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COLD arrival

UPDATE:

Ice is still alive. In response to Joe Pierce, the snake was shipped from kansas to ohio. Shortly after the snake arrived i contacted the shipper/seller in disapointment. He said, its 50 here in Kansas and didnt even think about the weather in Ohio. Kansas to Ohio, the temp obviously didnt go anywhere above 50. The seller admitted to it being his mistake, and refunded money. I do understand the pt. that some circumstances (arizona 90-ohio 25) would not allow the snakes to be shipped with a heat pack (due to overheating).

ICE hasnt taken down a meal untill tonight. Her skin has been very dry, and she has obviously lost weight since I got her. She never has went at her food, and actually acts in defensive manner towards live prey. Tonight i let her soak in a tub of shallow water to loosen up her skin, and helped her shed the rest of her partially shed skin. Shes in what i would consider moderate to poor condition, but still alive. I cant bring myself to putting the snake down, so tonight i decided to try feeding one more time. She didnt take to the food, as always. I went to throw away the mouse, and randomly thought to myself im gonna try force feeding. Id never done this before. The prey went down, with some struggle from her. The mouse was small, my 2005 could have easily taken it down. Either way, Ice has the prey within her. If she doesnt regurgetate, I may continue this method for 2 - 3 more feedings. Much more than that, and i think its about time to end this dilemma.
 
I was thinking about Ice this morning after reading your update. How is her movement now? Getting back to normal? I think I would try doing some physical therapy things with her, helping her to exercise and re-learn normal snake movements. I think some enrichment-type activities might give her a kick start and also get her appetite going again. I personally don't think force-feeding is a bad way to go for the short term, anyway, until she regains her strength. I actually don't think you'll be able to keep her alive by doing that if she is so damaged she's going to die, anyway. What I mean is, I don't think you're prolonging her eventual death, except a death by starvation.

I have this pigeon, who mysteriously lost use of one leg. The vet couldn't figure out why. He recommended amputation, to prevent a possible overlooked injury and subsequent gangrene and death. (I don't think I'd buy that argument any more...) So he got his leg amputated, and was fine for a year, then broke his leg in a cage accident, but it healed, though not quite as strong, and then one day, out of nowhere, that leg became paralysed. He couldn't stand, and for some reason stopped flying, and would swim along the floor with his wings, and soon his wings were a bloody mess, and had to be bandaged, and then he started picking the feathers and eventually the flesh on the backs of his wings, and he was a horrifying mess. The vet had no answer, but said not to put him down as long as I was sure the quality of his life was still good. Which the vet thought it was. He told me to do PT on Dill's leg, range of motion, opening and closing his foot, little resistance exercises to keep his muscles from atrophying, several times a day. This went on for months. Meanwhile, he could no longer live in a cage, and lived, supported by towels, in my sock drawer, and went virtually everywhere with me, just to keep him out of trouble and interested in life. He finally started being able to stand, and then hop, and then, while on vacation at some friends' parents' fancy cabin, when I'd assured them that there was no way he would get out of his playpen, resumed flying like he'd never stopped. There's always hope.

Nanci
 
Nanci said:
I have this pigeon, who mysteriously lost use of one leg. The vet couldn't figure out why. He recommended amputation, to prevent a possible overlooked injury and subsequent gangrene and death. (I don't think I'd buy that argument any more...) So he got his leg amputated, and was fine for a year, then broke his leg in a cage accident, but it healed, though not quite as strong, and then one day, out of nowhere, that leg became paralysed. He couldn't stand, and for some reason stopped flying, and would swim along the floor with his wings, and soon his wings were a bloody mess, and had to be bandaged, and then he started picking the feathers and eventually the flesh on the backs of his wings, and he was a horrifying mess. The vet had no answer, but said not to put him down as long as I was sure the quality of his life was still good. Which the vet thought it was. He told me to do PT on Dill's leg, range of motion, opening and closing his foot, little resistance exercises to keep his muscles from atrophying, several times a day. This went on for months. Meanwhile, he could no longer live in a cage, and lived, supported by towels, in my sock drawer, and went virtually everywhere with me, just to keep him out of trouble and interested in life. He finally started being able to stand, and then hop, and then, while on vacation at some friends' parents' fancy cabin, when I'd assured them that there was no way he would get out of his playpen, resumed flying like he'd never stopped. There's always hope.

Nanci
Click to expand...

"You must spread some reputation around before giving it to Nanci again."

Exemplary example of a great owner.
 
I wasn’t going to respond to this thread any more, because I felt a mountain was being made out of a mole hill, without any facts. I would like to know more about this shipment, because we can all learn from it.

I personally do not believe the shipment would have arrived in the condition it was, IF it was sent in an insolated shipping box WITHOUT a heat pack and scheduled to arrive by 10 am. The next day shipments that arrive by 10 am, are kept moving while in route. They really don’t have time to leave a package outside for the amount of time that it would take for this shipment to go from airplane temperature to 25 degrees in the box.

I read the thread again, and I finally found that the shipment was sent by FedEx, but was the ground service used or perhaps two day delivery? Was it Priority by 3 pm or is the delivery in your area by 4:30 pm and not 10 am? The type of container (Cardboard or insolated) temps in cities in route, and delivery times all need to be considered when using heat packs. Heat packs don’t help much at all in a cardboard box, but work very well in an insolated box. Since it was 50 in the shipping town and 25 over night in the receiving town a heat pack should have been used obviously.

I have actually looked into how FedEx handles their packages. The trucks are not heated at all and Pick Ups with campers are used in my area, so the temps in the trucks are not much different than the outside temps. This is a HUGE problem during the summer. I have checked out the areas where packages are transferred and loaded in my area and they are not warm to be sure, but it is not 25 degrees in the buildings or warehouses, it is more like 40-60 depending on the outside temps. I have been to the airport in my area where the temp outside was around 20 degrees. The ware house door was open and packages where on a conveyer belt going from the warehouse to the plane. The temp in the warehouse with the door open was cool to be sure, but not below freezing.

Our package do not get any special handling because we are certified to ship with FedEx and most of our boxes are label perishable or LIVE. FedEx pushes all of their boxes along as fast as possible. I have talked to my local FedEx drivers and they won’t put my boxes up front because it is against policy, but some drivers are better than others. They might place a perishable box in the shade instead of full sun, or on top of another box instead of sitting it on ice. I have been able to get my drivers to not place my boxes on the floor of the truck but rather on top of another box.
 
Facts:
*Shipped from topeka Kansas (shipper said approx. at least 50 degrees as of shipment)
*Shipped to massillon Ohio (priority overnight)
*Package arrived via Fed-Ex at I'm almost positive 10:14 AM if my memory is correct, although it may have been 10:24. For sure no later than 10:30 (which i thought is actually the estimated arival time rather than 10:00)
*Snake was tied in a lightweight pillowcase. Pillow case was surrounded by medium-weight brown packaging paper (crumbled-somewhat like cushioning... maybe 5 crumbled pieces). All of this was within a cardboard box(probably about 10X10X10).
*no heat pack, or cold pack were included in the box

Nanci, I woke up this morning to the snake laying upside down, as she has been before. Obviously bad news, but the mouse was not regurgitated. Any specific suggestions on how to help a snake with physical theropy. Ive helped my mini doxen who was hit by a car. Back leg got screws, and had to PT the legs.
 
That poor snake. I would just set her on the ground, on carpet, and move her in normal snake movements for about ten minutes- twice a day if you can. You know, just make an s curve and ripple it down her body, then do it from the other side, and then curl her up and then straighten her out. Do you feel any muscle movement at all, or is she just slack all the time?

Nanci
 
she definitatly has strenth, but her movements are somewhat backwards. She slithers in reverse more often than forward, and like said before, has been found laying on her back. Ill just handle her a little more often, and continue trying to feed her ever week to 10 days or so.
 
I followed you here (Blutengel), lol!

Yes, I feel so sorry for that snake. I am afraid that I would not find time for "physical therapy" for the poor thing, but if you (the owner) are so inclined, it might be good from a knowledge standpoint, for all of us to see what happens. It would be great if you could document with words and photos how it moves and rests now, what you do for it, and whether there are any improvements.

It would be great for us all to gain knowledge of what works and what doesn't, and how much time and effort it takes to get there. Perhaps some good could come of this terrible mishap.

Good luck with whatever you decide!
 
I agree, this could deffinately help other in the future.

If you have time it would be great to see this all sorted and documented.

Best Of Luck,
Chris
 
I would kinda like to know as well. I have just read through the whole thing and I am anxious to know whats going on with "Ice" It makes me cringe to to think of what happened.
 
i think hell be ok. i linve in colorado at 10k feet and have seen great plains rat snakes and this year we got to -30F
 
Yeah, but in Colorado, the snakes were all brumating safely below the frost line. They can't freeze solid (and live).

Nanci
 
awww so very sad. please let us all know how Ice is my fingers are crossed for a happy ending
 
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