Help with ticks

[Bogertophis]

I also hate ugr... here read this.. https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/u...ndreptiles.com
scroll down a bit and Go to the white/orange box called see critical reviews
It'll take you to this other spot and tap the box that says relevant and switch it to see latest
read the first one thats my story
(It's the one that says my snake died in my hands)
if you could tap the box that says useful on my review so other ppl see and/or get ppl u know or whatever to tap it too, also i'd just like to see it as #1 most helpful lol

So sorry for your horrible first experience, & your bad luck of having bought from UGR, expecting them to be a reliable business to deal with.

You should probably mention that your review is currently on page 3 of the critical reviews- I did find it with some scrolling & checked the box. You have plenty of company when it comes to bad (& very sad) experiences with them, unfortunately.

From what you wrote, I do believe you received a sick BP from the start- but you made mistakes too so I want you to know for future reference. I don't think it mattered in this case, as far as the outcome- I think that was inevitable, but I also want any future pets you might acquire to be a much better experience for you, but especially for them too, so let me share a few thoughts about your review:

That snake regurgitated a pinkie shortly after arrival, so you assumed they fed it right before shipping. That might NOT have actually been the case. That snake might have had "cryptosporidiosis"- "crypto" for short- a contagious parasitic disease that's typically fatal for snakes or other reptiles. It's characterized by an inability to digest food & an increasingly noticeable mid-body swelling (which may or may not have been obvious yet- even if it was, you would likely have just thought that was the most recent meal you were seeing).
see: https://www.addl.purdue.edu/newslett...r/snakes.shtml
What I'm saying is that they might have fed the snake, allowed enough time for it to have digested (thus being okay to ship) & assumed that it had. If it had crypto, it most likely had no real chance of survival, no matter what you did, & it put any other reptiles you many have had at risk of catching it too.

You should not have been handling that or any new snake until it's had time to settle in & feed regularly in your care- at least 3 meals at normal intervals & with no refusals to eat except when in shed (refusing to eat while in shed is normal). Understand that animals (reptiles+) that are in new homes are stressed, even if they're captive bred, but more so if they're wild caught. When they're shipped to a new home, they're stressed even more. And when they come by way of a large commercial source, they've been exposed to ALL kinds of other reptiles, some of which are certainly sick (& some dying), & none of which are in quarantine like a responsible breeder would do. They're typically crowded together so illnesses & parasites are easily shared. The risks of getting a sick animal from such a place are ENORMOUS- if you get a healthy one, you should also buy a lottery ticket... because your luck is pretty good.

Instead, treat any new snake (reptile) like it's in the ICU (intensive care unit) at your local hospital. What I'm saying is: do everything you can to reduce their stress, because stress depresses their immune system...they're much more likely to get sick & even die from diseases/pathogens/parasites that they may be able to fight off under other circumstances, at least long enough for medical treatment to save them.

So what's a reptile "ICU"? Cage already set up to ideal temperatures & hiding places, no handling! (after your brief initial inspection, obviously), keep the surroundings quiet so they can rest & to reduce their stress, & don't hover over them (we all want to, I know it takes some super-human self control- ). Offer food at normal intervals but not immediately- give it a week first. And if a meal is refused, don't keep offering (that adds to their stress, making them less likely to eat), just give them another 5-7 days & offer again. Keep it low-key. Spot clean if any stool, keep the water clean too, but otherwise observe from a distance & let them rest and feel safe to optimize their immune system against everything they've recently been exposed to. Watch for mites or ticks- best to keep a new snake "in quarantine" on white paper towels so you can see them easier.

The "water-like pooping" was another clue that this snake was sick. Though you should have seen that but without actually handling her.

For future reference, feed snakes in their home enclosures/tubs/tanks- do NOT move them to another cage to feed. (But that didn't kill her- she was failing anyway.)

You should NOT have gotten another snake from them, refund or not- & I hope it goes better this time, but ticks! That's a wild-caught snake, most likely, or it was kept with w/c's. If your snake actually has ticks, I'd be surprised if it doesn't ALSO have mites. Look close! They spread easily in these kind of places.

Again, sorry for your loss. FYI, ticks & mites can spread diseases (fatal ones!) among snakes- it's important to get parasites under control.

If you need a qualified herp vet, this site may help you find one: https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661

When you add the heartbreak to the price of medical care, I think in the future you'll find that buying from reputable breeders, even if the snake initially costs more, makes a lot more sense.