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premature hatchling?

SnakeAround

SnakeAround

Formerly Blutengel
I wonder if people have hatched what seem to be 'premature' hatchlings? And how did they develop? Let me explain why:

Right now I have a hatchling almost a week old, it came out on day 65 after laying so not premature time wise at all. It came out quite quickly after pipping too!

It's features and behavior to me make it look like it is underdeveloped/premature though. It has a cone head and the split in the skull on top is closed but recognizable. The neck shows something that might be kinking but it gets better.

The egg yolk had not been absorbed, it fell off during handling/inspecting and I protected the remaining belly button opening (about 1/3 inch) and remains of umbillical cord with a band aid moisted with antiseptic fluid. About 24 hours later I took it off and it is closed with tissue and looks like it might heal quite well, though maybe not perfectly looking. The hatchling gets more and more active but I think it can't see or at least could not see for the first couple of days! It did not react to a finger approaching its head, nor does it pull away its head when I try to touch the head/eye. It won't react until picked up, then it has a strong reaction like it has been unaware of you before. And... it does not mind sleeping in the open, next to its card board hide. No like for hiding... Today though, it seemed to react a bit more normal. But I don't want to bother it too much.....

Further, it looks like a snow. Dad is ultramel anery, mom could be het anery, why not, but... in the other egg that remained of the clutch, was another 'snow' DIE, with the same physical features. Too much of a coincidence when pairing ultramel anery to Kastanie het amel (and het anery)? Maybe the color still needs to develop but I thought those hatchlings that don't have color yet, look more grey/brownish/transparent/weird? This one looks like a snow and if I'm right the transparent skin parts start to get white now.

Just to make it clear; I am closely watching it to see if it suffers, if so, I won't prolongue its life but so far it is showing signs of getting stronger/getting vision? and from the moment I found it pipping, it is tongue flicking. I hope it drinks and I'll have to try to get in some nutrition I think because it lacks egg yolk... not sure how if it does not it itself, and will it be able to digest?

Please tell me your experiences, or if you think it is premature/underdeveloped.
 
I couldnt say if its premature etc as I am new to the world of corns myself and have never bred, but I would like to send 'get well, grow strong and be healthy' vibes to your new little baby corn. I also pray (i'm not religious but hey ho) that you get the help, strength and support you need to care for this little one in whatever way may be necessary. Good luck. keep us posted.
 
Pics!

The photo's speak for themselves; cone head with fontanelle, weird neck and the belly button area, tiny sized in general. I really hope the belly button area will not only heal but also line up like it should be, but I don't think it will completely.
You see it is flicking its tongue too :) It is in blue, getting clearer again and as reactive/active as before, so it is not deteriorating, not getting way better either, it does look a little less 'fragile though'. Still no vision I think, no snake ignores a finger approaching its eye to tap it, right?

It does seem to be a snow, don't you think?

After shedding I think I'll try to get some nutrition in, not sure how though.... such a small mouth... need to have a tiny tube to get something in.. and what food can be fed through a tiny tube? Any idea's would be welcome :) Maybe mouse blood?
 

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That is a pretty little snow that you have there! IMHO, I think the cone/bubble head aspect is more of a heat spike thing. I had one hatch out last year with a cone/bubble head. Fully developed, & she seems to be doing just fine (a friend of mine has her). About half of that clutch had the cone/bubble heads, & only the one survived.

I think the under developed (open belly & head split-again MHO) are a separate matter from the cone/bubble head.
I had two Tessera babies this year that were under developed. One had the entire belly open still, it pipped, but never hatched. The other one, had a small opening like yours does, & didn't seem to absorb all of the yoke, & that one didn't make it.

Some here will probably say that there's too much stacked against it & this baby is not likely meant to live. It's up to you if you want to fight for it.
If you have the time & resources & want to do everything you can for this baby, then I say it's worth a shot. Personally, I probably would not. There's a lot stacked against this little one & I would always worry if it was in any pain or discomfort, with everything it has going on.

As far as tube feeding, Kathy Love sells tube feeding kits with ferret food. The ferret food is high protein, & fat, for energy for the babies.
I actually also used a grain free, high protein cat food, mixed with a little bit of carnivore care. (The food is ground up kibble, you mix with water to feed through the tubes)
I've had mixed success with tube feeding, it has pulled some through, & some just don't make it.
 
Thanks for your 2cents and advice nwheather, I appreciatie it :) I have used highly nutritious puppy food for puppy's in bad shape before for snakes, I might be able to add water until it is liquid enough to pass a tiny tube but I still don't know what to use as the actual tube... though right now something comes to my mind... I know some cotton tips are made of hollow sticks... they might be the right size! Now finding a way to get 'food' in...

Anyway, I do have time and resources for this little one, I won't have more then about 70-80 hatchlings to take care of and 38 snakes, no kids or other large hobbies :) I will try to get some nutrition in, but if it starts to be a hassle/stressfull with little result, I will stop it. But so far it does look liek it really wants to live. It must be drinking or it would not have made it so far I think. That's a plus :)
 
Check with yout vet & see if they have the medicine syringes. It looks like a large needle, without the sharp tip, & it has silicone on the tip.
I use something like this & it works pretty well. (Bean Farm ships world wide) http://beanfarm.com/product_info.php?cPath=1199&products_id=5904
Kathy Love's feeding tubes work well also.
http://cornutopia.com/Corn%20Utopia%20on%20the%20Web/Photo%20&%20Image%20Stockpile%20-%20CornUtopia/Tube%20feeding%20kit,%201000.jpg

Sounds like the baby has the fight to live. I hope (s)he pulls through for you! :)

P.S. I think the baby needs a strong name :)
 
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Still ok, but I'm waiting for it to shed so I can offer it food. I tried a pinky 2 days ago already but it was not interested. I hope the shedding won't be a problem... especially regarding the belly button wound, though that is healing very nicely.

This little critter seems to be 'special' regarding his behavior/character; I can still move my finger towards its eyes and touch them, it won't retract at all, though pointing a light at it does make the pupils go smaller. Further, it shows no defensive behavior at all, it seems way curious and when I open the lid of its tub, it will get out all the time and explore, though very, very calmly. It also has a strong reflex to wrap its tail around a finger. Its adorable so I keep hoping it will be able to have decent snake life!
 
I had a few come out with the belly issue and al survived, lust look for infections, try neosporin
 
We don't have neosporin over here but the wound is fine :) yesterday the crust on it fell off, it seemed a little early as there wad still a small opening but I 'll keep an eye on it. It is very active since yesterday evening, maybe it did shed and hided the shed for me :p I hope it is hungry, I'm gonna try to get some mouse piece in today!
 
I have pushed a mouse tail end into her throath this afternoon, I giess a little over half an inch long from a weanling sized mouse, so pretty small. I'm not sure if it actually moved it down further then I could massage it, even though I can see right through it with a light shining behind her. I just wanna see if it can handle a very small meal, so I know if the digestion is working properly. If it has no reflex to move down the tail, it's no use either. I'm not going to massage a meal way down to the stomach; if something in her body, like maybe a kink or a internal deformity is in the way I might rupture that.

I could clearly see its heart beating looking through it, that was awesome!

Thanks for the support! I'll tell the little bugger about it!
 
I really love calm snakes like that, hopefully you can get a half mouse in it! would hate to see it die D8
 
It digested the tailpiece just like it shoudl be :) Tonight I'll try to seduce it to eat something on its own. It is still doing fine.
 
It showed no interest for a pinky head I put 'in its face' but pushing/sliding it along it's mouth while gently keeping its head contained, made him open his mouth and grab it, to only keep it in its mouth, it was still quite big relatively and I can imagine it was too big for its tiny, tiny neck. Then I cut half a front paw of a small adult f/t mouse and offered it the same way. It grabbed it, looked like it would start swallowing but the top part did not go further then just passed the opening of its throath. It was swaying the head, not sure if it was trying to swallow or spit the paw, but with a little help of the back end of a tea spoon I was able to push it until it could close its mouth. Then it transported the paw to its stomach itself.
 
The special needs baby is doing very well :) Belly is alomost closed and I think you won't notice anything of it when healed :) A small week ago I force fed it another mouse tail, but the day before yesterday I tossed in the smallest pinky I could find (still pretty huge compared to the baby) with little hope, but it had eaten it overnight :) :) :) Last check was yesterday evening, the pinky was still in and the bump was decreasing in size :)

The baby is getting more active over time and seems a very content critter, exploring calmly and never ever any bit defensive or flighty, it really is special! Like the whole portion of the brain that produces stress hormones lacks or something... quite weird.
 
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