

Soooooo given this beautiful little snake is so dehydrated I'd be tempted to give it a 30 minute soak ??

I've only had a quick look through all the replies and nobody seems to have mentioned it . I've taken over a couple of dehydrated snakes over the years and a soak makes an massive difference.. immediately afterwards they look much plumper and seem more 'alive' .

Any thoughts ??

Apologies if I've missed something.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Snake is doing good! I got rid of the mites but I'm gonna treat her one more time just to be safe. I gave her a rat pup 6days ago I believe and she ate that, plus I've been giving her fresh water and just letter her be for the most part. I have a good feeling she'll manage to make a full recovery without any problems. She was definitely starved of food/water and in a enclosure way to big.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Toasted Hippo

Snake is doing good! I got rid of the mites but I'm gonna treat her one more time just to be safe. I gave her a rat pup 6days ago I believe and she ate that, plus I've been giving her fresh water and just letter her be for the most part. I have a good feeling she'll manage to make a full recovery without any problems. She was definitely starved of food/water and in a enclosure way to big.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

---

Thats great. I look forward to following a progression thread on her. Burms are my fav even though I have a couple others that are good girls here [emoji106][emoji2533][emoji108][emoji2533][emoji216]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zincubus

Soooooo given this beautiful little snake is so dehydrated I'd be tempted to give it a 30 minute soak ??

I've only had a quick look through all the replies and nobody seems to have mentioned it . I've taken over a couple of dehydrated snakes over the years and a soak makes an massive difference.. immediately afterwards they look much plumper and seem more 'alive' .

Any thoughts ??

Apologies if I've missed something.

---

I totally agree, thanks! I meant to suggest that as well- (I got sidetracked somewhere?) Not to mention that it helps by drowning any missed mites. ;)

Gonna feed her tomorrow and get a newer pic of of her. She already looks much better after 8 days

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Forgot to get more pics of the little girl but I did get this one. If you compare it to the first couple picks there is already a big difference in how she looks.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...18317447af.jpg

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

looking forward to watching this lucky girl progress into a giant beauty. [emoji4]

She really starting to fill out now! Shes a fiesty lil one. I've been more times in the past month from her then I have since I started keeping snakes lol.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...648ad8490f.jpg

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

"No good deed goes unpunished..." or so they say? ;) I hope she'll settle down, that's no way to say "thanks!"
She's GOT to be feeling good, she looks SO much better already. :gj:

You have done great with her. Keep up the good work and keep the pictures coming.:gj:

This is great news!! Happy to see she is coming along!

Man, she’s looking great! She’s lucky you found her.

Sweet. Keep the updates coming. The Burm keepers have diminished here and I’m feeling alone hahahah


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk