Rescue Rant and Information Request

[MontyPython22]

Here's a pretty good video if the snake is not to head shy. Not sure how bad the eyes are but if there is a few retained eye caps you can give this a shot or wait until next shed with a bump in humidity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WUymT0kZN4
Thanks for giving her a good temporary home. Nice to know some people care...makes me sick

[Productmur]

No problem with giving her a home. The sad thing to me is they didn't think she was that bad. But she's had dented eyes for months, stuck shed pieces (they laughed and said she never figured out how to shed! it's not her fault!), that they feed her whenever she's cruising and hungry...

She's a little head shy. But I think she just can't see.

[Archimedes]

Well definitely keep us updated on her progress. It breaks my heart to hear things like this. Do you have any photos of her?


Sent from my cool hide

[Naom9Anne]

Oh bless her! Some people should not get animals! It sounds like they got her simply to say they had a snake but had no intention of giving her the care and attention she needs! I feed my 200g Pastel small weaner rats and I plan to feed my 700g het albino large weaner rats (might upgrade him but only got him recently and was told that is what he was eating). Perhaps try her with a small weaner to start and see how she takes it? (People correct me if I'm wrong here!) Of course letting her settle a little first as it sounds like she has had a right old time!

Thank god there are people like you to intervene! She should be offered food on a weekly basis not "when she is cruising and hungry"!!

People infuriate me and that is why I have snakes. They're so much easier to understand! I wish you luck and honestly hope they forget you have her so she can live a happy and healthy life with someone who obviously cares!

[Productmur]

I have a large rat pup (a little bigger than an adult mouse, at any rate too big for my corns) that I am going to start her off with. Then move her up to small rats gradually. And yeah, I hate people, too--much prefer snakes, or any animal. A few years in retail really made me dislike people. x.x

Snapped a few pics, they're links because I have a feeling they'd end up huge if I posted them directly:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x206/ProductMur/Mobile%20Uploads/20131021_211953_zpsc84997ab.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x206/ProductMur/Mobile%20Uploads/20131021_211820_zpsb5cc3c36.jpg

Please pardon the blurry tablet pics. x.x You can't tell, but her eye caps are already rounding out:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x206/ProductMur/Mobile%20Uploads/20131021_211721_zpsb13eab78.jpg

I like her, she's a lovely normal. The pics don't really capture it, but her white creeps up further than normal, and she has nearly no blushing on her black pattern, it's a solid black. Anyway, you can see in the bottom left corner of the first of these a bit of the wrinkly skin she has. Also, her spine is evident--again, not startlingly so, at least not to me, but enough to be noticed.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x206/ProductMur/Mobile%20Uploads/20131021_211713_zpsbb7893cc.jpg
And her tail stripe is cool. :]
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x206/ProductMur/Mobile%20Uploads/20131021_211744_zps934429de.jpg

[Productmur]

Chow time! Weighed her again, she was at 603g. Fed her a f/t rat pup that was 28g, so 5% of her body weight, about half of what is recommended to get her started. She snatched it up right as I dropped it in! I didn't even have time to close the lid! Snapped a couple crappy tablet pics before covering her back up and giving her some privacy. :3

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps52a26157.jpg

[angllady2]

Poor dear thing. My heart just breaks for her and you. I've taken in my fair share of rescues, and it's not an easy thing to do. It may be wrong of me to say this, but I would tell them she got sick and died suddenly, so sorry! And just keep her.

She is such a lovely thing to live such an awful life. I know we can't save them all, but it doesn't keep me from wanting to try!

Bottom line now is: stable temps, tight hides, humidity, humidity, humidity, and just let her eyes alone until she sheds good a time or two. I have a lovely rescue who is blind in one eye, because the owners were convinced she had a stuck eyecap. It turns out, they pulled the outer lens of her eye off! So yeah, I'm not a big advocate of messing with eyecaps.

Feed her small for now, it won't hurt her. You can even put her on a 5 day schedule for now if you feed small.

Make sure she has really snug hides. I mean so small you think no way she can fit in there, because that is what she will prefer. I have a few now who's hides are so small they look like they are wearing a hat, but I'm not allowed to change them! If I do, I get all kinds of grumpiness and food refusals. So for now, hat hides it is! Be patient with the poor love, and she'll come around in no time. And whatever decision you make about her care, I am glad you did what you did.

Gale

[Jamesv85]

If the situation is as disgustng as you say in that house, it would be a clever and responsible idea to call the authorities.
People that treat animals with neglect should not be allowed to have them. Period.
The fact that you know and do not do something about it makes you as responsible as them, you should think about the animal's interests before your frienship.
And honestly, I would be ashamed to have friends like that.
No offense and I do not want to flame or start a discussion, but honestly, someone who keeps a snake in a tub of mold and sh*t is a monster.

[bcr229]

If the situation is as disgustng as you say in that house, it would be a clever and responsible idea to call the authorities.

If the snake were still there I would say yes. However, the OP has removed the snake from the situation. Apparently the other remaining animals are ok, so there's not a lot to investigate at this point.

Also, depending on where the OP is, animal control may be able to help, or it may not be able to take on animals that aren't either cute and cuddly, or livestock. Many simply aren't equipped to deal with reptiles, and I can name several of my local counties that put them down immediately on intake because they don't have the expertise and enclosures on hand to house them. BTW I'm trying to change this and at least have them call me or some other local herpers first, but policy is policy...

[Productmur]

James, on many points, I agree with you. I hate that they've kept her this way, and after repeatedly trying to give them advice and money I don't have (being a stay-at-home mom) to help maintain their animals...I'm pretty damned infuriated. Snakes are one of the lowest maintainance pets I know of--but that doesn't mean they don't require things still! But yes, she's hopefully going to end up staying with me for good and out of that situation.

angllady, I am going shopping for her this weekend. I may get a new hide or two along with some cluttering decorations, or I may just use some tupperware. But I'll be sure she's snug. :3