Rescue/rehab info wanted

[frankykeno]

Part of our new site www.scalekids.com is a secondary domain called www.camphissnslither.com We had originally intended it to be just a single page about some of the snakes we've rescued but there's been a lot of interest expressed in making it much more than that.

I'd love it if any of your folks, that have done successful snake rescues and rehabs, would like to submit the story and any photo's you have. We'd like to feature different species of snakes and how they did coming back from bad care or poor health in order to encourage others to do responsible snake rescue. If you want to recommend a good book, a great website, a species specific forum, etc. please feel free to send that along as well.

At this point we are focusing purely on snake rescue and rehabilitation.

Submissions can be forwarded by email to:

camphiss@scalekids.com

[FIREball]

I dont need rehab, I can quit anytime I want...I PROMISE.

[jglass38]

Joanna,

I just got to see your websites for the first time. They are awesome! I love the Scale Kids site and what are you are doing with rescues as well! Unfortunately my one and only rescue didn't have a happy ending but so many do! Keep up the great work!

Jamie

[stangs13]

Very nice jo! Congrats and good luck! My last rescue didn't turn out good either, so im not good help.

[Argentra]

Story has been sent, with pictures.

[frankykeno]

Joanna,

I just got to see your websites for the first time. They are awesome! I love the Scale Kids site and what are you are doing with rescues as well! Unfortunately my one and only rescue didn't have a happy ending but so many do! Keep up the great work!

Jamie

Aww thanks Jamie. I just did them with the built in SiteBuilder stuff that 1and1.com comes with so they aren't fancy or anything. Nate was helpful though in guiding me through the first choices and also made the lovely Scale Kids header for me (thanks Nate!)

Jamie, if you ever want to do a writeup on him you just say the word and I'll make a place for him. What you did, the dedication you showed, your depth of caring...that is the best of rescue Jamie...the very best. You kept that snake going and comfortable for a very long time, did more than most would have done. That is a success in my book any day of the week and a story worth telling if you ever feel you want to.

Very nice jo! Congrats and good luck! My last rescue didn't turn out good either, so im not good help.

Thanks Justin and hugs. Remember just because the rescue didn't make it, doesn't mean you didn't try your best. Not all of them make it or are meant to. That's the part of rescue no one likes to talk about but we'll be talking about that at Camp Hiss.

Story has been sent, with pictures.

Thanks! Can't wait to have a look at it!

[Bruce Whitehead]

Hey Jo.

I think this is a great venture, and one that really speaks to what you are Mike are about. If I hadn't had you and a few select others as resources I would not have had the confidence or knowledge to take on the snakes that I did.

I started writing up Ash's story and it broke my heart. I abandoned it as I am not able to go there yet. But...

I will send you a write up on Jules... my sweet chocolate brown normal, complete with pics of the scars on his neck, and a bit about his history, and my sweet boy Magda. Who, you will be glad to hear has gone from 1450g, to a whopping 2100g, but is still a skinny guy. If he does not top out at 3kgs I will be surprised. He still has terrible sheds, but his stomach scars are looking great, and he no longer has any open wounds on his belly. If ever a snake should have been scared of humans it was him, but he is just the sweetest snake and one that I am proud to have as a permanent addition to my family.

Here is a teaser pic for you...

The day he arrived in 07... 8 months of not eating, burned from his chin to his vent... (his only first aid was to be jammed in a sink full of cold water and having the dead/burned skin scrubbed off with antibacterial dishsoap).



Today at 2100g and with a fully clean belly. We can actually pop and probe him now, but the name stays!



St. Jean Baptiste is this weekend... so nothing till at least Tuesday.

Bruce

[frankykeno]

We'll be honored to make a place for any snake rescue/rehab story you write up for us, Bruce and thank you so very much for sharing the good and bad of it.

We truly want Camp Hiss to represent the reality of responsible rescue so the highs and lows of it will be there (I refuse to call losing a snake a "failure"...it's never that if you try your best.)

Also for those of you that have taken in a snake that needed a lot of work - what sort of resources did you need immediately? I'm trying to write somethings up and provide links to help with those immediate needs, to help prioritize what needs done first, etc. Basically I guess what I'm asking is what were your first concerns? What did you need to know right away? What worried you? What seemed confusing or unclear in any research you'd done to help your rescue?

[frankykeno]

Story has been sent, with pictures.

Darcy what an amazing job you did on that story and pics! It's just been posted to the site and I hope you like how it looks there. Thanks again for being our first contributor to the newly renamed "Snake Tails" section of Camp Hiss ~n~ Slither. SunSpot is looking AMAZING now!

[Argentra]

...*sniff* Aww, thanks Joanna. Just saw it and it looks great!

Thanks for the comments on him, too. He's a total pig and stalks anything that passes his tank on feeding days, then doesn't even let me pull back the lid all the way before coming out for his mouse!

As for resources... since I'm a 'starving college student' I sadly can't just run off to the nearest vet clinic. I have to make calls to see about payment plans or reduced fees. In SunSpot's case, I knew he had to get to a vet ASAP when I got him so before I brought him home I did my searching and found two great things.

The first: CareCredit. http://www.carecredit.com/

It's free to apply and there are no monthly premiums. The only time you pay anything is if you have bills on it. It is typically used for human health care, but the vet option was what I chose! Unlike normal 'Pet health insurance' which only covers the large furry things, this plan has a list of vets that honor it...including exotics vets! The site has a handy search function that allowed me to see that signing up was worthwile, since Alameda East is on their list.

The second: a coupon from VCA Animal Hospitals, of which Alameda East is one, for a free initial health exam for new clients. This made me feel a lot better about going in with my little rescue, since I knew they would need to do more than just look at him.
Of course, it turns out that Kevin Fitzgerald is an awesome guy and didn't charge me A THING for the visit! Not even for the shot they gave him! Having an understanding vet is also a great resource.