in blue for over 2 months but no shed? HELP!

[lilivoryflower]

Ok, so my 2 year old female bloodred has been in blue for over two months. This means eyes cloudy, scales rough, the works. I'm worried because she has never taken this long to shed before. She still eats every week and has never regurged. But now she is looking so uncomfortable with baggy skin and I am getting worried. I soak her every week and mist her cage, but to no avail. I have heard of this shedding spray you can buy at pet shops that helps, but I think thats only for after they start shedding and it goes badly. Has anyone ever had this problem with their snake? What's the longest they have been in blue without shedding? Is it time to call the vet? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

~Emily~

[wade]

Emily, Try the method that Nanci talks about here on this forum. Put the snake in a "rubbermaid container" with warm water, and a towel so he doesn't have to swim to stay afloat. Let him soak for an hour. Keep it warm, around 80*. Take him out and give him a day. Try rubbing with a towel yourself and see if you can loosen it. If that doesn't work, soak him again for two hours.

Sometimes it is a hassel, but I have never had a snake that wouldn't shed if you worked at it a little. (That is unless I read the blue wrong and the snake wasn't really ready)

[mele2511]

Other thing you can try is get some reptile skin ointment from your pet shop if they supply it. Once you have it just rub a small amount into the skin and this will be a great help and the snake will normally be able to get the rest of its self.

[lilivoryflower]

Well, update time, but not a happy one. Roja still has not shed despite MANY soakings. Even tried the ZooMed shedding spray, and nothing. so today, I took her to a reptile vet, who took one look at her and said it was probably a fungal infection all over her skin. He said he had only seen this type of infection twice before, and gave her a 50% chance of pulling through. He took two skin biopsies and sent them all the way to Wyoming to be analyzed. He said we will know for sure in about 10 days. I am so depressed right now. She is such a beautiful, sweet girl, and I keep thinking if I had taken her to the vet sooner, maybe her chances would be better. Instead, I kept trying to wait it out, assuming it was just a bad shed. stupid on my part.

I guess the only thing to do now is wait. I guess I will update again later when I find out the results of the Biopsies or if things take a turn :cry:

[Cornsnake124]

the one thing you can do know is take A TON of pics of her and wait. Bet of luck:awcrap:

[bitsy]

Did the vet give you advice on how to treat her while you're waiting for the biopsy results?

I've been through the fungal bit before and best advice now is that the fungus will thrive in damp conditions, so keep her dry - don't mist and take out any damp hide.

The fungal spores will cling to substrate, hides etc and especially around the water bowl.
- Change the water daily, disinfecting the bowl each time.
- If you're using a bark substrate, switch to newspaper and change it daily.
- Disinfect hides as often as you can and make sur that they're completely dry before they go back into the viv.
- Anything "fiddly" like plastic foliage will be very difficult to keep properly clean, so if you have any, I suggest you stop using it.
- Might be worth switching to disposable hides like old cereal boxes etc, and just throwing them away.

Observe scrululous hygeine, washing your hands before and after handling. Spores can be airborne as well, so if there are other reptiles in the house, then try quarantining the affected Corn.

One of the biggest problems I found with trying to get rid of it, was that it's so easy for the spores to be carried round and for everything to be re-infected.

With regular disinfectant wipe-downs of the Corn (much to her disgust!) and endless cleaning, I finally got it beat after about two months.

Good luck to you - please keep us posted.

[Nanci]

Well, at least you got her to the vet, and at least she's eating regularly- I think that gives her a good chance, if she is strong enough to make it through the treatment. If she felt worse, she would stop feeding.

[Cam5]

Feeling guilty doesn't make anything different, it is not your fault.(hug)

Thank you for posting the update, you will help so many other keepers with your experience.

I bet money if you had taken her in much earlier they would have said. Keep doing what you are doing and bring her back in a few weeks.

I hope the treatment goes well and she recovers quickly!

Keep us updated.

[lilivoryflower]

Thanks for the support guys.

It just sucks that when I thought it was just a bad shed, I soaked her and kept her really humid, thinking that would help her shed, when in fact, it was probably making the fungal infection worse... :shrugs:

As far as her situation now, the vet gave me some small doses of fungal meds to put her on until her results come back. The stuff he gave me is Sporonox, and I give it to her orally every other day. Anyone had any experience with this med?

I have taken her regular wooden hide out and replaced it with toilet paper hides which I will replace regularly, and she is on paper towels for substrate that will also get changed regularly. I have STOPPED any and all misting and soaking, in hopes that the dryness will do her good.

Thanks for your advice guys, keep your fingers crossed for her

[Susielea]

"You must spread some rep before giving it to bitsy again"

I've never had to deal with a fungal infection, but it really helps when someone who has been through the same thing you're experiencing can give advice.

lilivoryflower, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a full and speedy recovery! Please keep us posted on the outcome.

Best wishes,

[K'Bear]

If it makes you feel better i would have done the same as you. but as was previously said if she wasn't fighting fit she wouldn't eat. I have my fingers crossed for you, best of luck.

[bitsy]

Don't feel bad lilivoryflower - you were doing what you thought was best and now you're on the right road. Let's face it, you did ask us and none of us thought of a fungal infection either. Of all people, the thought should have crossed my mind!

The fact that she's still eating is a major bonus. When I went through this, my lass went on hunger strike for weeks which I'm sure didn't help.

[lilivoryflower]

Well, Since my last post, Roja has eaten again, but still no shed and she looks just as bad as ever. The vet called and said the the preliminary results are back from the biopsies and they point to fungal infection, possably coupled with bacterial infection. He suggests I come in and get a special soak for her. Thoughjt I would try to put a few pics up for you guys so you can see what I am talking about when I say that she looks really messed up. Hope these pics work...

[Rich in KY]

Poor little girl.

She looks miserable. I hope the vet is able to cure her.

[ghosthousecorns]

There's no ointment you can put on there to help get rid of it is there? I'm sure the vet would know if there was. I'm just thinking that maybe the stuff people use for ringworm and athlete's foot would work, you'd have to ask the vet, I guess. Well I hope she gets better, the fact she ate sounds promising and at least now you know what it is.

[Cam5]

How long have you had her?
Did the vet say what may have caused this?

I really hope she turns the corner for you.

[lilivoryflower]

I have had her ever since she was a hatchling, it will be three years in August. Thats a picture of her as a baby in my avatar. The vet says he has no idea what caused it, and that sometimes these things just happen :shrugs:

Hopefully when I go to pick up the soak, the full results will be in and they will know more, thanks for the good wishes guys!

[TRRD]

Best of luck to you, and we keep our fingers crossed, really hope she makes it.

And thank you so much for sharing this, i didn't even know that kind of stuff could happen.

So again Thank you, and good luck.

[diamondlil]

Poor Roja. I hope you can get her on the road to recovery soon.

[seamushunter]

i hope she gets better keep us updated and dont lose hope!!
best wishes

Hunter:(

[Susielea]

Rich is right, she does look miserable, poor thing!

Still keeping my fingers crossed for a full and speedy recover, hopefully the soak will improve her condition quickly!

Keep us posted on her progress!

Best wishes,

[lilivoryflower]

So we went to the vet today and got some more meds. Now she is on an oral shot of Sporonox daily and a bath in diluted Nolvasan daily.

Has anyone had dealings with these meds?

success rates?

Advice?

thanks guys

[Maize411]

I haven't had any experience with any of those meds..but I do hope your snake gets well soon..I'm sure these meds will help her get well along with your loving care..best of luck and my prayers are with you..

[Cam5]

So we went to the vet today and got some more meds. Now she is on an oral shot of Sporonox daily and a bath in diluted Nolvasan daily.

Has anyone had dealings with these meds?

success rates?

Advice?

thanks guys

Novalsan is a cleaning solution.
Chlohexadine diacetate...it is a bactericide, virucide.
I purchased 1 pint for $23.00 from VetAmerica.com 1-888-838-2637.
I know horse keepers love it! They use it on infections etc due to excessive moisture etc on fungus and open woundson their horses skin and rave about it!



I had never heard of Sporanox before...here is an article.

I hope it works for her!

http://www.drugs.com/sporanox.html


It was origionally used to clean stables etc.
I know diluted solutions are also used for mouth rot so if they can ingest it when diluted properly I would think it is fairly safe. We give our tortoise and our bearded dragon a diluted bath every so often during parasite treatment.

[lilivoryflower]

Thanks a bunch for the info Cam! I'm glad some one has heard of some of this stuff.

I gave her the first soak last night and some of the skin on her tail seemed to be peeling off, not sure if that's a good thing, and not sure if it is due to the medicine or due to it being her first soak in a few weeks.

I am going to give her the Sporonox tonight and try to feed her again, Fingers crossed that she keeps taking the mice!

[Cam5]

[QUOTE=Cam5;593193]Novalsan is a cleaning solution.
Chlohexadine diacetate...it is a bactericide, virucide.
I purchased 1 pint for $23.00 from VetAmerica.com 1-888-838-2637.
I know horse keepers love it! They use it on infections etc due to excessive moisture etc on fungus and open woundson their horses skin and rave about it!
It was origionally used to clean stables etc.
I know diluted solutions are also used for mouth rot so if they can ingest it when diluted properly I would think it is fairly safe. We give our tortoise and our bearded dragon a diluted bath every so often during parasite treatment.[/


I had never heard of Sporanox before...here is an article.

I hope it works for her!

http://www.drugs.com/sporanox.html

[QUOTE]


I realized I messed up the post...so the above is the order I should have said everything in:)


Oh I hope the peeling skin is a good sign of the old stuff sloghing off to reveal new healthy skin!:)

[lilivoryflower]

so she ate another mouse today, yay! Still looks the same tho, really rough and uncomfortable :-(

By the way, does anyone know a good way to get a snake to open their mouth to give the oral injections? Whenever we try, she fights us tooth and nail to not open her mouth, it usually takes us forever to get the medicine in her mouth. Anyone have any good suggestions on a tecnique that might work?


Thanks!

[SquamishSerpents]

ooooh, i read something in a ball python book about getting them to open their mouths...i cannot remember it though! you should give google a quick search and see what they say.

roja looks sad and uncomfortable, it just breaks my heart! but you DID do the right thing in taking her to the vet, and i have my fingers crossed for the both of you. good luck with everything, keep us posted.

[ghosthousecorns]

so she ate another mouse today, yay! Still looks the same tho, really rough and uncomfortable :-(

By the way, does anyone know a good way to get a snake to open their mouth to give the oral injections? Whenever we try, she fights us tooth and nail to not open her mouth, it usually takes us forever to get the medicine in her mouth. Anyone have any good suggestions on a tecnique that might work?


Thanks!

Use a blunt, flat object to get the mouth open. A credit card, or those little squares that come with bags of bread to re-close them, something like that. Use it on the edge of the mouth (the side) and gently pry the jaws apart. Get another person to help hold the snake, it will be easier. Be careful about the teeth they can break easily if you are rough about it, and are sharp in adult corns. Good luck!

[Cam5]

Another idea that worked for us.

1)Hold the snake verticle (head up of course).

2)Our 8 year old held the body supported.

3)I held the snake's head just behind the jaw hinge with my left (non-dominant hand) and held the syringe in the right.

4)I gently but firmly applied pressure in with the left hand behind the hinge area of the jaw and rolled the syringe from the back jaw crease (applying gentle but steady downward pressure) downward and into the mouth and throat.

5)Slowly administer the meds so they are less likely to panic.

6)Hold verticle for a couple minutes and put back in enclosure.



(The vet sliced open our fat tailed geckos lip using the credit card trick....maybe snakes are tougher though?)

With our beardie I have had luck using the rubber coated baby feeding spoons to get his stubborn little mouth open...
You can aplly downward/inward pressure to the front of the mouth and then kind of rotate the spoon sideways to pry open the mouth and hold it while you dose them...

Best of luck!

I think Meg F. and Kathy Love and Nanci would have great ideas too.

Maybe search their posts?:shrugs:

[Nanci]

I've had good luck with a chopstick= I just press very gently at the side of the mouth.