Yellow rat with a problem?

[SnakeAround]

Sorry to post it up here in the corn department but I hope to have some answers soon, please don't think bad about me for it. I also think yellows need the same care as corns so I just could have faked a corn was involved :grin01:

Today I heared my yellow rat breathing, which she had been doing before. The other time it stopped after changing bedding form beech chips to aspen. When I took a closer look, I saw 2 or 3 tiny little bubbles emerging from the sides of her mouth. I tried to open he rmouth to look inside but it didn't wotk. I also spotted a barily noticable lump about 12-13 inches from her head. Squeezing it didn't hurt and it felt just like the rest of her body. Yesterday she ate a fuzzy as a snack, and the lump approx. is that size. She isn't acting weird or like she as any problem except for the hearable breathing. I do remember seeing a watery drip at her nose yesterday in the viv but I thought it was just some water 'cause she was active and eating.

Because she is with my emoryi (going down on hours of warmth for hibernation) I took her out and made a ill-snake-room for her in a plastic tub near a heater. I decided to rearrange some vivs and plan to have my yellow in a separate viv during daytime with an extra warm lamp and back to regular hours of warmth. At night she will return to the ill-snake-room.

My questions; is it possible the fuzzie got stuck and is causing problems? Should I wait a couple of days to see if my ill-snake arrangements work? Do I need to do someting different/more? Or do I have to go see a vet a.s.a.p.?

Remember this girlie is my extra carem skinny girl..... but still eating like a wolf!

Tnx in advance!

[Taceas]

This is the corn forum up here and most other animal health questions DO get answered down in General Chit Chat quite well.

If she's not looking like she could shed, then it sounds like a typical respiratory infection to me. Hopefully your Emoryi doesn't come down with something similar. :rolleyes:

As for the lump, how long is your snake? 12-13" could be where the stomach is located. And having just fed her, you're going to feel a lump that is "fuzzy sized" and doesn't hurt when squeezed.

Also, why don't you just find a warmer than normal area for a temporary viv and leave her alone? Moving her from place to place througout the day isn't going to do anything but stress her out more and exacerbate the illness.

Most respiratory infections work themselves out with extra warmth, time, and being left alone. If it doesn't get better in a week's time, take it to a vet to have it looked at.

In the meantime, rethink why you cohabitate your snakes in the first place. Especially when they're already thin and working on being rehabilitated.

[SnakeAround]

Tnx for your reply without being too harsh :grin01: . I do realize about the cohabitation, as far as I see my emoryi is ok. I do plan on separating all snakes in spring, but try to start it earlier. The skinny yellow girl is not to be rehabilitated, she's fed 2-3 mice a week for years and not getting less skinny anyway, there is just something that leaves her that way. The former owner did breed her for years succesfully though 'cause her weight is 325 grams, but I plan to give her a rest this year. I can leave her in the separate viv for the night, but cannot get a red light or heat mat today for the night, I do realize now such things should be in stock beforehand.... learning, learning, learning... do you think I should leave her overnight in the viv while it gets like 20 degrees celsius?

[SnakeAround]

I just checked her and found 2 snotty chunks on her....I feel bad.... I cannot get her to open her mouth to see what's happening. I think I go see a vet this evening if possible. She does act normal though..... The snake is about 3,5 feet so the lump is not at the belly place....

[CornCrazy]

I do not consider "bubbles" and "snot" to be a normal respiratory infection in snakes. I would recommend getting her to the vet for some antibiotics. Typically, when snakes start bubbling, then the RI has progressed enough that antibiotics are a better course of action than simply bumping up the temp.

[SnakeAround]

I have an appointment this afternoon! I do think it's weird, though a good thing, that she stil is active and ate the days before yesterday. I just will keep this girl separate from now one, though she has been with the emoryi for years at her former home...

[SnakeAround]

I got a antiobiotics treatment for 2 weeks, the bulge could be a fuzzie that's stuck or the infection, that should dissapear in both cases. I only have to come back if she doesn't get better within a week. The vet was surprised how lively she still was, there was lots of mucus in het throat, but not yellowish or greenish, I didn't ask but I think that's a good sign.

[SnakeAround]

I've arranged a heat pad for the night, it is warming up the bottom of her viv a few degrees Celsius I think. This evening she regurged the fuziie, so I think that was the lump I saw. Tomorrow I'll check for that when I give her medication, poor girl has to rest now.

[CornCrazy]

Good luck with her! And please keep us posted!

[SnakeAround]

Tnx for caring about her! The heat pad worked great tonight, it was quite warm because I placed a wooden plate about 1,5 inch above the heated floor of the viv to make a really nicely warmed hide, but I guess that if she stayed in there she felt comfortable there. When I lifted the plate this morning she reacted like always so still no signs of her condition being really bad. I didn't see any snotty snuff, but tonight when I administre medicine I'll have a better look. I guess my baby is a tough one!

[MegF.]

Hope she continues to improve and that your other one doesn't come down with an R.I too. It can be spread fairly easily. I definitely would not brumate any snake that's had a respiratory infection as the lower temps will not be too good for them. If you can get a good under tank heater or a red heat lamp to keep the temps up that would be helpful.

[SnakeAround]

Tnx Meg! I placed a heat pad for the night on 1 side of her viv and put in an extra high watt lamp for daytimes and she seems to like the extra warmth!

The vet said it looked like a non-contageous resp. infection so I was relieved of course... This all makes me take extra efforts to get me more vivs to separate them all.

[SnakeAround]

Forgot; she won't be brumated, she was just in with my emoryi which is still being lowered no to prep. for brumation. The emoryi would have been taken out for the real brum. and the yellow would have been 'upped' again.

[MegF.]

Are you brumating for preparation for breeding? If you aren't breeding, there's really no reason to brumate at all. Glad your girl is doing better and that your other one is not at risk. A friend of mine lost both of his breeder Green Tree pythons to R.I. and they weren't even housed together except for breeding purposes. You're still wise to think about seperating.

[SnakeAround]

Yeah, I plan to breed my supposed to be male Miami to my emoryi girl! Exciting what they will look like!

I just need 2 vivs to separate all my '05's. I'm on the look out for some I can pay or maybe even change for other stuff. My Miami and emoryi are together now, 'forced' by the need to sep. the yellow one. The couple preps for brumating together now. I know that's not ideal by far but knowing lots of people have couples together all year this was the best solution. They have a very big viv so can choose to hide far away from each other. After breeding next year they'll get sep. vivs too!

[MegF.]

Actually, most people don't have males and females together just to avoid accidental breedings. Those that do keep them together are nuts in my book, but in this case it's an emergency. Although there again, if they had been in seperate places to begin with, it wouldn't be an issue now. I'm sure everything will be fine, and good luck with the breeding. I've got two about to be brumated for breeding next year. I can't wait either.

[SnakeAround]

Well, accidental breeding with 2 adult corns I want to breed aren't that bad I think... I think people keeping couples together mostly are the ones that just have a viv with snakes like having a hamster but only more interesting looking. they don't even know sexes a lot of times. But you're right furthermore, separating them all is my goal!

[Preita]

How is the snake doing? I know it's to early to tell if the meds are working, but does it seem to be clearing up? :santa:

[SnakeAround]

Tnx for asking! Yesterday was a busy day so didn't have time to post.... I do think there's a little less mucus in her throath 'cause after applying meds it 'bubbled' out of her mouth less... Yesterday I saw her drinking and my heart broke.... she tried to get the water in as usual but ended up scooping the water with her mouth and then looking at the air to have it go down... I keep an eye like hawk on her 'cause I really don't understand how she can still just be as active when I take her out as ever.... I do rush to her viv everytime I come home or get up in the morning to see if she's still with me and she just looks at me like; 'What's the problem? I'm just enjoying the warmth! What's all the fuzz about?' I keep alert for dehydration signs but there are none so far....

Today I forgot to put back in place the elevated wooden plate I put over the warmed part of her viv floor because after a quick check I had to rush to go somewhere. When I came home she was not on the warmed part of the floor but on her big piece of bark... Could that be a good sign that she just preferred a high place above a warmed one? I hope to see signs of aprovement so much....

[SnakeAround]

Pic of her yesterday before i took her out for meds. She was relaxing at the warmest side of the viv during daytime. She just looks healthy as ever... though skinny of course but that is just what she is like.... I realize those pics are surely no way of seeing is she is ill... I guess in general snakes don't show lots of visible signs physically when not feeling well except for the really bad cases :shrugs: Behaviour indicates best I think so I do think she'll get over this :)

[CornCrazy]

She's beautiful! I am glad she seems to be doing a bit better.

[Joni Garcia]

She's a very pretty girl. Keep us posted on how she's doing!

[SnakeAround]

tnx, I'll be glad when she's fine again, 'cause somewhere in my head she's always present now.

[Preita]

I'm glad that she seems to be doing better. Its horrible to have a sick snake :( She is beautiful (thanks for the picture) Keep us updated on how she's doing.

[SnakeAround]

Today I sucked out a bit of mucus with the medicine injector, helped by my boyfriend. I thought it would relieve her a bit and also make it easier to swallow the meds. 'Cause to me it's quite difficult to see how much she swallowed. There is always some fluid spilled so I always suck up a little more in the injector, but it's difficult to scale how much is really in and how much is spilled. She opened her mouth wide a few seconds and it looked like there was less mucus. Only when I come home and take a look there is a dried piece of mucus in her mouth I have to gently take out. I hope that means it's coming out.

Does anybody know if there's snake medicine to make the mucus more fluid? For people there is, and I think it would relief her and be easier for med application. And for offering a little snack soon, 'cause she's used to 2 mice a week and it's feeding time. I would feel worse when being hungry when sick... Do you think I can feed 1 or 2 small pinks to see if she wants them? I guess it would give her some strenght....

Maybe I'm just a very concerned, silly snake mommie but would it be a good or very bad idea to have a little drip of the people med. for the mucus added to her antibio. or a pinky once ? I know there are lots of Vets around her that maybe even want to flame me now, but I'm only anxious to miss any possibility to help her get over this. the med I refer too is just a regular drug available freely.

And can someone tell me if the fact that's she is not lethargic means that's she's not really at risk? I would like to know if she is 'cause I want to be prepared for bad things happening.

[Preita]

personally I would call the vet you took her to, to see if there is any snakie version of a human decongestiant.

I wouldn't give her anything meant for humans as it might be toxic :(

Best of luck with her,

[SnakeAround]

I plan on calling him tomorrow, I know there is a walk in for half an hour tomorrow afternoon. Maybe I can get an additional med. for her. I don't want to take her with me again because of the stress involved. At the other hand the vet won't be available at Sunday if not for emergencies and on weekdays I have to work and don't have any hours to take off the time needed. *Sigh* I'm glad I don't have human kids...

[Preita]

They don't do consults over the phone if you had just gone in? :( Have you found any way to ease the congestion on this site? Did you already turn up the temp a bit?

I understand about human kids. I'm deffinately in no rush. People say they are the best things in the world, but then again, those people don't have pets... :shrugs:

[SnakeAround]

I do think they advice on the phone but if I have to get extra meds I have to go tomorrow during walk-in or on appointment or during the day when I'm working and it's quite far away from my work.

I have a 40 watt reflecting bulb in her viv. the viv is approx. 18-19 inches high and there is a piece of bark half under and half out of the range of the lamp so she can choose a really warm place if she wants, and she does. During the night she has a heat pad under the floor of her hide. The hid eis about an inch high so the warmth really keeps ubder the hide.

I just read on some Dutch site that I should get the humidity up to 80-90 % but I thought she'd better be on regualr or even lower humidity?! The Vet didn't say anything about it, but did advice to higher temps.

[SnakeAround]

By the way; the congestion was a stuck fuzzie. It was there for 3 days and was regurged, but just a little digested so I knew it had not been in the stomach. The place it was stuck still seems a little swollen, but less then before and it doesn't feel weird and it doesn't seem painfull when touched. Maybe the fuzzie added to her resp. condition somehow 'cause 2 days before she ate 2 XL mice ( the fuzzie was a left over and she eats like a wolf).

[Tegucentric]

Which antibiotic was prescribed?

Rick

[SnakeAround]

Enrofloxoral drops 'for micro-organisms reacting to enrofloxacin.' I just found out my rep. vet was also recommended for my area at the first site I consulted today about resp. inf. That made me feel good!

[SnakeAround]

I called the Vet but the herp specialist wasn't at work. The Vet available said I just should go on with the antibio. and call on Monday for the herp specialist, 'cause he would probably tell me to apply the human med. called Bisolvon, meant to make mucus thinner. I wished I could talk to him today and get me some because maybe the swollen throath also is caused by very thick mucus.... I guess I just have to wait.

I did get me a vitamin spray and decided to offer her a small pinkie soaked in it. She really wanted to eat and took it in her mouth, but she cannot pass it through her throath! It is still visible when she opens her mouth and she pushes her head to stuff to have it pass... I tried once to push it with the back end of a wooden stick used for pieces of BBq meat but it was too much stress and I don't know if it is a good idea. Her throath is swollen form the infection but know I really think the source of it is directly in the beginning of her neck behind her jaws and not in her lungs. Another reason for my opinion is that there are seldom bubbles from her nose, she is alert and willing to eat so seems to be able to get in enough oxigine. I hope it's not an abces that is ready to burst, 'cause I do think that will cause her death... or would that be a good thing? If the content gets into her stomach, the juices maybe can digest it. I do worry about the stuck pnkie now.... I hope her saliva will digest it a little so it will pass eventually. But she will probably throw it out I think.... poor girl; hungry, food in her mouth but not able to eat... * sigh* I wish time could skip 2 weeks and she would be healthy again.... or maybe even death, though I would be devastated. But seeing her like this is really awfull... :awcrap: :awcrap: :awcrap:

[SnakeAround]

She did swalow it and was actively searching for more! If I came up to the viv she looked at me like thinking; was that all, are you kidding me?! So I did give her another vitamin soaked pinkie and watched her like a hawk. She actually pushed her mouth open against her own body to push the pinkie through. It stayed in her throath for a couple of minutes but then it slid through I think. The pinkie was too small to see how far it went down, but she is still looking for more. I wait how those 2 pinks work out, maybe I give her another 2 the day after tomorrow. She is is cruising around and coming to the glass when I appear in front of the viv. I'm happy I decided to feed her! Nutrition and borad spectrum vitamins are good for her!

[SnakeAround]

It looks like there has been a major break through, she has been very active for a while and only went back in her hide when she seemed convinced that no food was coming anymore. (Though I still keep in mind sometimes that a period of noticable improvement happens just before dead takes over in animals.... :shrugs: ). I took some pics to show how alert she was when crusing around. She did wiggle her jaws with her mouth wide open a couple of times but I didn't see mucus.... Could the pinkies have opened her throath and maybe taken part of the 'infected waste material' with them into her stomach or so? Maybe that's a ridiculous thought but I cannot explain why eating 2 pinkies could make such a difference otherwise.... Drinking looked still difficult for her, even after the pinkies had slid through. Maybe her muscles/throath just are too painful to suck in the water. She still scoops and swallows head up but it looks like it's a little easier for her.

Gosh, this thread has become my personal diary and way to speak out my concerns... good for me! I hope you don't think I'm way to concerned about her or overreacting but her being ill is really bothering me...

[SnakeAround]

pics... silly me forgot...

[babbaloo99]

Hi there! What an ordeal you are going through. I'm sorry she is having such troubles. She really is a beautiful snake. One thing I was thinking is that perhaps she is eating too much too often? If you're feeding her every couple days maybe it isn't giving her enough time to digest well enough before the next meal? Also, since she regurged the last time, maybe you should wait the 10 days before feeding again, especially since her throat is swollen. If she is as active as she seems, she would probably be just fine. If given some time for her stomach to rest and the swelling to go down, maybe she'll be better prepared for one meal served all at once rather than a couple times a day or two at a time. Anyways, that's just how I read it, if I misunderstand, I apologize. I'm rooting for her over here :)

[SnakeAround]

tnx Babbaloo!
This girl is normally fed 2 mice every 7 days in winter and according to her previous owner in summer I have to feed 3 mice a week. She has been skinny for years though, but has been bred succesfully 4 years in a row by him. I plan to give her a break on breeding, and maybe to not ever breed her...

The fuzzie that was stuck, was gieven 2 days after a 2 mice meal, because it was left over from another snake. I do think it didn't even pass until where the 2 mice were in her body, so I don't think that was the problem, but to be sure I plan on never feed an extra after 2 days from her regular meal.

The regurge of the fuzzie wasn't a full regurge as like coming from her stomach, it was only a tiny ittle bit digested by her saliva and didn't reach her stomach. So I thought maybe the 10 days waiting were not necessary in this case, 'cause her stomach is not upset. And because she is used to be fed a lot, I thought it must be awful for her not to be fed. Besides that I wanted some vitamins in, and getting her out again today and having to orally apply the fluid, woudl be more stressfull then eating small pinkies I thought. I admit I had to think this over really good before making a decison but I couldn't stand just watching her and not adding anything to her recovery. After eating 1 pink she reeally wanted more so I thought it would be ok. Would the eating of the first one have been awful, I guess she wouldn't have wanted another...

[cornsnakekid92]

yea, i hope she does fine here tooo

[SnakeAround]

I think she is doing slightly better. I still think the main problem is located in her throat right behind her head, because she seems to breath quite easily through her nostrils, only when being out en slithering around her breathing gets a little noisy. Drinking still is difficult too. It looks like there is less mucus but it is less fluid. Last Saturday I called the Vet because I didn't feel sure about her but the herp specialist wasn't there. The other Vet told me there was no use to come over again and to call the specialist on monday (Today). I'd probably get the advice to get me some Bisolvon (human anti-mucus drug) for her he said..... But I was too busy today and because the snake is quite active not too worried also, so I forgot to call. Tomorrow he won't be there too but if still neccesary I'll make a call on Wednesday to hear about the Bisolvon. I'd be happy to see some improvement.

I did find out today that she hadn't swallowed the second pinkie I gave 2 days ago. I found it dehydrated in the aspen, after going for a search for what smelled in there. It was not at all digested so it has not been in her stomach. Well, at least one stayed in... as far as I know. The smell is gone! I spray some vitamin spray in her water so she'll get some anyway...

I finally found a way to more easily apply her med. Roll in a wooden BBQ-stick via the tongue-flicking-area, shove it down her mouth when se opens it, so if she closes it, it's still a little open with the stick out from both sides. Apply the fluid above the stick into her throath (breathinghole easily avoided) and gently pull the stick out. Men, I'm glad I ddn't find out on the last day of her med. supply cycle.... I can use it another week!

[SnakeAround]

Just found this in her viv.... I guess this was bothering her.... it doesn't smell like urine, it is very slimy but doesn't smell really like infected material too... But I do conclude that this was in her throath (except for the aspen of course). It's lightish yellow mostly and there is a small green cloth in it. Did an abces break?

[babbaloo99]

Yuk! Does it look like the swelling in her throat has gone down? Maybe it was something impacted in there and it finally did burst or something. At least she is still on the medication. Well I hope she just gets better from here.

[SnakeAround]

I've not taken her out yesterday after I've found the mucus, I'll check today when I apply her med. I hope this is the breaking point.

[Gintha]

In my experience, abcess "fluid" is very distinct, and it REALLY smells bad. I know hehe... had a large grapefruit sized abcess explode in my face once, couldn't get the smell off for 2 days, and I swalled a bunch too... UGH was soooo sick YUCK. :-puke01:

Let us know how she is tonight, poor little snakie.

[Preita]

Gintha- :-puke01:
ICK

(You either got to laugh or throw up) :grin01:

[Gintha]

Aye.. I know. Usually people are like Ewww hehehehehe ~.~ Its actually not the worst thing... imagine abscessed anal glands in a great dane, and imagine ~me~ cleaning said anal glands LOL Business end of a great dane + enema + abscessed anal glands = VERY VERY smelly, and sick me LOL... gotta love Veterinary work!

[Preita]

:eek1: It just keeps getting worse!

Why do I keep coming back?! :-puke01:

I wanna know how someone lets their dog get abscessed anal glands? It seems like our vet is all about operating on my in laws dog. Any time he goes there my mother in law comes out saying the vet says he needs surgery! I wish all vets were as thorough (and my mother in law wasn't so gullible :shrugs: )

I think being a vet is worse (in what you see) than an actual doctor. People tend to let their animals go longer with out care than they would for themselves.

[SnakeAround]

You guys..... :rolleyes:

I appreciate you both keep coming back :)

It seems like her mouth is finally completely shut again instead of slightly opened al the time. I see less mucus when I apply meds. I think her throath is less swollen too, I've taken some pics for you to see if her troath loosk normal to you from the outside, I'm not sure what it looked like before. If I gently push against the throat it is just elastic and seems not to be painfull.

I gave her a slit small pinkie sprayed with vitamins today and she immediatley took it, but needed like 5 minutes to have it pass her throath :shrugs: There it stayed for a couple of minutes and after some head rubbing against stuff and hiding in her hide she seems to have transported it to her stomach. In someway it seems like her muscles just don't put it through or maybe it's too swollen in there.... I'll call the specialized Vet tomorrow to update him and to ask for further advice. I think it is so weird that she really has appetite but eating still is very difficult, just like drinking. But it seems like her throath is not painful when touched or pushed against, and it feels like there is no obstruction what so ever :shrugs:

I kept the big splot of mucus in a container, maybe for the Vet to analyze and now it smells very much like medication and looks like yellow fresh cheese..... There is a little green chunk that does smell awfull :-puke01: I hope I can e-mail the Vet the pic of it for him to see. I'm leaning to think it is feaces and urine now, maybe smelling like med. because of the med..... but it was so slimy I do think it would indicate something is wrong with her intestines too... * sigh* maybe I shouldn't analyze so much and just wait to see what the Vet thinks, now I'm only bothering you with boring details...

By the way; I looked at older pics of her and she has always had a saggy throath but at least it's notbigger now. The pic is of her today.

[SnakeAround]

I just checked her and the pinkie had been puked... no visible digestion so it hasn't reached the stomach apparently. Saddest thing is, she doesn't seem to understand it too; she tagged the pinkie and looked for it when I had taken it out.... I feel very sorry for her, feel like crying :shrugs:

[SnakeAround]

I did find out what the smell of the slimy, cheesy splotch made me think of; her vitamin spray! I guess there is some going through her digestive system or being puked with it. I think the Vet neess to X-ray her to see what is happening in there....

[Preita]

I would stop feeding her until her throat is less swelling. This is the second time she's regurged a pinky in a week. I would give her a break. I don't think it's doing her any good.

Is that vitamin spray for reptiles? I would stop that too until you see the vet just in case it has an adverse affect on the meds. You know like some meds say "Do Not Take With Milk" because it lessens the effect or the milk completely passes it through your system with out any helpful effects at all.

I hope she's OK.

[SnakeAround]

I decided to stop try to feed her, but she is so clearly wanting to eat I feel horrible. It doesn't reach her stomach so I don't consider it a regurge, but indeed it doesn't seem to do any good.

The vitamine spray is especially for herps, branded T-Rex. I'll ask the Vet today if their's any risk of disturbing meds, tnx for the tip!

[SnakeAround]

Today I took a good look in her open mouth and saw that though there is less mucus, there is enough in her throath to understand why a pinkie is difficult to pass. Her throath is just blocked with it but it is not bubbling from her mouth anymore. I keep getting better in getting more med. in with less stress so I hope that helps her too.

[SnakeAround]

Less mucus!

[Preita]

Fabulous. I'm very happy for you :D And the snakie of course :D (though I think it's harder to be a worried mom than a sick kid/animal).

[babbaloo99]

When do you take her to the vet next? I'm glad you stopped feeding her. I know it's hard. But sometimes, just because they try to eat doesn't mean they know better. Try telling a 4 year old boy he can't have but a sip of water at a time and no food for a while after he's had the stomach flu all night. It's rough, but you can do more harm than good.

Hopefully the vet can take a really good internal look and check for any parasites (or did he already?) Maybe that's why she has eaten so much without showing much girth? Keep us posted. Good luck to you and the snake!

[SnakeAround]

As fas as I can se enow she doesn't have to visit the Vet again, but I'll save a poo for analysis for him as soon she has eaten and digested the first time. I do think that because she has been skinny for years, there are no parasites invloved. She bred several years very succesfull too. Maybe she just doesn't take profit of nutrition very good. I think of trying to feed her less after she has fully recovered, 'cause a snake keeper I spoke with said that feeding too much could cost too much energy to digest for some snakes so instead of gaining weight, it gets skinny. It would occur mostly with young snakes but who knows...

Today I noticed less mucus again, but a weird splotch attached to her upper jaw inside the mouth. It turned out to be a aspen/mucus mix when I gently shove it out, so I took out the aspen bedding and put her on newspaper this evening. Now I know why she didn't close her mouth completely sometimes.... I just didn't look from the right angel into her mouth before.... Maybe she breathed some aspen into her throath too, so I hope if that gets out, she'll have a clearer throath soon!

[SnakeAround]

No mucus in her mouth today!

[MegF.]

Good news!

[SnakeAround]

A little mucus today, but she is very active... yesterday or the day before she did have diarrhea though... I just hope it is caused by her med.

[babbaloo99]

Well kudos to you for keeping on top of things. Kinda strange how much we can worry of these "guys", eh?

[SnakeAround]

Yeah, if you have to see a Vet a couple of times you can buy a very exclusive morph instead, but you don't though you don't even have an emotional relation with your snakes..... It just doesn't feel good to have them dying or euthanized for the sake of your bank account...

[Preita]

How is she doing? It sounds like she is doing much better. I hope that she will be totally recovered soon for you.

[SnakeAround]

Tnx for asking! Thought nobody was paying attention anymore.... I think she has recovered completely, she's now digesting a mouse for 2 days, she at eit just like before and kept it in and the lump is hardly visible any more though she is very slim, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that her digesting uses are flowing like ever!

Further she is drinking the normal way again, I'm so relieved! But, knock on wood for the mouse comin' out the right way...

[Taceas]

Sick snakes should always be removed from a particle substrate. It just makes good sense to be able to easily ID whatever she regurges, coughs up, poops.

With her mouth/nose being clogged up, I'd almost venture a guess that she's been rubbing her head with an open mouth trying to dislodge whatever the problem is, and ingested some substrate....which could be the WHOLE problem here. A minor RI, she gapes her mouth to breathe, rubs, swallows aspen, voila...impaction.

As for the yellow-greenish mucus, has she ever been tested for Crypto? The whole swelling, mucus feces, regurging just makes me think of some sort of insidious culprit like that. Hopefully you're keeping things clean and not cross contaminating your others by sharing tools/tubs etc.

Poo will look like mucus when they've not had anything substantial to eat and are just getting meds and drinking water.

If your concerned about lack of nutrition, has your vet not discussed tube feeding her an electrolyte-thinned meat-based baby food perhaps? Not something I'd advocate doing at home unless you had good knowledge and experience doing so, by any means. But worthwhile to discuss with your vet considering she can't even swallow a pink at this point.

By this point in time, I believe I'd have had an x-ray done to determine if there was a blockage in the gut or cloudiness in the lungs, just to SEE what was going on if possible.

And lastly...the correct spelling is throat. I just about had a conniption fit when I read your post down in the General Chit-Chat section. :grin01:


Edit: And posh for people replying while I'm replying. Disregard all of what I had said. *sigh*

[SnakeAround]

Hi Misty, tnx for taking time to type this down. I did separate her from her cage mate when I realized she was ill and the Vet assured me this was not a contageous looking infection. But to be sure I did wash hands after taking care of her and before taking care of other vivs and snakes. I dind't put her on papers than, that's what I've learned from this ordeal. But I hope to not have to do that again ever now she's about back to health.... She'll be kept separated from now on for at least the winter months to get back to complete strength, hopefully I'll have another viv when my miami gets out of brum. so I can have her seperated for ever, 'cause I do think she's a little more receptive/a problemchild like her weird feeding/waist rate also indicates. The first few months she was ok but I think lowering her light hours so shortening the warm period per day (she was with my emoryi I prepped for brum.) had her catching the infection. She's back on 12 hours daylight/warmth and a red 40W bulb at night for at least the winter months. I think I retire her from brumating and breeding though her former owner brumated her together with a male and female corn for 2 months at about 65-70 F and she succesfully breeded 4 years in a row.

My vet never suggested crypto... and she never became lethargic or acting really ill. Does crypto 'hide' and just linger below the surface to come out sometimes or can I be sure that it is not crypto (anymore) now she looks almost completely healthy again?

Should she regurge this meal, I'll have her X-rayed for sure! i think the pinkie just couldn''t reach the stomach because of all the mucus or her digesting juices were influenced by the meds. She had some poo and a big urine blotch yesterday without any slime or mucus, so that's a good sign I think.

Silly me, for typing throath.... but what is a conniption fit? Is throath something else too?

[Preita]

No I don't think "throath" is something, I think it's just a spelling thing.

I would think that separating the yellow from the others permanently would be a wise idea. Giving that many eggs in 4 years is a tiring job. Maybe she could just be a single mama snake :D Give her a good retirement :D

If she does regurge I would definitely take the regurged mouse with her to the vet and have it tested for crypto & other parasites just to be safe.

Hopefully she will be 110% by no time. Wise idea to keep her away from the other snakes though :D

[SnakeAround]

No regurge, but some good poo! Never thought I could be so happy with poo

[Preita]

lol it's amazing what you can be happy about when a pet is sick. Congrats.

[SnakeAround]

Meal still in, I think the change of regurge has minimalised now :)

I changed her newspaper bedding today and handled her after 3 days of leaving her alone to digest. She looked fine, grabs arms, necks and stuff more powerful than like 1,5 weeks ago, I forgot what her actual power was like when healthy, I guess.

I did see a little mucus in her throat again today, I'll keep an eye on it, maybe it was just some last remains.

Further she doesn't breath 'noisy' anymore, except after being handled (slithering all over me and through my hands) for 10 mins like she's out of breath a little bit after 'training'. I hope that gets better too. It sounds like before I noticed her resp. infect., but of course that had already started some time earlier. I've had her without any breathing sounds or maybe I dind't notice it at first...