Brought home a severely underweight BP baby. Please help me get her back on track

[Coluber42]

I did notice after soaking - not before - she now has a fluid pouch under her skin. Doesn't seem to bother her. I can poke it amd swish the fluid around. Her last third of her body also seems softer amd swollen/squishy down to her vent. but that could be sausage butt too. I know soaking can make them poop. You can see the fluid pocket in the pic that is of her back on the left side- water getting between layers of shed? Under skin? Not sure there. \

That sounds like maybe she should see a vet - it doesn't sound like just water getting under some stuck shed. Bathing sometimes makes them poop or pee because dumping the ballast or deterring predators is a flight response, not because it makes them suddenly produce urates or feces that weren't already there.

Glad to hear she seems stronger though.

[Spoons]

Yeah, it's definitely on the table. I'm going to take a look tomorrow after work, and if needed I'll make an appt. My vet is pretty awesome, she saw my sick KSB. I still have good hope she will do well

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[Bogertophis]

That "fluid pouch" is bizarre & perplexing. I hope your vet has some ideas.

From her appearance, recovery is going to be rather slow for this sweet snake...I'm so glad she has you on her side.

[Spoons]

Vet visit today! She was a champ. Vet said it could be a lot of things - from just skin pulling away from the lower tissue, to infection, to virus, to liver failure. He said we *could* do a blood test but because of her size it would have to be a cardiac stick, which is risky, and nothing diagnosable via blood test is treatable so we would be testing just for the knowledge. He said the only thing of all the possibilities that is really treatable is a bacterial infection/ sepsis so he recommended we be safe and start her on the same antibiotics my sand boa was on. I agreed with him, no sense in testing if it's not something we could treat, so she's on a month of antibiotics injections. He did point out a bit of a red mark on her side and said it could be a scuff, the start of shed cycle (she's about due) or it could he what he called sepsis blush (a sign of sepsis, though she's acting and eating like normal), so better to treat just on case.

He gave her subcutaneous fluids, too, which I think was really good for her. It'll be a bit of a pill managing her injections and her shyness with food but I think we can manage. I will give her three days to rest, give her next injection in the and see if she will eat PM that same day to give her tbe next full two to digest before injecting again.

Doc gives a prognosis of "guarded" but I think she will be ok. Time to pick up some OT at work to make up the cost of vet bills! She is definitely worth it!

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[Bogertophis]

We're all pulling for her! I hope it's none of the "worst-case" scenarios, but only time will tell. She's in no shape to draw blood from, the decision you both
arrived at makes total sense to me. Lucky you, more practice with injections... You're truly her guardian angel...

[Coluber42]

Good luck, I hope you'll keep posting updates!

[Jnksnakes]

Wow that poor baby looks awful. I rescued an Amazon Tree Boa a few days ago. It's in such bad shape I have soaked it twice, yesterday for 30 mins and today for 3 hours. Most of it's shed is STILL stuck. When I get off work this morning I'm going to have to pin it and pull it off (after another soak so it is wet ofc). I completely understand people not liking snakes and all, but why get one and mistreat it?

[Spoons]

I know, I felt guilty even taking her out at the vet even though it isn't my fault. I told him 'if you'll believe it she used to look worse. I swear this is an improvement.' his expression when he was examining her said it all.

I hope your Amazon does well! That is one of my wants. I *love* Amazon tree boas, I just don't think I'm experienced enough to get one yet with their temperament known to be a bit aggressive.

Wow that poor baby looks awful. I rescued an Amazon Tree Boa a few days ago. It's in such bad shape I have soaked it twice, yesterday for 30 mins and today for 3 hours. Most of it's shed is STILL stuck. When I get off work this morning I'm going to have to pin it and pull it off (after another soak so it is wet ofc). I completely understand people not liking snakes and all, but why get one and mistreat it?

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[Spoons]

She shed! All in one piece, too! She went blue about four days after I started keeping the ambient humidity at 60-70. This morning I woke up to a shiny snake and a long shed. She looks a TON better post-shed, her skin is all smooth now too (and she's hungry!)

I took her out for her injection this morning and found she does have a little wound. Her skin is so fragile I'm sure it's from rubbing to get the shed off. She is still on antibiotics so I'm not too concerned about infection but what should I put on it? She's due for a vet check real soon too, so she'll get seen there again. (Pic attached).

Here's some pics of the fresh Snek, who has been named Hera (to match my adult male, Argus. Had to follow the Greek trend!) Pardon her sausage butt. I figured she'd poop when she shed but I was wrong!



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[Bogertophis]

Awesome!!! You can use Neosporin ointment (sold for humans in every drug store & Walmart, etc. by the band-aids) on the wound, ONLY the kind
WITHOUT "pain relief" is good for snakes. Or you could wipe it with Betadine, if you have that on hand. Or Silvadene cream if you have it (it's Rx).

She is really improving, she looks SO much better, THANKS TO YOU & I bet she feels better too.