Rescue snake not eating, overreacting momma?

[richardhind1972]

You have done a fantastic job healing her that’s for sure , that really was a bad burn


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[Team Slytherin]

WOW!! I literally gasped aloud when I saw that. You are doing some incredible work and I am shocked at how well that is healing! Best of luck with her recovery; you are a literal angel.

[Armiyana]

You guys are too kind! Thank you. I've been really trying to get this little one as close to 'normal' as I can.

So.... Zuko shed last night. Yay! No stuck skin. I'm so proud ♥
https://imgur.com/FoASCMs
You can almost make out how the last bit of the tail was deformed from the burn. The very tip had gone necrotic and the underside is just a thick scar. There's just kinda a pucker and not a smooth vent.... but again, I've seen some small stool passed and urates so that is a good sign still. Just still VERY fussy about that last 4 inches being handled. Will actually curl up with the tail til around the base of the head for coddling.

Still not wanting anything to do with food today. It's been 2 weeks since the last assist feed. Didn't even want to strike today, but still had interest. Rapid tongue flickers and keeping an eye on it.
Consensus was that food is needed. So did another assist feeding, an adult mouse.
Took advantage of the swallow reflex to chain a second adult mouse with as little extra stress as possible. That way it's a bit closer to the rat pup size Zuko should be eating by now.
https://imgur.com/dCqqU9z

We now have a bit of a bulge where the meal is resting. But now Zuko is wheezing.
I'm gonna monitor for any vomit or distress overnight. I feel like maybe it's because I gave him a larger meal this time? Zuko has always been very vocal, a big hisser. So hopefully it's just some anger/stress at being assist fed.

[richardhind1972]

Yes deffo needs some food , but you really have made a massive difference to that snakes life that’s for sure, I can’t believe the recovery she has made from that horrific burn. Congratulations can’t wait to hear thats she’s eating properly soon too


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[Bogertophis]

Hindsight being 20:20, chaining a second mouse is probably the cause of his wheezing...sure hope he doesn't regurge. He needs food but patience too.

[Armiyana]

Yeah. I think so too, may have needed a breather after a 'big' meal.
I was hoping it would be less stress to do it that way than to try the second by assist feeding immediately. My thinking is 1 almost mealsize in mice one a week would be less stressful and hopefully encourage Zuko to eat as opposed to multiple small assists over the week.

Also hoping it's not the scarring working like a corset and putting pressure on his lung while having a 'normal' size meal =_=;;
But Zuko is resting comfortably at the moment. Curled up under the hide as is usual. Normal breathing, no regurge. No wheeze from what I can hear, but I want to avoid handling til tomorrow to get as much digested and as little risk of regurge as possible

[Bogertophis]

Yeah. I think so too, may have needed a breather after a 'big' meal.
I was hoping it would be less stress to do it that way than to try the second by assist feeding immediately. My thinking is 1 almost mealsize in mice one a week would be less stressful and hopefully encourage Zuko to eat as opposed to multiple small assists over the week.

Also hoping it's not the scarring working like a corset and putting pressure on his lung while having a 'normal' size meal =_=;;
But Zuko is resting comfortably at the moment. Curled up under the hide as is usual. Normal breathing, no regurge. No wheeze from what I can hear, but I want to avoid handling til tomorrow to get as much digested and as little risk of regurge as possible

If you must "assist feed", I would do one "almost meal-size" mouse per week. When I tube-feed, it's usually meant to stimulate the appetite, or keep a snake going
that's too weak to eat but like you said, I'd be afraid that Zuko's scarring might be a bit of an internal corset, not an area you want to add stress. I'm keeping my
fingers crossed that with rest he'll digest alright...but I wouldn't handle him tomorrow either. (why would you want to?) Personally I'd give him a few days...
the last thing you want to risk is a regurge att.

[MissterDog]

Okay can I just say the fact that you named him Zuko is genius??? The fire nation prince is in good hands with you! Good job nursing him back to health and hopes he eats well for you soon!

[Armiyana]

Alright. It's been a bit and I have been lurking and posting on the forums here. Everyone here is so great and helpful. Seriously. Much love to you all~

Zuko update!
I was still doing a couple more weeks of assist feeding to get a little weight back on Zuko and to make sure that the gut was moving And in order.

We had a scary first urate pass that was bright orange and had me panicked for a couple days worrying about his kidneys but thankfully, it returned to normal with the next bowel movements.

After that we waited it out and had one fluke of a week where he pounced on a fresh kill mouse. I got too excited too soon I guess. But he ate! It was excited. And then that was that...

But now, he has officially eaten on his own for two weeks in a row! I have finally gotten the right size down and he is wanting to eat live at the moment. He's wary of my hands after all the fussing and dealing over the months, but he's managed to eat a small mouse, a rat fuzzy and a rat hopper.

I am super excited. I'm hoping that over time he'll start building up more confidence to try bigger prey and hopefully f/t soon, but I will take any kind of self feeding for now. ♡

The troublesome part is that even though the wounds have healed over great, the scarring is still a heavy concern. He's had a 2nd great shed with me with only a little bit still stuck over the scarred bits. Zuko is still super sensitive about anything touching near the tail as that was where the worst of it was. And we still get a little nervous and nippy about being handled when it comes to belly checks.
Over time I don't know how much the skin may loosen and allow him to eat better... But right now I think he wants the small meals because of how the size fits in the tight sensation from the belly scars.

[Bogertophis]

...Zuko update! I was still doing a couple more weeks of assist feeding to get a little weight back on Zuko and to make sure that the gut was moving And in order.

We had a scary first urate pass that was bright orange and had me panicked for a couple days worrying about his kidneys but thankfully, it returned to normal with the next bowel movements.

After that we waited it out and had one fluke of a week where he pounced on a fresh kill mouse. I got too excited too soon I guess. But he ate! It was excited. And then that was that...

But now, he has officially eaten on his own for two weeks in a row! I have finally gotten the right size down and he is wanting to eat live at the moment. He's wary of my hands after all the fussing and dealing over the months, but he's managed to eat a small mouse, a rat fuzzy and a rat hopper.

I am super excited. I'm hoping that over time he'll start building up more confidence to try bigger prey and hopefully f/t soon, but I will take any kind of self feeding for now. ♡

The troublesome part is that even though the wounds have healed over great, the scarring is still a heavy concern. He's had a 2nd great shed with me with only a little bit still stuck over the scarred bits. Zuko is still super sensitive about anything touching near the tail as that was where the worst of it was. And we still get a little nervous and nippy about being handled when it comes to belly checks.
Over time I don't know how much the skin may loosen and allow him to eat better... But right now I think he wants the small meals because of how the size fits in the tight sensation from the belly scars.

I think you're doing an awesome job with this poor guy. Very slow going- he is SO lucky to have you on his side!