Yafe - Albino Carpet - FINAL - Progression Thread

[dakski]

All,

If you've been following along, Yafe has had a tough go of it since we got him.

Shipping delays: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-Carpet-Python

Full Blown Respiratory Infection within 2 days of being with us: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ression-Thread

He's on the road to recovery, and I am optimistically starting this thread, for when I close the above one and Yafe is 100% healthy, eating, and ready to have a happy, healthy, life, with me and SunshineWalker.

[dakski]

Well, Yafe has eaten, and gotten a clean bill of health from the vet.

Time to start adding to this thread! Finally!

I'll post some pictures soon, but below is a link to a video of him home from the vet and "cleared for duty!"

​Link of a happy and healthy Yafe: https://streamable.com/f6ma2

[zina10]

So happy for you all

[MR Snakes]

So happy for you all

They should make a movie about snake owners, just sayin'.

[dakski]

Sorry for the late response; there was some drama.

I offered the 19G mouse. He nailed and wrapped immediately. Then he knocked it off his house, where he had struck and coiled. He then managed to get his head stuck between the branches in his tank, where he had struck from. Then he semi-freed himself, but tried to pull the mouse through the crack he got stuck in and ended up dropping it. By the time he found it again, he seemed to have forgotten that he had "killed" it and had lost interest.

I re-warmed and re-offered and he nailed it quick and coiled again.

He attempted start eating several times, while wrapped around his branches, couldn't seem to get a good angle, and then knocked it off the house again!

I figured I'd leave it and see what he would do.

I came back at 3:30AM (had trouble sleeping) and the mouse was still there, next to the house, and he was in the house!

Poor guy! Either, he forgot he "killed" it again, and lost interest, or it was a little too big. He did attempt to start eating it several times.

So, being wide awake at 3:30AM, and having snake that gladly struck and wrapped a 19G mouse 2X in an hour. I figured, what the heck, let me defrost a mouse in between 9G and 19G, offer, and see what happens. It only takes about 1/2 an hour to defrost a mouse that size, and I have nothing better to do!

I defrosted a 14G small/weaned mouse, warmed it up to about 100F in warm/hot water, and shook in front of his house. He poked his head right out and I shook it a little more. He struck and coiled! Within two minutes, it was going down the hatch!

Not sure if it was the "right size," not too big and not too small, or he was fired up, or I fed on the ground, so he couldn't drop it, or get tangled, etc. Either way, he ate! He ate willingly and happily at that!


WhompingWillow, I owe you big time! So does Yafe! I called Adam with StarPythons yesterday and asked about Rat Fuzzy's, but he didn't mention larger prey items. Maybe he forgot I was offering smaller prey. Rat Fuzzy's are about the same size of what I offered tonight anyway.

Again, not 100% sure it was a prey size issue, but either way, you motivated me to try again!

Either way, hallelujah!

I'll try in the 14-16G range again next time as well and always go a little bigger than I think from now on with him.

Let's get some meat on Yafe!

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[WhompingWillow]

YAY!!! I am so happy he ate, and exuberantly at that! Maybe a little too exuberantly, lol. He probably didn't have much opportunity for climbing previously, so I'm sure he'll figure out how to eat more efficiently with time.

A rat fuzzy still probably isn't a bad idea. With his size, I'm thinking he may have been on those at the breeder?

I look forward to many more happy updates about Yafe.

[JRLongton]

Wait, he got a clean bill of health? Are you saying that the RI is done and gone?

That would be wonderful!

If that is explained in the video I apologize as I'm at work and can't watch it now.

[RickyNY]

Yafe I'm proud of you, I know you can't read or understand this words but you are a fighter, you never gave up... neither did your dad and mom

[dakski]

Yafe I'm proud of you, I know you can't read or understand this words but you are a fighter, you never gave up... neither did your dad and mom

Thanks RickyNY, that means a lot to all of us.

Yafe did not give up; he did not quit. That RI was a real pain in the you know what. It got better, then worse, then better, then much worse, etc. It kept knocking him down, but he kept fighting back. I really respected that.

He didn't eat for 8 weeks and lost 5 grams the whole time - from 120G to 115G. That gave me hope.

Lots of other little things gave me hope.

His movements and grip on me got calmer and easier, even if he still sounded bad. He seemed more alert and active. He was feeling better and fighting harder even he didn't sound it. He began spending more time with his head down when he rested and less time with it elevated against the tank corners/walls. When I disinfected the tank (regularly) I was finding fewer and fewer mucus streaks on the tank walls, etc. As discouraging as it was at times, and as down as I got, and as ready as others' were to quit on him, I wasn't. I kept asking him to give me a sign, anything, to keep fighting with him. He always did.

He's my buddy. We are going to be buddies for a long time. This is going to be a distant memory and when he's big and strong we can laugh about it together.

[RickyNY]

You did a amazing job Dakski, that's for sure. And you have now become our resident RI specialist!
Not wishing any snake a RI, but if it happens, you will be the guy to get in touch with for tips and support.