help needed, yesterday!

I just came from a pet store with a starving bp. They say it regurjatates its food. They tried syriging a mushed pinky. Said it is too weak to swallow now. Ok. But it is heartbreaking. Anyone know a mix that could be put in a syringe, and fed through a tube into its stomach. Get strength back by what it doesn't throw up, if any it does. Then go from there. Or am I just so in love with my bp that this ones fate makes me hope...hopelessly. They said it is going to dye, they'd give it to me if I want to try something. Is there anything?????

The best advice is to see a vet immediately with this snake. Tubing is a skill you have to learn as is assist and force feeding and not something that can likely be explained properly over the internet by most people. Then there's the issue of why this snake was regurging. This really sounds like an immediate need to see a vet thing.

Thanks frankykeno, don't know if I can do the vet expensw. Took my dog today for a cost over $100. I feel sorry for the snake.

Hi,


Second the vet idea wholeheartedly. If nothing else the fact it has regurged (was it more than once?) has had a bad effect on its gut bacteria which makes it even harder for the poor thing to recover.

This is kind of why people say there are no free snakes.:( They knew it needed a vet and didn't want to pay for it either.

What size is the snake? and what conditions were they keeping it in? will it last a little while in good husbandry conditions without feeding attempts or is it basically a train wreck on its last days?

Also I hope you mainatined extremely good quarantine with your existing collection ( other room ,new snake dealt with only after your own, no shared equipment, extreme cleaning between to prevent transfer of nasties). The chances of getting anything you could get a fecal float on are small sadly by the sound of it.


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by joannarea

Thanks frankykeno, don't know if I can do the vet expensw. Took my dog today for a cost over $100. I feel sorry for the snake.

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Does your vet do payment plans or anything? It kind of sucks that you took him home even though you can't afford a vet visit. I know where your heart is tho...

Tube feeding the little guy Ensure. comes in a can you should be able to get it at a grocery store. You will need a syringe and a cathider tube. I would recommed a vet visit to let him/her show you how to do it the first time. Also If you can keep the little one going it may need to be treated for parasites.



Chuck

I'm not being mean but it needs said. You can't do rescues if you can't afford to do them dear. It's not good to take a snake out of a bad situation if you can't improve that situation. Call your herp vet, explain the dire need to see him/her as this snake is in a very bad way. Your vet will hopefully work out a payment plan for you and a lot of vets will give discounts for people that are doing a rescue/rehab. This snake needs to see a vet. If you can't manage it then you need to find a rescue organization that will and it must be very soon.

I was looking at your stats... are you back in Indiana? If you are, perhaps there is something I can do to help the money situation...


I agree, this snake really needs to see a vet. A little baby won't last long regurging.

Has a regular feeding been tried after leaving the snake alone for awhile?

Your all great, but in my frantic note I accidently mislead you on having the snake. It is at the store, in a plain aquiarum with wood chips and a water source. I questioned the owned about it, what they have tried. Course giving it pinkies, rejected them. They tried putting a pinky in a syring and forcing it in the snake. No go. Last week their last atemp was to force a pinky in its throat, but said they removed it because it was too weak to swallow ir spit it out. I asked her if they tried feeding anything esles( I had no idea what), some soft mix, past its breathing tube and into it stomach, some would probably stay down. She basically said no use. She has just written it off. I saw it, behind a water dish that it can't seem to get out from, so weak it rolls its head, can't lift, but muscle movement shows it wants to move. I tell ya, about put me to tears, its little eyes are clear, it is just so sad that it has just been left. Anyhow I offered to buy it if I could find some way to help it. She said it is going to die, but if I want it I could have it. I didn't take it, I agree I didn't want to move it from bad to worse. Even though my heart ached to try to comfort it, though I know you can't a snake..persay like a sick dog. I first needed your imput. To see if there is a food substitute, like the ensure. I can't tube her, but I am sure my vet would assist me. She is more then a $$ vet, she gives meds, service and advise without cost. But I felt you guys are a bigger mind-pool on BP's then anywhere, and I can take the info to her. If she isn't shooting in the dark, she won't cost so much. But I want to help the snake, not suffer it more. Thanks for the $$ assist offer ladywhipple02, that is really sweet, and I didn't make it back to Indiana, abusive ex is a problem.

I offered to buy the BP to try to help it, even though I knew I needed to find out first if there was a possibility it could be helped, because also my mind was rushing through the "what if" it is sick, give something to my snakes and so on. I was really dealing with a lot, and when I wrote you I had 30 minutes until the store closed. I half fear my prominent notice of the BP and its condition will lead them to kill it tonight. But its suffering will be done, though I saw them feed damaged rats/mice to a monitor they have there. I can't help but wonder.....

When I get off work tomorrow, if I stop at the store I will do so with the intent to go for ensure, and the vet. I am sure she will assist with a rescue. If I bring it home, I will isolate it in a shed I have that is clean and safe for it to recoup if it can.

I tend to panic. And appreciate darkangels understanding. All of yours understanding and help.

I kind of come and go on here. I am not real knowledgable on snakes yet. I have trial and errored and followed advise, and my BP Chocolate is just beautiful. Got the habitate good now, and he would smile if he could. He is loveable, eats in a snap and prowls at night. I have a yellow butterfly albino corn...what I was told it is. But it is a precious to me as any of my pets, I finally have its home so it no longer tries to hide under the newspaper, so I think he smiles. Just wish he would kill his prey before he eats it!! It squeaks all the way down! My hermit crabs are fine, but the biggest keeps changing shells, between 2, though he has choices, he like the old and knew. My cat is fat and sassy, and the hairless dog is fine but apparently has a UTI due to her allergies and her paw licking caused a bacteria that caused the infection. Now on allergy meds and atnibiotic, she will be fine too. No I can't spell, my brother teases not to change or use spell check, he has a game now called.."sister speak" and there's points for who figures out the word first. :O

I love my little zoo, and alone and working fulltime, a sick baby will be taking on a lot, for its sake if I feel the chance is worth taking it from its present situation, I will. Not to get a free snake, but to save one. It is a baby, hatchling about 2 months I have seen it there, and however old when they got it I don't know. You guys probably have a better guess then me.

I cherish all you help and advice, no offense to any of it. Frankykeno, you 100% right, sometimes somethings just need said. I wish I hadn't mislead you guys with my rush to get to you for help.

Your actually my second family, more of a bond through love of snakes and critters then I have with others.

I will let you know the outcome. I do worry it is a trainwreck on its last days.
Joannarea

It sounds like you have it's best interests at heart. Call your vet before you go to the store to warn them ahead that you may be bringing in a very ill hatchling rescue just so they are prepared for it. Please let us know how it goes. Sometimes these little ones can be saved, sometimes they can't...some are just not meant to be but it's always worth trying I think.

Hi,


Thankyou for the clarification.:)

I have to say it doesn't sound like a petshop I'd be willing to give money to.:(

Your vet on the other hand sounds like someone I'd get along splendidly with.

If your sure the vet costs aren't going to be a problem and that the right conditions can be maintained in the shed then I would say it's entirely up to you what you decide - just don't forget the quarantine rules ok? Don't want anything happening to the rest of your family through kindness do we.:cool:

I wouldn't give them any money for the snake though unless they offer to help with vet bills ( I'm guessing they won't).

If you do decide to take it on be prepared for heartache and ask the shop for any information on its origins and history that they have. This can also narrow down what the vet needs to check for - though I'm guessing captive hatched, badly started and needs checked for a parasite load at least.

The fact you say it doesn't have the muscle tone required to move is a fairly horrible sign though.:( Though it may be a neuroligical problem caused by parasites or other things as well as just weakness.

How skinny is it? Do you think it would last a couple of weeks peace and quiet in a perfect environment with lots of hides and no disturbances?

Let us know what you decide and keep us posted on any outcomes.

**edit**

I'm not sure if I would buy the tube feeding diet though before talking to the vet once she has seen him - if she thinks tube feeding is a good thing to do at this point (it can be very very stressfull) then she will likely have a feed in mind and I would follow her lead at that point.

**end edit**



dr del

A little update. I got the starving BP. In its cage it laid, couldn't see it breathing. As I held it I detected a little movement. So I clamed him. I already bought insure, and headed to the vet. I didn't tell it was from a pet store...cause trouble for them and I couldn't help others if needed. Anyhow, the tech told my vet who was busy. As I held him he warmed, and tried to squirm, eventually lifted its head a little. Followed the tech who walked through the room. Tried to crawl, and opened its mouth 4 times either trying to find food/water, or to bite. But that much action I hope is a good sign. Above butt it has pooled fluid and stool, its anus?? is matted alittle and shut. So thin, feels dry, so much loose skin hanging. The vet came out and the concern and feeling in her face! She has him, I go back in a couple hours. She is going to get him hydrated alittle, clear the fluids and such from his tail. And she thought of pedialight, but I gave her the ensure, but some nurishment into him, and show me how when I return. I explanned it is a rescue thing for me, and I will pay, but a little short until Friday. She said we will worry about that when we help the little guy. So I will let you all know how the story goes. the store almost wouldn't give him to me. They were going to try to feed a pinky and if it refused, put it down today. It is too weak to eat regularly. And they were going to put him in the freezer to kill him. You guys hear of this. Said it isn't like hypo thermia, it goes to sleep and shuts down. Any opinion?? As hard as it would be, sharp quick knife seems better. Best, vet and a shot....$10, priceless.

I wrote an undate hours ago, that I got the baby BP and the ensure and headed for the vet. The vet was really responsive to its shape, and took it to the back to try to get fluids into it, and to get stool and fluids built up in its anal area out. Told me to return in 2 hours. The BP had started responding to being held, maybe warmed up by my hands, it tried to crawl and even searched for food or to bite, but it was so weak. I had other things in the previous note, but somewhere I lost it because it didn't post. It is all mute now, because the vet called me before it was time for me to go there and said the little guy had passed. Guessing, but I think it was so far gone, that trying to introduce fluids and such probably put it into shock and it died. But he is gone, and not suffering now. I wish I'd seen his condition long ago, but if the store keeper thought it was savable, she'd never have parted with the $$, as someone suggested. But he was worth the try. I like to think his coming around after being held awhile was comforting to him somehow. I know, everyone points out the difference in reptiles to other pets, they don't reconize anything. Food is food, home is home and water is water and they don't come when called, don't sit or fetch. But they reconize emotions I tink, otherwise they'd alwats bite, squirm and never be calm when held. Oh well, thanks everyone for all you kindness and input.

Sounds to me like you did the very best you could. They just can't all be saved. :( I'm very sorry it didn't work out, but there is comfort in knowing the little guy was cared for. :hug:

Good job at least on giving the snake mroe caring and love then he would of had otherwise. I salute you greatly for that effort.

Awww poor little thing. I think even a snake can find comfort in dying in peace and warmth rather than in the back corner of a dirty, cold tank or being tossed in a freezer. Even if they can't, you can find it in the fact that you tried your best and I'm sure the vet did as well. It's always worth trying and at least the little snake's at peace now and not suffering or being neglected in some nasty pet store.