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I'm worried my baby corn will die

Foxglove
10-12-2006, 11:50 PM
I have a baby motley anery corn snake. He is probably about 2 months now. I got him in the middle of September. When I got him from the reptile store he was healthy, active, curious and eating just fine. I fed him about 4 days after I brought him home and he took his meal readily. A couple days later he regurgitated his pinky. I didn't think much of it because I figured his tank was just too cold, so I got a heat lamp to warm it up. I waited a week before trying to feed him again. He didn't eat another pinky until about 2.5 weeks about his regurge. Everything in the tank was fine, a couple days later he regurgitated his pinky again. So it has been about a month since he has eaten and he's just a baby and he's starting to look thin. He scales are kind of scrunched and loose looking, they are not tight and smooth like they use to be when I first got him. The people at the reptile store said he was due for a shed when I first got him and it's been four weeks and he still hasn't shed. Could he be regurgitating because I handle him too much? He's also acting all weird. When I picked him up the other day, he feels kind of sticky and doesn't glide through my fingers as easily as he use to. His behaviour is very weird in the sense that he...sort of flails about in the tank and flips upside down and puts himself in knots. He never did this when I first got him, he looks like he's gone crazy, lol. This is my first snake and I love him dearly and he cost me a lot of money and I would hate for him to die because he is an absolute gorgeous sweetheart. Sorry this is so long, please help if you've made it through to the end of my ranting, lol.

sbourget
10-13-2006, 12:41 AM
Tell us about your setup. the temperatures in the various areas, what hides you have, where your water bowl is, how you heat it, everything. Pictures are also helpful.

bill38112
10-13-2006, 03:21 AM
First I would get my baby to a herp vet as soon as possible. I suspect the pet store sold you a very sick snake. The behavior you describe, the flailling about, is usually a symptom of disease or poisoning. Your snake may have encountered something toxic.

If you can't get to a vet, I suggest moving your baby into a sterile environment immediately. A small, tupperware type container that has been washed with a dishwashing liquid soap (if it's safe for your food dishes, then it's safe for the snake), rinsed thouroughly, and dried. Make sure you have sufficient ventilation hole punched in the container. Line the container with a paper towel. Make sure to include a small water dish (use something you can wash). Place the container in a quiet environment which is in the 75-85 degree range and dimly lit.

Once you have the snake out of its current environment, remove any items you suspect might be toxic, clean the current viv with a non-toxic cleaner (dish washing liquid), and reassemble the viv with non-toxic items. Use aspen shavings or paper towels to cover the floor of the viv. Many other types of wood products are toxic to snakes.

Good luck.

diamondlil
10-13-2006, 03:36 AM
The 'sticky' feel could mean the snake is going into shed.
But other issues have to be addressed first.A non-feeding snake like this must have the stress reduced if it's going to have a chance. Stop handling it at all except for when putting it in it's feeding tub.
The first feed must be 10 days from the last regurge, to allow the stomach acids to recover. If you can use grapefruitseed extract or nutribac this can help.
You don't mention the temperatures, they are important too, because too hot or too cold can cause regurges. You'll need a digital thermometer with probe to measure them accurately.
If you get the Kathy Love cornsnake manual and follow the FAQ's on this site, you'll have a better chance for your snake. Hope this helps, good luck

Foxglove
10-13-2006, 10:10 AM
My tank has a heat pad that sits under the back part of the tank. I have one of those stick to the glass thermometers and it's a couple of inches above where the heat pad is. I have coconut substrate. I have one of those hollow rock things on the heat pad for hiding. I have a heat lamp on the front side of the tank, because the pad did not heat up the tank. With the heat lamp it's a steady 84-86 and at night it drops to the low 70's. I have a water dish that is sitting on the opposite side of the heat pad, and he can hide under there. I also have a little tree thing that I bought from the reptile store and he climbs on it and can hide in the bark. Hope this helps, if you need more details let me know and I will try to take some pics.

sbourget
10-13-2006, 11:19 AM
Is there an area with the heat down around 75? Snakes need a gradient of heat so they can thermoregulate. Go by a thermometer with a probe from somewhere like walmart, or Canadian Tire. Then use it to make sure that the temperature under the substrate on the hot side is no more then 90F, and that the cold side gets down to atleast 75F, cooler is better. The larger the gradient the better. What size is the tank? Pictures would help. Where is the tank situated in the house? is it in a high-traffic area or is it off in a quiet little corner? Is it near anything that emmits vibrations or lots of sound?

The first thing to do is as was recommended above, take the snake, with a fecel sample to a Reptile Vet and have him checked over.
Next is to get a thermometer and thermostat so you can dial in your temps to perfect.
Then, make sure his tank is not in an area where he will be disturbed. People passing by and loud noises or vibrations can all cause a snake to be stressed.
No more handling unless it is to feed him or take him to the vet. Until he's eaten you want to limit his stress.
Be sure to change his water daily.

Foxglove
10-13-2006, 02:26 PM
Thank you all for your time and replying but my snake died, I think he might have died during the night. I'm going to take him to the vet to find out why because I don't think it was my fault and if my snake was sick to start with...I'm going to cause that reptile store I got him from a lot of trouble.

BeckyG
10-13-2006, 02:28 PM
If you are using a UTH and a lamp, chances are your temps are much higher than you think they are. I think if you do what sbourget recommended and get a digital thermometer with a probe, placing the probe directly on the glass above the UTH, you will find that your temps are really too high. You could be slowly cooking your snake, and this may account for his behavior. The sticky, wrinkled skin could be a sign of dehydration, as heat lamps are very drying to the environment.

I'd say first thing is to get your temps and humidity in the correct range. Yes, take him to the vet as well, but if you put him back into the same environment, you won't have solved anything. Good luck with him, and let us know what happens.

SunnyDelight
10-13-2006, 05:28 PM
so sorry for your loss fox...
hopefully you can get some compensation if the snake was sick to begin with. make sure everything is clean before you get another snake though.
i hope this experience doesn't sour you on owning a snake forever, i know it's hard to lose a pet but i'm sure once everything is right and you get a good, healthy snake, you will find joy for the next 15 to 20 years.

again, sorry for you loss.

bill38112
10-13-2006, 07:05 PM
Sorry to hear about your snake. From your description, I suspected you had a seriously ill snake.

Do take some time hanging out on this forum before you buy another snake. It will improve your chances at having at healthy pet next time. And do buy from a breeder. Your likelihood of starting out with a healthy animal is so much higher. Plus you have a go to person if you have an emergency. All of the folks I have dealt with put the health of the animal ahead of profits. You will never find that it a pet store.

mcifaldi
10-13-2006, 07:38 PM
Foxglove Im so sorry to here about your snake :cry:

diamondlil
10-13-2006, 07:52 PM
The snake may have been under stress from the temperatures in the tank, as stick-on thermometers don't record the temperature accurately enough.
If you are going to get a PM, don't freeze the snake as it won't the be able to be examined. The other thing to remember is that the snake was apparently healthy when you bought it, so you might not have much luck with the store.