Stuck shed???

[Malum Argenteum]

Feeding: he’s been on hunger strike since March 3rd, I’ve been offering him food every/other week and he’s shown interest but hasn’t eaten. Vet said he’s too skinny (did NOT say he was anorexic and never eating again, like prior vet) and said I should try to feed him mice, chicks, or quails. [snip] She said him hunger striking is really really bad but also that it’s completely normal and out of my hands but ALSO something to feel terribly afraid for

The snake last ate 6 weeks ago, which is not a long time. Also, hunger striking is not "really really bad" and not even "really bad", and in normal situations isn't even "bad". It isn't something to be "terribly afraid for". ("Completely normal" gets it right, though.) Did the vet really use these words?

Sounds like you've got a diagnosis on the infection and you're treating that. That's good, and indicates that things are not completely out of your hands.

If you can inject antibiotics, you should be fine to tube-feed. I'd rather tube-feed a snake any day.

I've done both plenty of times, and both are about the same difficulty (=pretty easy) and use roughly the same skills (holding snake securely, delivering the product into the snake). If you decide that you should tube feed your snake, do feel confident about doing so. Exotic animal keepers should expect to learn some kind of odd skills, and this is sometimes one of those skills.

[Bogertophis]

The snake last ate 6 weeks ago, which is not a long time. Also, hunger striking is not "really really bad" and not even "really bad", and in normal situations isn't even "bad". It isn't something to be "terribly afraid for". ("Completely normal" gets it right, though.) Did the vet really use these words?

Sounds like you've got a diagnosis on the infection and you're treating that. That's good, and indicates that things are not completely out of your hands.



I've done both plenty of times, and both are about the same difficulty (=pretty easy) and use roughly the same skills (holding snake securely, delivering the product into the snake). If you decide that you should tube feed your snake, do feel confident about doing so. Exotic animal keepers should expect to learn some kind of odd skills, and this is sometimes one of those skills.

It's so easy to overemphasize (or somewhat misinterpret) what a vet says when we're stressed about our pet. But the OP also mentioned a history of fasting with this snake, so combined with the snake being underweight now, perhaps the vet is thinking that a systemic infection has been going for a while? Any vet familiar with BPs would know they're known for fasting even in normal health, so it would be nice to know exactly what was said & meant.

Done wrong, both injections or tube-feeding can hurt the snake. I personally think it's harder for one person restraining a snake to safely give an injection (because "sharp needle" & wiggling ) than to tube-feed, since needles hurt, but done right, tube-feeding does not. But with poor instructions, I can imagine that the vet has likely seen bad results with tube-feeding after too much force or the wrong equipment was used.

BTW, my detailed tube-feeding instructions were pm'd to the OP, just in case they want to give it a go. It's always better to have options, but it would also be nice to have a more clear answer from the vet as to why she was so opposed? I've sure pulled a number of snakes through by simply tube-feeding to get their energy & appetite up- it's much easier for a snake to digest, with the added hydration.

I consider tube-feeding to be the most useful technique I've ever been "forced" (by circumstances) to learn. One of my first snakes (from a pet store) was sick, & my local vet didn't see snakes- he just meant well & in trying to help, gave me very minimal instructions on tube-feeding & the right stuff to use. After doing this successfully many times over the years, I have written up the easy but detailed instructions that I wish I'd had that first time, & it's shared upon request. I agree...such skills are just part of successfully keeping exotic pets (snakes).