Val (Zebedee) Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 one of my corn snakes is ill. I've had "him" from a baby, around 6 yrs. For the last 4 yrs, it's lived with another "male" corn very happily, no food problems, territory issues, nothing. The other is about a year older, we bought it from a family who's kids had grown bored with it! Both snakes stop eating every year around November time & don't start till March / April. Only this one has not started (well, neither has the other ) but has lost SO much weight in the last few weeks. It now has a bulge 2/3 of the way down. That is why I have put "him" & "male" in speech marks, I'm wondering now do I have a sick snake or gravid one?? He / it is booked in to a local vets on Monday to see if we can figure out if it's a blockage of some sort or something else ... but I have videoed it drinking water no problem .... :sluggish: The vet receptionist made me laugh - she asked for my details to book the appointment & asked "what is the snake's name?" - she looked rather surprised when I said it doesn't have one, it wouldn't come to me if I called it anyway!! :giggle: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 The vet receptionist made me laugh - she asked for my details to book the appointment & asked "what is the snake's name?" - she looked rather surprised when I said it doesn't have one, it wouldn't come to me if I called it anyway!! :giggle: PMSL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awww hope he's going to be ok hun xxxxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meeshsalts Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Hope everything goes well for your snake on monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saffmonster Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 hope she/he is going be ok. And, I think you should call it Simon... Simon the snake... or depending on what the vet says you could change it to Simone :giggle: :sluggish: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
<3Jess<3 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 snake the snake? hope everything is okay =D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosemary Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Hope it's nothing serious Val Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val (Zebedee) Posted May 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 thanks, peeps, hope it's something easily sorted. you can just make out the lump in the section running top to bottom as you look at the pic, as he / she is going back into the log to sleep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizadora Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 males usually have a longer more tapered tail from vent down. Ridged spine would suggest he's hungry, but snakes can go 6months to a year without eating.... this picture might help? this is a gravid cornsnake. if he's not eating try keeping him on his own, 'braining' the mice so they smell tastier or even try chicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valkyries Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 ope all goes well val and he/she eats soon xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnesteph Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Hope he's ok Val xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 hope snakes ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dygosamikita Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Hope things go well at the vets and it ends up being nothing xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val (Zebedee) Posted May 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 males usually have a longer more tapered tail from vent down. Ridged spine would suggest he's hungry, but snakes can go 6months to a year without eating.... if he's not eating try keeping him on his own, 'braining' the mice so they smell tastier or even try chicks. Thanks, Wiz, I separated them when I first noticed his weight loss, tried braining the rats / mice / fuzzies / pinkies, warming them, jiggling them :sluggish: but to no avail! :giggle: He (and he is confirmed as a he as I thought all along) has been in the vets today for an x-ray which showed no blockage, thankfully, but inflamed tissues, so could be a bacterial infection. Also had swabs & bloods taken & been force fed carnivorous critical care formula (pureed rat & vitamins - yummy!!) by tube into his stomach to try kickstart his appetite. Has to have 2/3 submersed baths to rehydrate (he hates 'em & shoots round the lidded tub like crazy!) as they take in water from both ends and I've to get Reptoboost to put in his baths to help. Got to try & start feeding him tomorrow too. So, nearly £170 in vets fees plus his Reptoboost, let's hope he makes a full recovery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val (Zebedee) Posted May 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Oh, yes, missed this bit. I asked at the pet shop about chicks, thinking something different might give him an appetite, but they told me there is no real nutrition in chicks, they are mainly for boas, etc as an alternative inbetween it's normal rats, so I wasn't to bother with them, but another good suggestion, Claire, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 hope he is all healed up soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnesteph Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Good old vet bills eh I hope that he starts eating and doesn't hate his baths to much, get better soon snake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 take water in at both ends eek awww hope he starts perking up hun xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizadora Posted May 12, 2011 Report Share Posted May 12, 2011 Chicks aren't great nutritionally but different food items, even frogs, lizards, fish, chicks are all recoomended to try and get a snake eating again, you then just have to wean them back onto mice, or put the mouse at the back of the chick if they start eating the chick so they just carry on eating the mouse aswell. I had a snake that didn't eat for a year and i was tube feeding him every 2 weeks for months, he was even in intensive care for 3 months and ended up costing me over £600 all together, then an experienced snake owner got him eating chick and eventually mice again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val (Zebedee) Posted June 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 he's been in & out of the vets over the last 3 weeks, they have operated on him today & there is a large swelling in the wall of his intestine. To remove it would mean taking out about 6" of inflamed intestine & trying to connect a 5mm tube to a 300mm tube, can't be done, so sadly he has had to be PTS. I know many will say it was "only" a snake, but he was the calmest one I've ever seen. I've had him since birth, over 6 yrs now. He loved being handled & got a lot of people who were nervous about snakes to handle him, he just sat there! Bit like Diesel in snake form!! so, he is now slithering over the Bridge free of pain & suffering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valkyries Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 so sorry Val i feel for you i loved my Boa's xxxxxx RIP li one slither free xxxxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparks Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 sorry to hear this Val Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebe03 Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 Sorry to hear about your snake Val Rip little one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosemary Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 Real sorry to read this Val - RIP little one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex T Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 RIP! Sorry to read this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Angel n Auroras Mum Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 SOrry to hear Val. RIP snake, slither free over the bridge little one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.