Corn snake in very bad shape...advice?

[inkbound]

Ok...so this is how my day went. I went to visit some family and they have two corn snakes. One is very small and I have seen him from time to time when visiting. But this time he wasn't moving around in his viv. Well...I'm curious so I lift the lid and find that a rock in his tank literally had the poor guy pinned...about 4 inches of his body is literally flat and it is above and below his cloaca. He has starving...the skin is literally just hanging off a once healthy snake and when I ask how long it had been since he had eaten they didn't know.

I will try to get a picture later on tonight but right now he is resting under a heat lamp. Poor fellow was ice cold, stuck under a rock, dehydrated and starving...Can you say neglect??

Anyway...I need advice. We have zero exotic vets near me and I haven't owned a corn snake in a long while, my king is great eater and I remember my corns were much fussier. My biggest concern is the part of him that is flat. He can still move the tail which is beyond it. I don't know if he can poo and that scares me..

He drank some water and then regurgitated it. He was showing zero interest in a pinkie but a friend of mine advised I try to force him...the poor guy has literally no energy...he was moving very very little but after helping him get a pinkie down hes actually been crawling around a bit more....

Anyway....advice...what can I do for this guy? Is there a way to help him poo if he has issues? How long should I wait before offering him a pinkie to eat again? I don't want to shock his system because hes actually getting food.

Keep in mind this is about a 3 1/2 maybe 4 foot male corn snake that is very very thin and partially flat... And I am aware that a vet would be best but given that I cant get him to one and even if I could the prices would be much more than I can afford. I had no intention of taking in a near dead snake today and I'm well aware that I am not the best place for him. But I am better than where he was.

So if anyone can give me some advice I'm all ears. I want to save this little guy and make up for what some idiots did to him....

[erikamc]

are corn snakes native to your area? the reason I ask is because if they are, a wildlife rehabilitator might be able to help you. I don't think I would try to force feed him if it's not something you are familiar with doing. another option might be maybe a local zoo could give you some advice.

[Twolunger]

The outlook for this poor snake isn't great. I would suspect that the rock crushed several ribs and I'm surprised the damage didn't lead to death already. But the best thing you can do now is make sure he has good water and see if he can pass anything from his system. You could put him in a large container of shallow lukewarm water, as that sometimes helps pass stools. If he passes anything wait a few days and offer another pinkie. You may also want to rescue the other corn so it doesn't suffer a similar fate.

[inkbound]

The only reason they let me have this one was because they assumed it would die...The other still looks healthy for the time being and I honestly only have so much room, finances I can stretch at the moment. Corn snakes do live in my area but I'm not sure if they are his....coloration? I do know many wildlife rehabbers around her are already getting swamped with babies and this fellow was captive bred as far as I know....I will try to get in contact with a local-ish zoo tomorrow. Local being about a three hour drive -sigh-.

He didnt regurgitate the pinkie yet but it took him a long while for it to travel down his body. He hasn't drank any more although he has moved a bit so that he is under the heat lamp. Where hes sitting is reading 85 with the probe thermometer. Right now I know he wouldn't hold his head up if he was in water. If you pick him up hes pretty much just limp. I'm going to try to let the guy rest for tonight, he has warmth, water, and a pinkie in his belly. If he seems to have any more strength tomorrow I will try to let him sit in some like warm water as suggested. I'm certain several of his ribs were broken...You can very easily see where his ribs suddenly stop and his body goes flat. Are broken ribs a death sentence? Would it be more humane if he were put down? I don't want him to linger in pain but I also don't want to just give up on him if theres a chance.....

[inkbound]

Thank you both for commenting by the way. I don't mean to sound rude if I come across that way...Its really bothered me seeing an animal in this shape and its owner literally say 'Well if it dies that just means I can get a new one'. I'm emotionally drained and trying my best with this little fellow :/

[inkbound]

The best pictures I could get before my camera died. I'm aware the water dish is dirty, it was his and I took it with me lol. I hated to scrub it down and have absolutely everything in my temporary tub smell new to him.

http://imgur.com/fbHc9jq.jpg

http://imgur.com/yMsWNNZ.jpg

[Twolunger]

Hard to assess the damage from the pics, but let him rest and see what happens. I wouldn't worry about a clean water dish smelling too new. I would clean it and rinse well. Use water with no chlorine, if possible, to refill it. You want him to drink a lot. I wouldn't take him to the Vet as there isn't much more that they can do, except maybe force feeding or giving water through a feeding tube. We understand the stress you are experiencing, so we know you aren't being rude. I don't know he survived the trauma so far, but the broken ribs, if they are indeed broken, have to be painful. We can pray that they only bent, but didn't break.

[inkbound]

He stopped breathing and passed away just a few minutes ago. Thanks for trying to help guys. He was just too badly hurt to save....

[Twolunger]

You did everything you could to save him so don't feel bad. His loss was sad, but not everyone who buys a snake should have a snake, or any other pet for that matter. I hope your family members who owned him feel as bad as we do.

[erikamc]

Aww, i'm so sorry:-(

[DLena]

I'm very sorry, and thank you so much for trying. Caring matters. At least he died warm and secure and not pinned under a rock all alone.