URGENT - 2 babies, 1 bit the other, 1 injured!

[psysquad]

After 2 baby corn snakes were fead, we put the 2 back into their tank. (they are housed together, and by the way, we are snake-sitting, these are not OURS!!!) after about 1 minute, I turned around and noticed 1 baby ripping the other about 1" below the head. The skin scene to be torn about 3/4 of an inch, but after I separated the 2, the wound was about 1/4 of an inch. The injured one seems fine and they are currently seperated. What should I do for the next 3 weeks while the currently injured snake goes on about its daily life? We have flushed the wound out with water and it does seem fine. Thanks for your time.

- Psysquad

[Cat_Eyed_Lady]

all I can say is to keep them seperated obviously.... but there are others that will be coming on (I hope) that will be able to help you as to what you can put on the wound to try to help it heal and to try to keep out infection.

How big are they?? little guys or bigger ones??

[Susan]

The injured snake should be seen by a vet. The wound could get infected. Is there any way to contact the owners to ask what they want done?

[Kevin McRae]

Can you take pics? I have a hard time believing a cornsnake can make a wound like that.

[Flagg]

If nothing else, you can put some neosporin on the wound to try to prevent infection.

[psysquad]

they are babies, about 1/2" thickness at the largest part, and about 1 foot long. I would take better pictures, but he's all curled up right now. The wound looks like a piece of his skin, about 1/4" round has been ripped and the substrate it in it. I tried rinsing it out and wiping it. I called the vet that I usually take my Bearded Dragon to but they were closed so I took it to my other vet (not a reptile vet) and he said to rinse it and put polysporin on it and antibiotics, and that going to the reptile vet would be pointless and expensive. Heres the picture I got of the snake..

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e197/lexithelizard/IMG_0202.jpg

It's the brown spot right below his head.

[Thoth]

I'm sorry! I can't really help about the wound, but I have a concern. You said it happened after they ate, and then you separated them. Since they've both just eaten, it's critical they can both warm up enough to digest their food. Did you separate them in such a way that they can both still get to someplace warm? Also, how soon after they ate did you put them back? Their feeding response, from what I've read, continues for about 15-20 minutes after they've swallowed the mouse. So if you put them back together immediately after eating, the aggressor probably just smelled mouse on the other and thought it was a second course. Good luck!

[psysquad]

ok well, when the owners left, they showed me how they normally feed the snakes. I've never had a snake before so maybe they feed them wrong..I was told to take them out of the tank and feed them in separate containers.. anyway after the pinky was like 1/3 of the way down its body i put them back, just like how he said to. And, after a minute I seen one was severely biting the other one so i separated them and took the injured one to the vet, and now its in a separate enclosure...as far as lighting or heat...they have no lights or anything on any of their tanks so yah..i dont know how they would warm up anyway? i should really read about snakes..my job was just to feed them.

[Cat_Eyed_Lady]

I am so sorry that such incompetent owners left their snakes in your care. Each snake should have its own viv... and yes feed in seperate containers but they also need some kind of heat... hot end about 80-84 and cool end about 70-75 ... they need to digest otherwise they may throw up their food and thats a whole new mess :( Do you have any idea what the temps they are in now??

[psysquad]

ok so from what ive been reading, the enclosure is heated with a reptile heat pad under the tank...would it be better to put the snake back in with the other one, or but another heat pad and keep them separated? are corn snakes usually housed together?

[Cat_Eyed_Lady]

no, they are not... it is not recommended to house snakes together... especially by someone who doesnt have any experience with snakes. (such as the ppl you are sitting for) If you have a heating pad made for humans, that can usually get the heat up enough to help them digest... but make sure it doesnt get too hot.... usually a low setting is enough... Is the other snake in something similar to the one you have pictured??

[psysquad]

ok im going to go take it to the repile vet that i normally take it to..which will probably cost over 100$ but if it were my snake i would take it. The enclosure I have it in as of now is about a 5 gal plastic container. I also have a spare 27 gal tank but neither of them have a heat pad..i went to the pet store and they cost over 30$...oh i really don't know what to do. The plastic container its in is big enough, but are those under tank heaters okay for plastic for the time being..any suggestions

Thanks for your help

[CaptBogart]

Would the plastic container you have the wounded one in fit inside the tank? I would put the container in the tank with a quarter of it over the heat pad. Just give it water and a hide and your good to go. I would also line the container with paper towels, no substrate..

[Cat_Eyed_Lady]

most of the reptile UTH arent recommended for use on anything but glass... that is why I suggested a human heating pad... they are cheaper, would get the heat up far enough and you just need it til the owners come back and you can give them an earfull of everything you have learned.

[psysquad]

im used to lizard keeping, so i have digital thermometers, since they have reptile mats (if they do) how do i check the temperature?

[Cat_Eyed_Lady]

you need to put the probe where the snake may be able to lay on it.. just need to make sure the glass or plastic doesnt get too hot. Since you have reptiles... you can use a over head light too to try to get the temps up.. I dont use the under tank heaters because I fear too much my snakes getting too hot... I have all glass tanks with metal mess tops and use an over head heat light... that way they can go as close to or as far away from the heat as they need to be. Is that Any help at all??

[Cat_Eyed_Lady]

you need to put the probe where the snake may be able to lay on it ---- ummmm 'it' being the under tank heater... doh :)

[psysquad]

an update..
ok i brought the snake home from the vet and i went and bought a 10 gal glass tank with a lid. and an exoterra UTH I stuck the UTH to one side of the tank and im going to measure the temp now. I put like 5 layers of paper towel down, hopefully it doesnt get too hot. I also got a soap and antibacterial cream from the vet to put on daily. This snake's owners are going to have some bills when they get home, oh well! lol

[Cat_Eyed_Lady]

sorry but that is what they get for being so irresponsible. Maybe you will be able to teach them a few things so that this doesnt happen again... poor babies.

[psysquad]

ok so far so good. I got the tank set up..the temperature on top of the paper towel on the heated side went up to 84 degrees F so I cut out a piece of cardboard to lay under the paper towel so hopefully that will bring the temp. to a good range. After this little adventure I'll know more about these snakes than their owners...oh well knowledge is a good thing. Thanks a lot.

[Msterry]

Hi Psysquad id like to commend you on the care you are givin these animals. Hopefully the owners will really appreciate all you have gone thu and you will be repaided for the expense you have had with them.
This certainly has been quite the experience for you. Perhaps you can help the snakes owners with info you have learned.
Good luck with the bite...

[psysquad]

hows this look..

her new home:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e197/lexithelizard/IMG_0210.jpg





http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e197/lexithelizard/IMG_0211.jpg

left side is the warmer side currently at 82.5 degrees..and the right side at 76 degrees. I put a large shallow water dish on the cool side and two plastic containers, one on either side. Anything else I'm missing?

[Dresden]

Looks good, hat's off to you for doing this on the fly. Slap the owner's around for me plz...


I am in the process of getting one myself, however first I read every caresheet for the last 3-4 weeks, changed mind from a ball to a corn and spent almost $200 on accessories the other day, once the stuff arrives and it's all setup will I go and get my snake from the breeder.

Argh poor snakes...


Dresden