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

[Sunnieskys]

Not PetSmart. I won't name it but that doesn't exactly leave many other choices, haha.

I dont think ANY big box store has an appropriate snake care protocol. You can't just have a set of written in stone rules when it comes to animals and expect them to work for 100% of animals that come in. Poor babies. I have good hopes for her though. She perked up quite a bit. She still hangs pretty limp when I picked her up to put her away after her bath, but she seemed a little more active and less like a wet noodle.

I work for Petco and that is NOT protocol. I take care of my babies. And mine are on adult mice. So if they are saying pinkies I need the location right now!

[Spoons]

The snakes at your location are very lucky to have someone who knows how to take care of them. I'm glad that there are the good ones out there, but it definitely seems to be the exception, not the rule

[Armiyana]

Keep an eye on that red spot for sure! Like Bogertophis said, try some regular neosporin. The stuff with painkillers is bad for them. Also... until that spot heals, I would keep the baby on paper towels.
Hopefully, it will clear up with some good humidity, meals and a good shed. Malnourished babies like this will get very dry and delicate skin, so even just scraping up against a rock hide may have done this. Once she gets into a good feeding schedule and a couple of good sheds and you won't have that problem again.

Hopefully she will eat the f/t for you! If not, I would try a live fuzzy mouse.
I adopted a pastel gal from a big box who refused f/t for a long time. Almost 3 months. They were assist feeding her pinkies each week after the first month, but she was just waiting on something live. She was thin, but not nearly as dehydrated/malnourished as this little one. When I took her we popped her in a deli cup, went to the reptile store and she ate the live right there. 5 months later and she's been eating f/t like a champ and gaining weight quick.

I hope this little one turns around quick.
If she is still refusing meals and that red spot starts to look worse or her belly starts turning red, she needs a vet visit asap. But hopefully she realizes how lucky she is and does well for you!

[Armiyana]

I work for Petco and that is NOT protocol. I take care of my babies. And mine are on adult mice. So if they are saying pinkies I need the location right now!

I actually work for Petsmart and that is not the policy for them either. So if you do see something like this, ask for the corporate # and file a complaint.

[Spoons]

Thank you, I think I will find a way to contact corporate. I don't think there's any excuse for a snake to look like this in their sale tanks.

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

[Bogertophis]

Everything I've ever read says to keep the water no deeper than half of the thickest part of their body, so that's about how deep it was. I didn't see her head under at any time, she mostly poked around at the lid and wanted out.

I will have to buy a hair dryer. I'm a woman, but I still don't have one! I've always used just hot water. But then again, I've only ever been feeding a ball python with a healthy appetite, and now I'm also feeding a sick (and picky!) Sand boa and an underweight, dehydrated baby ball. Might be worth it!

If she didn't drink while in the bath, another way you can encourage her to drink is to gently dribble water over her head, like under gently running tap. (it mimics
rain, which snakes instinctively drink from)

I only use hot water to warm feeders too, but then again, I don't currently have any snakes that are that fussy. I agree- the tiny bit of extra hydration from soaking
prey items in warm water could only be a plus.

[Alter-Echo]

Some do disapprove and quite strongly too ....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yeah, I've heard people say the same about soaking bearded dragons too but none of mine have ever seemed to mind and often drink eagerly, so I'll keep doing it till there is a law against it. Lol

[Bogertophis]

Some do disapprove and quite strongly too ....

I'm curious to know the reason(s) they disapprove?

[Zincubus]

Yeah, I've heard people say the same about soaking bearded dragons too but none of mine have ever seemed to mind and often drink eagerly, so I'll keep doing it till there is a law against it. Lol

Over here in the UK they seem rather more tolerant of the occasional soak , wether it be for a dehydrated snake or even to sort out a very stubborn shed when a snake just looks a mess as a result of poor living conditions .

Oddly enough ... Many years ago I collected an beaut young albino Royal off a backstreet breeder and it just wouldn't eat for me . Then few weeks later after I posted a photo on a forum , one of the first replies said it was rather dehydrated and needed a soak urgently .

Thing is I was told to use a see through tub with a lid , put loads of air holes in the top , fill it up to 2/3 with snake-temp water , put the snake in , cover with a towel to make it darker .

Leave to soak for 25 minutes BUT stay with it , don't even get distracted as they are great escape artists .

Initially the snake will move around the tub rather quickly as it checks every nook and cranny to try and escape ( just as many do when they're put in a new viv or rub) .

After a minute or so they're nice and calm and will even CHOOSE to stay underwater - even though they could easily keep their head above water if they preferred .

( the common consensus online suggests that snakes are happy to stay underwater for up to 30 minutes incidentally )

I think the deeper water simply encourages them to take in some water as over the years when I've had to soak a snake they've looked instantly better and plumper immediately afterwards .

Well that's how one of the most experienced keepers told me to soak a snake - and it works ..

As I said some people reckon you don't need to soak at all , a spray of the tank , a moist hide or even putting them in a wet pillow case in the Viv are all other suggestions BUT I still advise a soak if there is a chance the snake is even slightly dehydrated ..


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Spoons]

Left her alone today, except a brief check on that red spot on her side to make sure it isn't something more than a scuff, or getting worse. The spot is looking better, it took me a a bit to find it. Her condition broke me heart all over again. So wrinkly, even her head has wrinkles. Her belly is sunken in, forming a concave 'n' shape. Her skin feels so soft and delicate, like a geriatric person's skin. When she lays down, she's so flat, her skin kind of puddles underneath her. Her scales keep catching on my hand, I was unsure if that was due to being dry, or so thin that her skin isn't 'tight' so to speak. Ishould have taken a quick pic but I wanted to get her back in the tank ASAP.

Very sweet though. Crused around a bit for the 30 seconds I checked her spot, then settled back in under her hot hide. I'm wondering if I should soak her once more? Or let her be and drink of her own accord? Or maybe just mist and let the heightened humidity take care of it? I want it quiet and peaceful for her to acclimate, but I also want her to get better. I am leaving a few days this weekend so I thought I would try feeding Saturday. (The wait is going to be brutal, I want her to eat so badly!)

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk