Dehydration?

[kalecos]

Hello all! I am a new snake keeper as I'm finally sure that I'm moved out "for good"... and my mom is terrified of them.

So anyway, I'm the proud parent of a baby snow corn I have named Lacey. I got Lacey from a pet store about 3 weeks ago. Since I have had her, she has happily eaten 3 pinky mice, shed once, and gained about 1 gram.

However, there are 3 reasons I'm worried that she might be dehydrated.

I've never seen her drink her water.
The skin around her neck is a little bit concave, almost wrinkly.
She hasn't gone to the bathroom, at least as far as I can tell after digging through her substrate.


Are any of these valid to think that she might be dehydrated? And if so, what can I do? I've showed her the water bowl quite a few times, but I guess "you can lead a snake to water but you can't make her drink."

[HerpsOfNM]

Not too concerned with 1 & 3, but is there any way you can get clear, detailed photos of what you describe in #2?

[daddio207]

Hello all! I am a new snake keeper as I'm finally sure that I'm moved out "for good"... and my mom is terrified of them.

So anyway, I'm the proud parent of a baby snow corn I have named Lacey. I got Lacey from a pet store about 3 weeks ago. Since I have had her, she has happily eaten 3 pinky mice, shed once, and gained about 1 gram.

However, there are 3 reasons I'm worried that she might be dehydrated.

I've never seen her drink her water.
The skin around her neck is a little bit concave, almost wrinkly.
She hasn't gone to the bathroom, at least as far as I can tell after digging through her substrate.


Are any of these valid to think that she might be dehydrated? And if so, what can I do? I've showed her the water bowl quite a few times, but I guess "you can lead a snake to water but you can't make her drink."

Welcome !
It's funny that so often when I put a snakes head over their water bowl they drink like they've never seen water LOL

Not too concerned with 1 & 3, but is there any way you can get clear, detailed photos of what you describe in #2?

Yeah I agree a pic would help.
Usually when a new snake owner states that their snake has wrinkly skin and wonders if it is dehydration it turn out to be a partially stuck shed.

[kalecos]

http://imgur.com/vRc8niR

best pic I can upload, I guess.

[kalecos]

Guys, now I have a bigger problem, and I feel horrible! I was taking the pictures in the bathroom, and she darted towards the little drain hole in the sink. Luckily, I kept a hold on her tail... Unluckily, I didn't know what to do except keep up the traction. Now she's got a cut on her neck!

What an escape artist :(
http://i.imgur.com/l1Uvtyl.jpg

[hypnoctopus]

To be honest, I'm having a hard time seeing any wrinkly skin or the cut. As for the cut, as long as it's minor, it should clear up within a shed or two.

[kalecos]

I guess I'm just a really nervous snake parent! When reading care sheets on Petco's website, dehydration just sounded like the worst thing. But I'll just keep trying to offer Lacey the best care. And I won't let her go down any more drain holes, lol. (It's not bleeding at all, so hopefully as you say, it will heal up after her next shed or two.)

Lord willing and the creeks don't rise, experience will just make me a better snake keeper!

:idea:

[axis1]

I guess I'm just a really nervous snake parent! When reading care sheets on Petco's website, dehydration just sounded like the worst thing. But I'll just keep trying to offer Lacey the best care. And I won't let her go down any more drain holes, lol. (It's not bleeding at all, so hopefully as you say, it will heal up after her next shed or two.)

Lord willing and the creeks don't rise, experience will just make me a better snake keeper!

:idea:

Hey Kalecos! How ya been? :p

Yeah dude, ya REALLY gotta be careful with your little sneaky one as, well, they are SNEAKY! They'll get away from you and into trouble like Helen Keller playing musical chairs dude!! Ya gotta be careful holding them when they're trying to dart and maybe even hold them over something safe in the beginning, like a large, empty tub or carton where you can retrieve them easily and until you're comfortable holding onto him. BTW, it's their JOB to be sneaky! If you have a screen with a hole that looks really tiny, THEY CAN SQUEEZE through it! Also, don't tape ANYTHING, ANYWHERE in your snake's viv, because, no matter WHERE it is, they'll FIND it!! Like a MIDGET at a URINAL, ya gotta KEEP on your TOES!! :eek:

As far as your concerns, I guess #2 is the reason he got cut there, huh? Nothing to do except wait it out. As far as #3 is concerned, especially if you're using aspen, a hatchling's poo can be pretty difficult to spot as it absorbs quickly into a substrate like aspen. If you wanna make sure your snake is going, use white paper towels in sheets and I guarantee you will discover your snake's next poo in about three assorted variations of colors. A digested pinkie in a hatchling with very tiny innards isn't going to produce a significantly solid doo doo. It's mostly liquid crap & urates. I don't think you NEED to see it but if you're concerned, a couple of sheets of paper towels instead of aspen will do the trick, unless you have lots of stuff in the viv which can absorb or camouflage liquid shit, like corky hides or dry bark logs and such. Just be certain to inspect anything in the cage your little sneaky one can go on or in. You SHOULD be able to tell where it is also by the smell. For a such a small amount of crud, snake poo surely STANKS!! It's more odorifous than if you were a blind man in a fish market!! :eek1: (Don't know if that came out right! That's probably gonna go over like a pregnant pole-vaulter!)

As far as #1 is concerned, when your little guy is in a semi-docile manner and NOT trying to dart away from you with his very LIFE, just hold him gently above the water and if possible, guide his head to just touch the surface (I usually observe the same success as Daddio when I do this!).

I hope your sneaky one recovers OK from his little wound. Don't beat yourself up dude. It happens! Life isn't all rainbows & bunny farts! Just be careful in the future.

Keep us posted as to his progress!

[daddio207]

The only dry skin I see is on your fingertips LOL:p
The snake does not look dehydrated in the first pic and the second is to blurry to see the cut.


( Axis1, your killing me !!!!:roflmao::rofl::crying: )

[axis1]

The only dry skin I see is on your fingertips LOL:p
The snake does not look dehydrated in the first pic and the second is to blurry to see the cut.


( Axis1, your killing me !!!!:roflmao::rofl::crying: )

Glad I'm makin' somebody smile! Or cry!!

How ya been there Daddio?!!! :crazy02:

[Giga]

I have never seen my false water cobra drink. I've had him two years - I have to just assume he does it when I'm not looking :P Point being, that you've never seen her drink is almost certainly not an indication that she doesn't drink, she probably just doesn't do it while you happen to be watching.

I personally am not seeing anything wrong with the skin around her neck; she looks to be in fine health :)

Keep an eye on her toileting though; baby corn snakes have very tiny poops that are easy to overlook if they're being kept on a particular substrate (as opposed to kitchen roll), so you could just be missing it. On the other hand, if you're sure she's not going, you could try giving her a bath - they always seem to go if you ;plonk them in water, for whatever reason.

[axis1]

I have never seen my false water cobra drink. I've had him two years - I have to just assume he does it when I'm not looking :P Point being, that you've never seen her drink is almost certainly not an indication that she doesn't drink, she probably just doesn't do it while you happen to be watching.

I personally am not seeing anything wrong with the skin around her neck; she looks to be in fine health :)

Keep an eye on her toileting though; baby corn snakes have very tiny poops that are easy to overlook if they're being kept on a particular substrate (as opposed to kitchen roll), so you could just be missing it. On the other hand, if you're sure she's not going, you could try giving her a bath - they always seem to go if you ;plonk them in water, for whatever reason.

Thanx for the informative post Giga! (I hope the intended recipient read it as he's not as outspoken as we are!!). :eek1:

BTW, what is "kitchen roll?"

Sounds interesting, sorta like the western version of egg roll or something. Then again, why would that have anything to do with substrate? Inquiring minds wanna know!!

[Giga]

Thanx for the informative post Giga! (I hope the intended recipient read it as he's not as outspoken as we are!!). :eek1:

BTW, what is "kitchen roll?"

Sounds interesting, sorta like the western version of egg roll or something. Then again, why would that have anything to do with substrate? Inquiring minds wanna know!!

Uhh...

http://www.catercleansupplies.com/shopimages/sections/normal/Plain%20Kitchen%20Roll.jpg

?

Like loo roll but bigger :P

And I meant 'particulate substrate', in my earlier post, rather than particular; basically I meant anything like aspen that is made up of lots of different bits and not just a sheet like the kitchen roll up there :)

[axis1]

Uhh...

?

Like loo roll but bigger :P

And I meant 'particulate substrate', in my earlier post, rather than particular; basically I meant anything like aspen that is made up of lots of different bits and not just a sheet like the kitchen roll up there :)

Oh, I get it!! Kitchen roll = Paper towels

And I suppose "loo roll" means toilet paper? (Or as we call it in Brooklyn, "terlet paper!")

All ya hadda do was say that that's the way you say it across the pond! :p

But now I gotcha!!! Cheerio!!! :nyah:

[axis1]

If you look back to post #8, I said the same thing you were saying with the "kitchen roll." So I guess that despite being on opposite sides of the ocean, great minds DO think alike, huh?

Thanx, btw, for the clarification. Never too old to learn something new and especially when it comes to being what is considered as Culturally Competent, which is another catchphrase for just being open-minded & tolerant.

Cheers!! :crazy01:

[Giga]

Aaahh, well I figured there must just be an American name for it and it wouldn't be that you guys just straight up didn't have paper towels/kitchen roll, but since being informed you don't have electric kettles (at least not commonly), I'm not taking anything for granted! XD

[DollysMom]

You are right, Giga, electric kettles are not common. However we have an endless variety of coffee makers. My favorite is the Keurig because it is totally effortless, lol. It will dispense hot water for tea as well.

There are a lot of minor differences between what I call the Britsh and American languages, but most of us either understand in context or know how to use the Google to figure it out, lol. And to be clear, most of us do keep our paper towels in the kitchen!

[hypnoctopus]

Are electric kettles not common in America? I've always had one around. I don't use it to make tea (occasionally just for a single cup), but I use it for a variety of other purposes. It's the easiest way to boil water.

[axis1]

You are right, Giga, electric kettles are not common. However we have an endless variety of coffee makers. My favorite is the Keurig because it is totally effortless, lol. It will dispense hot water for tea as well.

There are a lot of minor differences between what I call the Britsh and American languages, but most of us either understand in context or know how to use the Google to figure it out, lol. And to be clear, most of us do keep our paper towels in the kitchen!

OK but what is a "loo roll?" It IS terlet paper, right? (Spelled "toilet" pronounced "terlet")

[DollysMom]

OK but what is a "loo roll?" It IS terlet paper, right? (Spelled "toilet" pronounced "terlet")

I hear at least one name for it over the pond is bog roll.

As long as corn snakes are corn snakes I think we will all survive, lol.

[Giga]

Loo roll is indeed toilet paper, as is bog roll - 'the loo' is a polite word for toilet/bathroom, 'bog' is a slightly ruder one :P

And yes, thankfully corn snakes are corn snakes. I remember when I first got into snakes though, I got very confused about this 'ball python' I kept hearing about, since when I looked at the pics, they looked exactly like royal pythons and I wondered how on earth anyone could tell the difference. Took me an embarrassingly long time to realise they were one and the same species :P

[DollysMom]

Yep,mhere we tend to say ball python and there you tend to say royal python. This is where scientific names help a bit. Though in snakes they seem to be doing a bit of changing on those as well. So nice to know we speak the same language, lol!

[HerpsOfNM]

Thanx for the informative post Giga! (I hope the intended recipient read it as he's not as outspoken as we are!!). :eek1:

BTW, what is "kitchen roll?"

Sounds interesting, sorta like the western version of egg roll or something. Then again, why would that have anything to do with substrate? Inquiring minds wanna know!!

Uhh...

http://www.catercleansupplies.com/shopimages/sections/normal/Plain%20Kitchen%20Roll.jpg

?

Like loo roll but bigger :P

And I meant 'particulate substrate', in my earlier post, rather than particular; basically I meant anything like aspen that is made up of lots of different bits and not just a sheet like the kitchen roll up there :)

Watch out axis...they drop "h" in words when spoken and add "u" to other words. Like colour, behavior, etc. Silly Brits :nyah:

Speaking of silly Brits...I wonder if I could convince my wife to going off the beaten trail for some sticky toffee pudding if we run any errands today....

[HerpsOfNM]

I hear at least one name for it over the pond is bog roll.

As long as corn snakes are corn snakes I think we will all survive, lol.

I'm going to start calling them red ratsnakes again; screw with everyone!

[kdickens]

Speaking of dropping H's ... reminded me of My Fair Lady!
"In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly ever happen"
I have this movie on DVD ... poor Eliza Doolittle ... she was pushed to the extreme as she tried to learn to speak 'proper' English!

[axis1]

Speaking of dropping H's ... reminded me of My Fair Lady!
"In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly ever happen"
I have this movie on DVD ... poor Eliza Doolittle ... she was pushed to the extreme as she tried to learn to speak 'proper' English!

OK, now I get it!! (I'm a LITTLE slow, as most of you might know - one time I actually STUDIED for a URINE TEST!!! No wonder I DIDN'T pass!).

Didn't know what dropping the "h" meant in that first post, but thanks to kdickens, now I do! But the movie I'd be referring to is "Trainspotting," as it's more my speed, won't put me to sleep like the other one mentioned, and actually can make me laugh out loud! For anyone who didn't see it, I highly recommend it, but be forewarned, it doesn't only contain drug references, it's actually ABOUT a bunch of folks who use "H" (by shooting it, not dropping it, ha ha!)! Oh yeah, and it's the Scottish version of the British accent, which I find much more entertaining!!

OK, so what was this thread about originally? :eek1:

[kdickens]

What was this thread about originally? After 3 pages, who the 'h' ell knows!
:-offtopic

[DLena]

Lol!!! ...a possibly dehydrated snakelet with a little nick that has a fondness for sink drains... So, 'ow is the li'l bugger?

[kalecos]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! Lacey has improved since the first day she got that little scrape on her neck. The wound area now looks "dried out" in the same way as when you get a blister that pops, it looks bad, then it dries out as it's exposed to air and it looks better.

I've provided a few different-sized hides for her, and she prefers to sleep under a folded sheet of notebook paper most of the day. When I take her out and hold her in my hands, she warms up and crawls around, eyes bright and tongue flickering. So I think she's healthy!

[DollysMom]

Sounds good! It will probably disappear completely in a few sheds.

[Giga]

Sounds like she's doing fine!

[DLena]

Oh, I'm so glad!

[kalecos]

Update for anyone interested! Lacey is doing very well.
She's still eating well. On Wednesday (8/31) I gave her a bath by letting her swim around in my tub. I'm glad I did that because she went poo, so now I know at least that she can, haha!
Last night, she shed. The tiny scrape on her neck looks so much better now! By looking closely, I can see that it is a smooth skin surface where the scales haven't grown back yet. But hopefully they will by next shed!
As time goes on, I look forward to sharing more stories with you all!
Thanks for all your help!
-Karen

[DollysMom]

I'm so glad she's doing so well. Sounds like all snake systems are go. The scales can take several sheds so don't worry if it's not next time.