T O P I C R E V I E W |
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Posted - 23/01/2011 : 01:52:17 We adopted a snow albino corn snake from a rescue group about a month ago. He has not and will not eat since we have had him. We just do not know what to do.
He was great and nice when we got him. His cage is sized right for him, and he has plenty of hiding spots. He typically stays curled about in one corner where we placed moss and spritz it with water to up the humidity. We always check the temperatures on both sides to make sure they are high enough (we were told the cold side must be 75 to 80 degrees and the hot side must be 80 to 85 degrees).
He pokes his head out and moves within his wood chips once in a while, but every time we try to feed him he freaks out and travels around the cage on the surface of the wood chips, travels upward and ignores the mouse (we de-thaw it; it's frozen). He just will not eat!
We called the shelter, and they said he is probably in shedding mode. We are just not sure because it has been three weeks and he has not shed.
Two days ago, he came out and popped out clumps of little tannish-looking balls.
Today, he came out and was moving around, so we tried to feed him again, and nothing.
Is he sick? Do we need to return him? Help! Any advice would be soooo great!
Amanda |
16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
kdlang |
Posted - 28/01/2011 : 13:49:24 Thats great news. I'm so glad she is ok after her ordeal. I hope she will soon be eating for you so you can enjoy her without all the worry |
lrv2307 |
Posted - 28/01/2011 : 08:08:05 great news...........so good to hear she is healthy
hopefully will be feeding asap |
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Posted - 28/01/2011 : 04:02:55 Update!
She is doing very well. We took her to a specialized vet, as recommended on this forum.
The vet explained that she was healthy (and a she) and that she has been laying small eggs.
We have a plan in action to ensure she is done laying eggs and can eat and be merry!!
Thanks for all of the advice on here!! |
lrv2307 |
Posted - 24/01/2011 : 08:19:16 omg, poor little mite, hope you get her fit and well soon xxx |
lotabob |
Posted - 24/01/2011 : 00:21:45 Stick them in the freezer and kill them off before they get started. Though if they are not incubated they wouldn't last very long anyway. You would definitely need to see a vet just to be sure as she is too young to be breeding. Mainly just as a precaution but if she does have an egg stuck it is bad, and also she needs checking over now as a snake that young physically isn't ready to deal with breeding, unlikely to have enough weight etc so just to be sure she is OK get her checked out.
Also get in contact with whoever you got the snake from and tell them they are keeping males and females together and they have been breeding early and as its their fault this occured ask them to foot the vet bill. They sold/gave you a young gravid (pregnant) female, they should not have done that. |
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Posted - 23/01/2011 : 23:17:39 She actually laid both the slugs and the fertilized eggs.
If we don't want to develop them, what do we do with them? Leave them in the cage? Throw them out?
How many days does she lay eggs for?
Can we handle her during the pregnancy (my husband did, and we just want to make sure we didn't mess her up)?
She is about a year or so old, so I suppose we must find a vet to make sure all of the eggs are out.
quote: Originally posted by lotabob
quote: Originally posted by Amalog01
Two days ago, he came out and popped out clumps of little tannish-looking balls.
Tannish looking balls sounds like SLUGS- Unfertilised eggs.
Would be a very good reason for her to stop eating. It would be best to take her to a vet so they can check that they are all out.
If the eggs are cream/white they are fertilised eggs so its upto you if you incubate them.
How old is the snake? If she is only quite young (under 2 years) it is a very good idea to take her to a specialist exotics vet, ring your local vet and they should know who the exotics vet in the area is. Young snakes can become eggbound (eggs get stuck).
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lotabob |
Posted - 23/01/2011 : 20:06:04 quote: Originally posted by Amalog01
Two days ago, he came out and popped out clumps of little tannish-looking balls.
Tannish looking balls sounds like SLUGS- Unfertilised eggs.
Would be a very good reason for her to stop eating. It would be best to take her to a vet so they can check that they are all out.
If the eggs are cream/white they are fertilised eggs so its upto you if you incubate them.
How old is the snake? If she is only quite young (under 2 years) it is a very good idea to take her to a specialist exotics vet, ring your local vet and they should know who the exotics vet in the area is. Young snakes can become eggbound (eggs get stuck). |
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Posted - 23/01/2011 : 19:54:48 Hi, everyone.
Thank you for your responses. I think I figured out the situation... Three days, the snake had pooped out two clumps of little balls. Then, yesterday, the snake pooped out another clump.
I have been looking online and researching snake excretion, and it turns out that the little clumps of balls seem to actually be eggs! The pictures online match what is in the cage. Also, she (to our surprise- we had to rename her) has been behaving like the other pregnant snakes that I have read about, including the refusal to eat.
Now, what do I do? My husband threw the original eggs out before we realized what they were. How long does she lay eggs for? How many? When do we try feeding her? |
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Posted - 23/01/2011 : 18:36:41 Not an expert by any stretch of the imagination BUT i would be taking yr snake back to the rescue shelter. |
mikerichards |
Posted - 23/01/2011 : 18:22:28 quote: Originally posted by MickyB
to above i am assuming all setup is right and as far as live feeding as a last resort that is down to personal opinion not very cost effective tho
Used to save me 30 quid a week when i had 60 odd babies!!! Live feeding prob wont make any difference, the true last resort is force feeding, but on a small snake that is very difficult and dangerous. if you still have problems after a few weeks, then i suggest returning it to who you got it from. |
Sta~ple |
Posted - 23/01/2011 : 10:52:51 It could be done to the season. When they are horny they don't eat for some reason lol |
MickyB |
Posted - 23/01/2011 : 09:24:52 If you could give us the info about the setup as listed above we might be able to pinpoint a problem for you |
MickyB |
Posted - 23/01/2011 : 09:22:18 to above i am assuming all setup is right and as far as live feeding as a last resort that is down to personal opinion not very cost effective tho |
Red123 |
Posted - 23/01/2011 : 09:12:09 Can i suggest that you provide a little more information on the general set up,
how are you heating it are you using a thermostat and digital thermometer what size viv/faunarium are you using where you have its housing approx age of the snake food size items you are offering you call it a he are you sure its a he.
These are questions likely to be asked and it will enable people to help you quicker if you have already answered them. Please try not to worry snakes can go along time with out eating and the fact that it is still active is a good sign.
(EDIT to above reply) There are several things, options to consider before even considering live feeding this would really be as an absolute last resort and is a long way off considering it. |
MickyB |
Posted - 23/01/2011 : 09:11:10 leave it another week if hes doesnt look like hes coming into shed let the mouse defrost on its own on top of the viv hopefully he will b out hunting for it by the time its ready to go in. i did this with my king for 6 years and it rarely missed a meal! If all else fails you might have to go live for a bit just to get him started |
scubadude |
Posted - 23/01/2011 : 09:03:53 Hi and welcome to the forum, you've answered most of the questions you'll get asked but some others are; how old roughly is the snake is it a hatchling or well grown?(length and weight if you can get it)
what size and type enclosure is he in?
what temp readings you're getting at warm and cool end?
what size mouse are you trying?
how long do you leave it between offers of food?
I'm sure one of our more experience members will be along to answer your questions. what I can tell you from chatting with other people on here is snakes are fairly resilient when it comes to food, and the adults can go off feeding this time of year as it's breeding time. |