Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
Yes, hindsight can be frustrating & sad. What we don't know can definitely hurt both our pets & us.

From the linked material-
Metronidazole (Flagyl). Used on intestinal flagellates and for amoebiasis at a dose of 100-200 mg/kg PO, repeated in 2 weeks. A dose of 40-50 mg/kg PO should be used in colubrid snakes since there have been some problems with the higher doses in some species. There are reports that Flagyl works as an appetite stimulant in reptiles. This drug is also good for anaerobic bacterial infections. A recent pharmacokinetics report recommends a dose of 20 mg/kg PO Q 48 hours in yellow rat snakes (Kolmstetter et al. 2001).

So no, it's not something you "do every now & then"- it's repeated after 2 weeks. ^ ^ ^

And if other internal parasites are suspected, Panacur is also very useful. (snakes can have worms) Also from the linked material above:
Fenbendazole (Panacur). A good parasiticide for intestinal nematodes. Can be given orally at a dose of 50-100 mg/kg and repeated in 2 weeks.

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/he...nd%20livestock.
"Panacur is the brand name of an oral deworming medication with the active ingredient fenbendazole. It is used to treat internal parasites in domestic animals, including dogs, cats, horses, and livestock."

Medical issues for snakes aren't the "fun part" but if you're thinking about keeping more & breeding, it's stuff you need to learn about. And-or have the money to pay a good vet who has a degree & experience with treating all these things.

Ideally, no matter what kind of pets you keep, there's always more expenses than just the day to day cost of keeping them, & it's recommended to always have some savings put aside for medical issues- that's being a responsible owner, & usually means less grief when things go wrong, because animals are living creatures just like us, & sooner or later, health issues happen.
Thank you so much. And yeah, medical issues are not fun, but I do enjoy learning about them, so I'm sure I can manage!

I've got a couple hundred squared away for things, and I'm working on getting a job now after I left my other because of management. Once I've got one you can be sure I'm keeping stuff aside!

I've been planning to get this book (https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Ball...1938850459/ref) because I've seen it highly recommended for learning more advanced care and things you need to know before making any breeding plans. Do you have any opinions on it or other things to read that aren't just your basic care guide?