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Health Issues/Feeding Problems Anything related to general or specific health problems. Issues having to do with feeding problems or tips.

Waste issues with babycorns and adults just recently developed Help!
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Old 09-17-2009, 09:50 PM   #1
NannyCloud
Waste issues with babycorns and adults just recently developed Help!

Ok heres the situation. I've never had an issue with my snakes waste. Before it was really broken down like normal, black with some of the solid liquid which is white. Then there is regurge which I've seen as it looks like a partially digested mouse and you can still make out some of the limbs.

What I am getting...which has never been an issue before, is what looks like something in between. It doesn't look normal like it wasn't digested enough but it's still not reconizable as a mouse anymore and almost all my snake are doing that. two adults one yearlying and about 7 of my hatchlings out of 17 snakes. The hatchlings look like mini intestines. The only issue is that as I find more every day(they are passing this often) I never see them having stomach issues. They are happy and active from dusk till early morning and then sleeping all day. Do they have worms? I'm not handling them regularly?

The only thing I can think of is the room is anywhere from 73-82 degrees at any time. The fluxuation would be gradual. Also I only have one heat pad so only one snake has it at a time and it's usually the hatchlings or adult corn that have the worst waste issues at this time.

Can anyone give me suggestions or help me get rid of this problem? I know what normal waste looks like. This isn't.

___________________________________________
Second issue.
I have a baby albino hatchling I hatched and it has an abnormal lump in it that looks like the mouse I fed it but way to high in the body and it has the worst wast of the snakes.

The other bad one is my adult female cornsnake she passes waste once a day or more usually just that solid white liquid. does sheneed to be wormed or treated for internal parasites? She started doing that a few months after she laid the eggs.

I am new at this breeding thing and keeping hatchlings and I haven't got alot of money for equipment. Help.
 
Old 09-17-2009, 10:40 PM   #2
danielle
Oh my where to start. Your snakes need a vet. Of concern worms which would be visable if you really looked, crypto, or bacterial invadens. The lump has me thinking crypto of which there is no cure, but your freezer. However, is there blood in the stool and do you quarantine new animals ever? When kept together one gets what the others do espcially if you handle multiple snakes one after the other, clean their bowls and cages together, or are cohabbing which I assume you are The strange poo is probably mucus from their intenstinal lining and eventually if they keep ridding themselves of this they will all die from dehydration and their own acids damaging and eating through the intestines. Most people buy proper caging and heat before getting another snake, and another snake, and another...you get my point by now. Most people also breed when they have the proper necessities and quarantine all new animals away from their established colony to avoid the loss of their whole collection. Past regurges could be to blame as well if you didn't treat them appropriately, but as it is every snake I suspect your whole collection needs vet attention and has some sort of parasite or bacteria.
 
Old 09-18-2009, 07:01 AM   #3
Susan
Definitely a visit to the vet is in order. It may be nothing more than worms, but could be a symptom of something more serious. There may also be an issue of incomplete digestion. I see that upon occasion, where some mouse parts come out "intact" in the poop. How often are they being fed and what is the size ratio of snake to meal? Try feeding slightly smaller meals maybe a little further apart and see if there is an improvement in the poop.
 
Old 09-18-2009, 08:08 AM   #4
bitsy
73-82 degrees is a too low for Corns if that's the only heat they have and there are periods at 73 degrees after feeding. I'd suggest that one possible reason for partial digestion is the lack of a warm spot in the mid/high 80s for all.

If the problem gets worse for the snake using the one shared heat pad at the time, then I'm guessing you don't have it regulated and it's getting far too hot. Could lead to other issues.

Lumps in hatchlings are never a good sign. That definitely needs a vet if you want to find out what the problem is (although there probably won't be a solution).

My thoughts:
1) Get them all checked by a vet
2) Buy the proper heater and thermostat for all your snakes

I'm afraid any sort of solution will need a financial outlay.
 
Old 09-21-2009, 11:00 AM   #5
NannyCloud
Well I am going on vacation for two weeks so I have purchased the needed heat elements and set that up. They seem to digest better with that. The hatchling with the lump immediatly passed the lump after I applied a heat pad under the end of it's container for a day. When I breed this spring I will definatly invest in a long strip of heat tape and an adiquate rack for proper care.
I think the reply about getting another snake and another without the porper elements is what happened. I had a peak of 21 snakes with two heat pads(one borrowed) and am just getting back to 12 and then to 7 when I return from vacation.
Also, I haven't been co-habiting them ever but I do handle them and clean all at once. While I do wash my hands between snakes and cages I am sure there is a little bit of sharing going on there. I also haven't thought to quarentine the two new ones I bought about three weeks ago. Thanks for bringing that up I will remember it next time.
I have been feeding them about once a week. The adults get live one week(when I get them from my breeder) and then frozen the next to weeks. Another issue could be how well I thaw them out before I give it to them. Then with no heat element they could not possible digest that.
I think that I need to just take more time out of my busy schedule to pay more attention to their needs since they are my responsability. I will however take the one snake that hasn' improved to the vet. (all the others are doing much better!) Thanks Guys! Any further advice would be appreciated.
 
Old 09-21-2009, 12:29 PM   #6
Zulu3
Is someone going to be monitoring and taking care of your snakes while you are gone? Because if they continue to "poop" or whatever they are excreting for two weeks, like Danielle said, you are going to come home to deceased snakes.... It's just like humans, when we have intestinal issues we get dehydrated. They are small and cannot take that. You should seriously consider taking them to a vet before you leave or have someone take them for you while you are gone.

I'm no expert on snake problems, so I wont try to diagnose it, but clearly there is something very wrong happening here.

Good luck to you and your babies,

Ali
 
Old 09-22-2009, 11:18 AM   #7
Drewby07
Nanny - I'm not going to go into the various glaring errors I see here...such as rotating heat pads...no constant heat source, no quarantining, not even being sure the mouse is thawed all the way before feeding...etc.

But I will say this. You chose to have this many animals. They did not choose you. You are also breeding snakes and creating new lives (If I read correctly). If you do not even have time to properly thaw out your mice, you may want to rethink this hobby. You are responsible for properly caring for all of these animals, and if you are unable to do so, you need to send them to better homes with someone who can.

Not trying to be harsh, but these aren't toys...they are living creatures that are at your mercy.
 
Old 09-22-2009, 12:24 PM   #8
Marica
Quote:
The adults get live one week(when I get them from my breeder) and then frozen the next to weeks. Another issue could be how well I thaw them out before I give it to them.
I'm not sure I understand why you'd rotate live and f/t if you snakes are accepting f/t. If you're feeding appropriately sized prey, adult mice to your adult corns, then the mice could seriously injure your snakes - a risk not worth taking. Also, making sure they are fully dethawed is a must. It really doesn't take long for them to get nice and warm and squishy in a bowl of hot water.

Quote:
While I do wash my hands between snakes and cages I am sure there is a little bit of sharing going on there.
An easier method than having to go to the sink everytime is to have a bottle of foam or gel hand sanitizer right beside the cages.

While I would not recommend going on a 2 week vacation at this time, make sure your snakies have plenty of water in non-tippable containers.

Corns can be low maintenance pets until you become addicted. It really does sound like you've taken on more than you can handle. I hope you are able to find good homes for the snakes you are willing to part with so that you can focus on better care for the ones you keep.
 
Old 09-22-2009, 04:07 PM   #9
Shann415
I was so disturbed when i read this post about how the snakes were being cared for. (or lack there of).

I surely hope that you have someone to keep your snakes for you while you're away so that you dont come home to a mini-morgue.
 
Old 10-04-2009, 10:11 AM   #10
NannyCloud
U have upset me a little by assuming that I don't care for my snakes.

I always take from one to two hours to feed my pets. I have never had an issue with not thawing I just wondered if it happened once since this started. Also I never feed live live I always break their necks before I give it to them. I would never feed live mice!! :O

I am also hurt that you think so little of me that I would not leave someone to watch them while I'm gone. Of course I have someone to change their water every two days and I set up two people to feed. Which has all happened and I return home Tuesday.

Also, once I began keeping my whole room at a regular 80-85(min) degrees their digestion issues cleared nearly immediately. The only reptile with issues is the female with internal parasites but her feces are much better till I can get the vet to set up a time at the Exotic place to prescribe me something for her. Also she is 10-11 years old so she may be near the end on her own from age. I've only had her for a year and a half and the previous owner didn't have time to care for her.

I wish you would be gentle with people on here until you know everything. You assume so much. I spend at least an hour with them every day and much more on the weekends when the feedings are and routine check-ups by myself to see how they are.
If I offended anyone I sincerely apologize.

I love all the advice I can get but isn't there to be a sense of gentle superiority instead of immediately saying that I am horrible and abusive? I am sure all of you didn't know everything in the trade when you started either.
 

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