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Starvation

Tango+Cash

Tango+Cash

Cornsnake learner
I have 3 corns,one of whom has not eaten properly for nearly 5 months.She's had 1 here and there but no regular pattern like the other 2.She's full grown so probably 6 ish but not too sure as i've only had her a year.She is in an ample size viv with plenty of water and its properly heated not too hot and not too cold,ranges between 85 in the day to 78 during the night I've had her to a guy thats apparently and expert but he's lost as to whats up with her too.I'm getting very worried now as she is really begining to waste away to nothing.she drinks but wont eat.She is still very friendly but shy's away from food when offered it.I've tried feeding her in and out of the viv,defrosting in different ways but still no joy.If she dont eat soon i fear she will pop her clogs.Which considering she was my first corn i'd be gutted if i lost her.Bit i'm at a loss of what to do.I have noticed a strange lump about half way down her body about half the size of a pea,its solid abd does not seem to cause her and pain when you touch it as she doesnt mind.she has been de-mited as have the other 2 but as i say they eat fine.I have taken a couple of pics which i hope help.If things dont improve soon i fear i will have no option but to have her put to sleep.I dont want to cause her any undue pain.
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This picture shows the lump which is midway down her body.I'd highlight it if i knew how but i'm sure you guys will see it.

13052007045.jpg
 
I'd get her checked for parasites (worms). Worms will definitely cause a snake to lose its appetite. I've checked four of mine- two adults and two young ones, and all four had worms. The WC adult had started refusing here and there, and then regurging what she did get down. Since being dewormed, she's kept down the following three meals and is gaining weight.

Nanci
 
You take it to the vet and they carry out the procedure through pills or injections. OR if you are comfortable enough you can do it yourself.

Have you tried her on live? Has there been any other strange behaviour you have noticed?
 
My vet sticks a feeding tube into the snakes stomach and injects the wormer. Addy had to get shots, too, because she had nematodes from eating amphibians. The others just had the usual round worms, pin worms, whip worms.

Nanci
 
Tula_Montage said:
You take it to the vet and they carry out the procedure through pills or injections. OR if you are comfortable enough you can do it yourself.

Have you tried her on live? Has there been any other strange behaviour you have noticed?
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No other odd behaviour,She has always eaten fine on F/T but since moving house she has gone right off food.I know the reptile shop near me has things in for worming so i'll give it a shot.No harm in trying.
 
Actually deworming a snake that doesn't need to be is not a good idea. Get a fecal sample to your nearest herp vet asap. Then you can get peace of mind of whats actually going on internally.
 
since moving house she has gone right off food
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That sounds familiar. Some really don't take kindly to a change of environment.

The last time I moved house, my oldest Corn ate twice in 7 months, then had to be hand-fed for a further 6 months before he started taking food of his own accord again. I moved in late September, so I think the house-moving upset went into his natural Winter slowdown, which then went into his breeding fast... everything kind of happened for him.

However, in your case, I'd definitely get yours to a knowledgable reptile vet asap. With my lad, he really didn't start to lose weight until the last month of his fast. As yours is losing condition, you might find that the move has stressed her and made her susceptible to some other health problem that needs attention.

No harm in trying.
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Have to say I disagree strongly. I wouldn't get her wormed unless you can prove that she actually has worms - the physical stress of unnecessary medication or treatment could make the situation worse. If she's already weak, then her system might not be up to handling the worming chemicals and you could end up doing more harm than good. Get her checked and tested by a vet first.


[Edited: Great minds think alike Tula. Tried to rep you again but can't yet.]
 
Looks really thin - I would probably get a few liquid meals in her to start off with. When they are that thin, they often have trouble digesting a normal meal. Even if she was willing to eat, she may not be able to digest anything bigger than a fuzzy or two at a time when in that condition. I would use some cat food mixed with water or powdered eggs in water. If you can get some Nutri Bac, that could help.

I wouldn't medicate with anything unless it is proven to be needed, as it could be stressful enough to her system to send over the edge of no return.

Is she housed alone, or with other snakes? Cagemates can be stressful enough to cause some snakes to go off feed, as can moving to a new home (as stated earlier).

Good luck!
 
She is on her own away from the other 2.I would get a fecal sample but seeing as nothing is coming out i'm kind of stuck with that.
 
I suggest you force feed her a liquid meal with a syringe, like Kathy proposed. She knows her stuff. DiamondLil also had to force feed one of her snakes for a LONG time before it started eating again, by pureeing a mouse in a blender. If you dont mind the yuckiness of a pureed mouse, I'd try that, too.
 
If you're not confident with syringe feeding, then you can buy a supplement to put in her drinking water - NutriBac mentioned by Kathy, or Critical Care Formula. This will be less immediate and have a more gradual effect though and I think she's in need of an immediate boost.

I really do think a trip to the vet is in order here. That photo shows more than just the results of a "routine" fast and she's going to need some help to get started again. A calcium or vitamin shot might not go amiss if you can find a reptile vet. Do you have one in your area?
 
Tube feeding is really easy- the vet could show you how to do it once. You don't have to worry about getting into the lung like with most animals, because the opening is right at the front of the mouth. I have had four snakes tube-wormed recently, and only one was distressed by the process, and only on his first time. The others just didn't care or get frightened or anything.

Nanci
 
If you don't have syringes and force feeding equipment, you can always take a f/t pinkie or two, put some cuts in them, some butter on the nose, and just push them right down her throat, and gently massage further down if she doesn't push it down on her own. A pinkie for a full grown corn is not much and should be easy to push in and to digest. If you can't get liquid down her for some reason or another, a pinkie or two might get her digestive system started up and going and help get her ready to digest something else.
 
If you push the nose of the pink against the corner of her mouth, she might just open her mouth for you, if you are lucky. Otherwise, you can use something like a chopstick and push very gently at the side, and she should open up. It's not like you have to force the mouth open or anything. (I have a snake that doesn't eat on her own because she won't switch to mice.) Then you can push the pink down as far as you can reach wih your finger, (I'd say it will be about half disappeared down her throat) without getting stuck on her teeth, and then just hold her mouth shut and massage downward until it's a couple inches down and safe from her being able to get it back up.

Nanci
 
I'd also be concerned about the lump in her. Her anorexia could be due to pathology of some sort. A tumor or obstruction of some kind that prevents her from wanting to eat. I think a trip to the vet is in order. She is quite thin and I wouldn't wait too much longer to do something for her.
 
The lump has been there for a year and never bother it.I've booked an appointment at the vets tonight for tea time so all will be revealed.I'll report later.
 
Great- I was just thinking about her yesterday afternoon, (as I was stuffing mice down Addy's throat!) wondering what ever happened.

Nanci
 
well tango is back home after being proded and poked a lot.He has had an injection for worms as the vet thought that to be the most likely answer.I now have to wait a few days and try and feed him a few fuzzy's to get him back onto eating.so now its wait and see time.Thank you all for your help in this matter.I dont know what i'd do without you all.:shrugs: :sobstory: :sidestep:
 
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