Rescued burm need some advice

[Dianne]

Congratulations on your new burm and thank you for taking in one that needs extra care. I’ll second the advice to feed every 5-7 days to put some weight on her as well as getting her on rat pups or weanling rats at the earliest opportunity. The albino burm I had was started on mice and was difficult to get switched...multiple mice per feeding is a pain. Your girl is probably pretty hungry and may not be as picky right now.

I’ve had two other snakes that were rescues (ball python and Colombian rainbow boa) that I received in poor condition- dehydrated, severely under-weight, etc. Both of mine were seen by my vet who prescribed a supplement to dust onto their rats due to their poor condition. Not sure what that product was any more since that was over 20 years ago, and may have been unnecessary, but my bp in particular was in very poor shape and we both wanted to give him every opportunity to recover and thrive. I’d say it worked because I’ve had him for 26 years.

[bcr229]

I’ve had two other snakes that were rescues (ball python and Colombian rainbow boa) that I received in poor condition- dehydrated, severely under-weight, etc. Both of mine were seen by my vet who prescribed a supplement to dust onto their rats due to their poor condition. Not sure what that product was any more since that was over 20 years ago, and may have been unnecessary, but my bp in particular was in very poor shape and we both wanted to give him every opportunity to recover and thrive. I’d say it worked because I’ve had him for 26 years.

There is a reptile probiotic powder called NutriBAC that helps debilitated critters, or those coming off of a course of antibiotics, to re-establish good gut flora. Perhaps that was it.

Dusting a pinch of the powder onto the burm's damp f/t feeder certainly wouldn't hurt.

[Dianne]

There is a reptile probiotic powder called NutriBAC that helps debilitated critters, or those coming off of a course of antibiotics, to re-establish good gut flora. Perhaps that was it.

Dusting a pinch of the powder onto the burm's damp f/t feeder certainly wouldn't hurt.

I don’t think this was a probiotic, or at least not that alone. It was more of a nutritional supplement (extra protiens, vitamins, etc.) due to the poor body and muscle condition of my bp. The goal was to pack as much nutrition into each feeding as possible.

The girl who had him was intentionally under-feeding him so he wouldn’t “get 6 feet or more”...her words. He was 2 when I got him but didn’t have the body mass or length appropriate for his age or species. It still makes me angry to think about such stupidity.

[Toasted Hippo]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I mostly work with ball pythons so I just wanted to make sure I get info from people with more experience.

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[Toasted Hippo]

I don’t think this was a probiotic, or at least not that alone. It was more of a nutritional supplement (extra protiens, vitamins, etc.) due to the poor body and muscle condition of my bp. The goal was to pack as much nutrition into each feeding as possible.

The girl who had him was intentionally under-feeding him so he wouldn’t “get 6 feet or more”...her words. He was 2 when I got him but didn’t have the body mass or length appropriate for his age or species. It still makes me angry to think about such stupidity.

People who buy big snakes and under feed them so they stay small are morons. If they want a small snake they should get a small species of snake.

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[Dianne]

People who buy big snakes and under feed them so they stay small are morons. If they want a small snake they should get a small species of snake.

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Unfortunately, this was a small snake she underfed...ball python.

I’ve had two burms. The first was a foster because social services made a good friend get rid of her 13’ burm when she got custody of her 6 month old granddaughter. They didn’t mind the boas and colubrids, but wouldn’t allow costody transfer until the snake big enough to eat the baby was gone. My second was an albino burm that I had from a hatchling for 16 years.

[Skyrivers]

Thanks for rescuing her. She deserves love.

[Justin83]

Well done she's a pretty girl too.

[CALM Pythons]

Get her on frozen thawed rat pups ASAP,

I disagree about 10 days and very much disagree about going slow to start, the snake is underweight and in the hatchling stage, breeders feed every 5-7 days on a normal schedule. Also recomended by world of Burns, which is a group of about 20 Burm breeders. I respectfully wish people who have never owned one would research before giving advice in scenarios like this. These are not BP's and Colubrids, they have extremely fast digestive systems in this stage.

WELCOME Burm Bro
I agree get her on Rat pups ASAP. The heck with Mice.
I do say start slow with feeding and dont feed large items because she is obviously dehydrated and her insides arnt use to digesting much. Ive seen a burm hatchling underweight and not taken care of Prolapse because of to much food being pushed when their body wasn’t use to it. Thats a whole other problem I’ve seen follow a animal for years once its happened. Theres nothing wrong IMO with starting slow, once they defecate and get back to normal bump to a normal feeding schedule. I go every 7 days on Hatchling burms.. once they’re 5- 6 months i go every 2 weeks. Others feed more but im old school and always will be. Some people say guys like me are trying to make our Giant Constrictors small, thats BS. Im trying to grow these snakes as they do in their normal habitat and I’m not talking about Florida who seems yo have a buffet in the Everglades. Burms in Vietnam are not 9’ and thick as Jay Cutlers Bicep at 18 months. (There is always a exception of course)
Enjoy the little guy and please start a Progression Thread and list it under my Members Progression thread so the other Burm owners like kevin and I can follow you. Also check out my FB Group if you have a page.
Find The Progression Threads. Members Reptiles.
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sha...9&share_type=t
Burm FB Group.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/870502199821484


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[Momokahn]

Having dealt with injured/sick/rescued snakes a few times over the decades, my experience feeding wise is pretty much what has been described...7 to 10 days. Mice vs rats? That would be the least of my concerns. Find what it will eat right now and worry about any transitioning later. In addition my go to for rehydration of a snake is Pedialyte. Inject the rodent with fluid by using an insulin syringe. Not to the point of where it is next to exploding but you will be surprised how much fluid you can inject. To this day I still inject a small vitamin supplement into my rodents prior to feeding on an infrequent basis. I know, I know the internet jury has already decided vitamins are not needed for snakes but right now I think your little guy could use all the help you can give him. My snakes have always appreciated my deafness to the internet jury especially Loki, my Granite Burmese Python.