Young albino red tail in bad shape

[Cheirogaleidae]

I was just contacted by a girl in my area wanting some help with her snake. I guess she bought him as a hatchling in August or so. I came over to take a look and the first thing I noticed was that the tip of his tail was black and shriveled from retained shed. The area immediately adjacent to the withered part was pink, scaleless, and probably infected. I told her she needed to get him to the vet, stat, and started asking questions.

He apparently last shed in December but has two or three large, yellowish scabbed areas near his head, each about the size of a quarter. His skin is wrinkled and bunched, like in very dehydrated or shedding snakes, and his scales stick out from his body. Several areas are just missing patches of scales.

He last ate in November because she was feeding him frozen -- literally. The mouse would 'thaw' for 5 to 10 minutes, then be presented to the snake. I guess he actually ate a few between when August and November. I showed her how to feed properly (he devoured that mouse!), but threw it up about 48 hours after feeding. She said he regurgitated one last fall and also that he once vomited a ton of water.

And, of course, he was improperly housed in a tank with 0% humidity and only one hide. He's got to be nearing one year old and he still fits in your hand.

I have some questions for rescuers....
Will starved snakes often regurgitate their first meal? I really hope that trying to feed him was the right thing to do.
What, exactly, does feeding frozen-solid prey do to a snake? Was he actually getting any nutrition from eating them?
Does anyone have any information about snakes throwing up water?
I would also appreciate any rescue FAQ in case I encounter another herp in similar condition.

I'm accompanying her to the vet tomorrow; I'll post the results after the visit. What do you do when a person who shouldn't own snakes DOES own a snake?

[heathers*bps]

All you can do is teach her the right way. I honestly don't know about feeding frozen prey, though I do know it is not good at all. I'm also wondering if him throwing up water was because he's so dehydrated and he drank a bunch of water. I will be watching this thread and I do hope that poor snake gets better

[Cheirogaleidae]

I'm also wondering if him throwing up water was because he's so dehydrated and he drank a bunch of water.

That's what I was thinking, but she says he hadn't run out of water.

[Crazy4Herps]

Will starved snakes often regurgitate their first meal? I really hope that trying to feed him was the right thing to do.

No. It sounds to me like there are some other problems going on there, undoubtedly as a result of feeding frozen. That may also be the cause of the regurgitation of water, though dry heaving is sometimes associated with parasites.

What, exactly, does feeding frozen-solid prey do to a snake? Was he actually getting any nutrition from eating them?

I honestly don't know. It would wreak havoc on the entire system. Snakes require certain 'warm side' cage temperatures to digest; cage temperatures that are too cool or too warm will cause regurgitation. My god, I can't imagine what such an internal temperature vacuum would do...

What do you do when a person who shouldn't own snakes DOES own a snake?

Unfortunately, not much. It's a tough situation to be in. From your description I don't think the snake is beyond help, but I think it's going to take a lot of dedication and probably a lot of money to bring him around--something his current owner may not be willing to provide. The feeding issues are what concern me most. I'd say when in doubt, don't feed. It takes a lot to starve a snake, but chronic regurgitation is extremely detrimental, and it intensifies with every regurge. Perhaps after the vet gives a prognosis you can offer to take the snake out of the owner's hands (that is, if you are in a position to take in a rescue) and perhaps suggest that the owner start fresh with a new snake (and encourage them to do a bit more reading first).


Hope everything turns out for the better. Keep us posted!

[Cheirogaleidae]

All the vet did was amputate the tail (which is now getting silver sulf) and give him subcutaneous fluids. They also gave the owner a tall stack of red tail-specific reading on husbandry. They said that the mouse he ate was too large, which I thought was a bit strange, as it didn't create a bulge or anything. He'll be feeding on hoppers for awhile.

Apparently the girl had tried removing attached shed (and areas she thought were shedding) by pulling it off with her fingers and with tape, which produced the scabs, bedraggled scales, and missing patches.

I guess I should be glad he's been seen, but mostly I'm just worried. I got a close look at the cage today, and apparently his owner didn't know about spot cleaning, either, so there were urates everywhere. She also had to ask me if she should remove the vomitus from the enclosure. Uh...YES???

[Mike41793]

Omg.... Cant believe the level of stupidity of some people. Have you tried convincing her to just give you the snake since shes obviously incapable of caring for it?
Maybe just give her a pet rock to take care of instead. Include glue, glitter and markers so she can decorate it too

[Otolith]

I didn't know Jessica Simpson was into herps.

[Cheirogaleidae]

He just died. She says he was throwing his head around and twitching his tail, and when she took him out of the cage to take him to the vet he went limp.

[Xotik]

He just died. She says he was throwing his head around and twitching his tail, and when she took him out of the cage to take him to the vet he went limp.

Unfortunate, but by the sounds of it, it may have been too late to make his quality of life worth it in the end.

My best advice now, is to attempt to instruct her how to PROPERLY care for a snake - regardless of the species. On the off chance she is uhm...stupid enough to go buy another one. Maybe convince her that she is too busy to provide adequate care for a snake. Who knows, it may work.

[DellaF]

Poor snake. Hope she educates herself a little better before getting another.