sick cornsnake

I've posted here before and got lots of help when I needed it and I have a probelm........
I recently got a 9 yr old cornsnake for someone that didn't want it anymore.
I already have several and figured one more wouldn't hurt anything.

This poor snake looks so bad! It was covered in old shed that looked as if it's been there for awhile.
I soaked it in some warm water to get the skin off. After that, I noticed how bad it really looks. This snake has the worse looking scars.There's 3 marks that look like someone tried to cut it in half. Could that be some of the probelm in shedding?

It has ridges running down both sides of it's body.
I work in a vet clinic and the first thing I thought was it's dehydrated. It also looks like it hasn't eaten in awhile. I've offered it a mouse several times but it's not interested. It's also not very active when I hold it and kind of limp in spots. That doesn't seem normal to me b/c my other snakes are quite active when I get them out.

Does this sound like it's dying? Cornsnakes can live older than 9, can't they?
Is there anything else I can do to try a save it?

Any help or info will be great. The vets I work with won't dare look at a snake.

sick snake

Hi,
Sorry to here about your sick snake, my grandfather had the same problem but now he takes viagra and he says grandmas never been so happy. (bad taste) sorry about that... ok a limp snake sounds to me like he needs to be checked for internal parasites that may possibly be draining him of his health, also the scars may be from battles with other males (if he is a male). Sounds to me liike the person you picked this snake up from was very irresponsible to say the least, that really irritates me. Snakes can livr to 30 plus years so he is just a youngen take him to a reptile vet ASAP and keep offering him fresh spring water on a daily basis, when I say offer it to him hold his body abouve the bowl with his mouth touching the water. Water is the source of all life so keep that abundant while waaiting to get hi to a good reptile vet... Good LUCK

I agree...there is no doubt that snakes can live well beyond 9 years of age. I think you should have it taken to a vet right away. I'm wondering if there's some kind of nerve damage or if somethings broken. When in doubt...vet, vet, vet! Best of luck and I hope everything turns out alright! Please keep us posted!

I would also say the snake needs to be seen by a reptile vet. I hope you have one in your area.

If the snake is dehydrated, then try soaking it in some Pedialyte. I rehabilitate non-feeders, and have used Pedialyte with some of them. In some cases it really has seemed to help.

One thing to mention is that you need to have VERY strict quarantine procedures with this snake. Whatever is wrong with him might be able to pass to your healthy snakes. You should have this snake in a different room from your other snakes, always handle him after you are through handling your other snakes, and wash your hands throughly between handling your snakes. It is also important to keep this snakes "supplies" separate from the other snakes (water bowls, etc).

Good luck, and keep us posted!

Poor thing. Glad you saved it.

I'm by no means an expert but i advice you to just leave it alone for a bit. How long ago did you get it?
It's great you got the old shed of. Perhaps the scars will diminisch after a few sheds. Might they be from food animals? Do you know if the old owner fed life? I agree with the rest here. See a vet. But one that is able to take care for reptiles. Also let him be checked for parasites. Add some reptile vitamines to the water.

Besides that, the snake might simply feel to ill and stressed to eat. If given a lot of rest, a clean viv, medical treatment he'll feel better. After that you might want to do a search of the forum. There lot's of topics to get non-feeders to eat. Though i wouldn't try it right now unless he's really thin. (What's that ' ridgit' you meantioned?)

Can you perhaps post some pictures of the snake?

Well, good luck. Keep us posted!

Glad you mentioned separating Terri. if you hadn't, I would have. Hope the snake pulls thru. It sounds like the old owner wasn't caring for it properly. You might be it's only hope!

cdp13075,
Have you been able to locate a reptile vet in your area? If not, then you can PM me with your location and I will see what I can locate. I am a vet tech, and might be able to look up some at work.

Meg,
I am definitely a firm believer of good quarantine procedures. I've seen too many sick snakes because people don't quarantine new or sick animals. It has become something that I mention quite often. I have a recent story of my own, as a matter of fact...In June, I got a pair of gorgeous jungle corns. The female has not thrived since she's been here. Her eating habits were very sporadic...then she stopped eating at all. She even regurged a couple of times over the last couple of months. Anyway, I took a fecal sample to work, and she had *millions* of protozoal parasites in her feces. She has been on metronidazole (Flagyl) and probiotics for 10 days. Her treatment actually ended a few days ago. Well, yesterday I offered her a live pinky (even though she can eat adult mice...and usually eats F/T). I wanted to see if she would eat. Well, she ate it. I am thrilled that her appetite is returning. It is a good sign that she is going to be OK. I, of course, will not feed her anymore for 2-3 days, as I want to make sure that her little meal doesn't reappear I say all of this because if I hadn't not kept her quarantined, then more of my snakes would have been sick and needed treatment.

That's good news Terri. Hopefully recovery will be complete!

This snake is no where near my others. It's a female. I was told that she ate both dead and live mice.

I soak her in Pedialyte the same day I got her. She does look better and moving around some. I also added a better source of heat on one side of the tank other than the heat rock she came with....I took that out right away!! She's got burns on her that I've been treating that also.

I took a fecal sample to work yesterday and she doesn't haven't any parasites. One of the vets I work with called one of her classmates that sees snakes and gave some help.
Hopefully, since she looks better she'll start eating soon.

Thats sounding positive that it doesnt have any parasites.
I wonder if all of its problems stem from poor husbandry, ie burns from no guard on heater, poor shed from wrong humidity etc. Lets hope with a bit of TLC you can nurse it back to good health, by providing a safe secure appropriate enviroment and stimulate its appetite by adding probiotics to its water. I wish you luck.

I am glad to hear that she is moving around a bit more. Keep us posted! I hope you are able to help her along to a full recovery.

MegF. said:

That's good news Terri. Hopefully recovery will be complete!

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Thanks Meg. I hope so, too. She is a beautiful girl. I'd hate to lose her. Here are a couple of pictures of her:

Thanks! I personally like hybrids...as long as they are properly labeled. I think they are gorgeous! I will be glad if she pulls through because I am really looking forward to breeding her next season (to the male jungle corn in my avatar). I also have another female, also, but she is not going to be big enough to breed until at least 2006.

She is gorgeous

shane.N said:

She is gorgeous

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Thank you, Shane.

Question. What's Pedialyte and what does it do?

I'm working on a basic snake health kit. Mite spray, vitamines and calcium. I wonder if Pedialyte might be usefull to add. Especially since it's very hard to get anything over here in Holland so i better stock some in advange.

Pedialyte is a product sold over here. It is an electrolyte "drink" for babies. It is typically given to babies that have diarrhea in order to help keep them hydrated. It's kind of like baby "Gatorade." (ummm...do you have Gatorade over there?? I'm not sure if you know what it is either...LOL). One thing to remember about Pedialyte is that it has to be refridgerated after opening, and once open is only good for about 24 hours.

Its called Dioralyte in the UK (that is human version) rehydration solution.

We don't have that in Holland. Thanks for the info.

Do the reptile vitamines have to put in the refrigerator?

I'm not sure if the vitamins have to be refrigerated or not. It should probably say on the label, though.