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Taking a Snake to the Vet

ArvadaLanee

ArvadaLanee

New member
I am considering a trip to the vet for our new little friend. If I can't get her to eat soon, I will be taking her so I can rule out any illnesses, and be sure she isn't getting dehydrated, or under weight. If I do take her, I want to have a list of questions ready, so I don't get there and forget anything. Has anyone here ever taken your snake to the vet? What kind of questions should I be asking? How will I know if it's a good vet? (I had an issue with the first vet I tried with my boyfriend's kitten. She actually had him labeled as a dog in his chart, and caused all kinds of problems for me to get his meds.) Do vets typically charge you to sex an animal? Should I be saving a fecal sample to bring in, and ask for any testing on that? I am not 100% sure we are going in at this time, but I want to be prepared if I do decide to take her. I have never had to take a snake to the vet, so I don't have a clue what to expect.
In all honesty, I had a terrible dream last night that I went to get the snake out, and she was dead. It totally freaked me out. I had to jump out of bed and rush to her viv and check on her. I guess in the back of my mind I am really scared for her because of her not eating. Since she is our first snake, I don't know if she is too small for her age. I thought she was a baby, but then I found out she is 6 months old already. She seems so tiny. Everyone here has been such a big help, but if she continues refusing to eat, to the vet we go. Better safe than sorry, and I would cry like a baby if anything happened to her because I neglected to do something for her.
 
Seems a little premature for a vet visit. How long has she not been eating? I read your other thread and didn't see it mentioned. I don't know if a vet can do very much. Is she getting ready to shed? They can stop eating around shedding time.


Anyway I have one snake I have had to take to the vet a couple times due to an eye problem he was born with.

A fecal sample would be handy to rule out internal parasites. I don't think any other testing would be useful. Be prepared to describe your set up including temperatures. They may also want to see feeding records and know when she shed last time.

There might be a small fee to have her sexed.

As far as other questions there really aren't any. Finding a good herp vet can be tough so be wary of any bad advice (feeding crickets, needing a UB light ect).

The vet I have taken Cy to also raises and breeds snakes, and his advice has been spot on.

Maybe ask the vet what their experience is with snakes.
 
Thanks. That is helpful. She went 2 weeks before eating when I first got her. She did eat one f/t pinkie, and then I offered her one the next week, which she refused, and then waited four days, and she refused again. I tried again the next night and she still refused, so I am giving her a break for a while. She isn't being handled except when I checked her for mites, and to move her into a small container for feeding. I haven't seen any signs of shedding, but Idk when her last shed was. She has been here almost a month now. I do plan to try feeding her a few more times before taking her in, but my main concern is that she seems small and skinny to me. If I take her to the vet, it will be mainly to rule out illness as a factor in her feeding refusals. Since she is my first snake, I have no way of knowing if she could be sick. I am not rushing her to the vet right away, just preparing myself for that option. I know they can go a while without eating, but if she keeps refusing I need to have a plan. Thanks for the advice. :)
 
Hvani covered it pretty well. I took my dumerils boa in after he didn't eat for four months. The vet checked his stool, and like Hvani said, the first step that the vet had us take was to basically take newspaper and cover everything in his enclosure (like a tent over everything, just to help him feel secure). When that didn't prompt him to eat, the vet gave him a B-Complex shot. IDK if it was the shot, but he ate a few times right after and then promptly went on another hunger strike. Long story short, after another four month hunger strike, I discovered, out of pure desperation, that he would (and still will) only eat chicks, and he eats them voraciously. so, it was purely a matter of prey preference with my guy.

Take him to the vet if you want to (my visit cost me about $120), but I wouldn't expect much from them. There are a lot of threads on this site about non-feeder tactics. Read them and just try everything. I'd just add one thing: don't add food to the list of things that stress him out. That would be bad. They can go quite a while without food, so when he refuses, wait at least a few days if not a week before trying again. Assist-feeding may also be a last ditch option. Opinions will vary of course.
 
I had a baby that did not want to eat... I tried live pinkies, and that did the trick, He was fed live several times and then I tried a FT pink, and he ate it with no fuss and continued after that to eat FT without problems. It may be like they said sometimes they just need a bit of 'kickstart' to get into eating.

The vet that I use is very reasonable, An initial exam and sexing of my first two snakes (Moe and Pinky) was 40 (for both) and included a digital Xray of Moe When he thought he felt a lump (possible egg?) I've taken a few other snakes to him as well with similar costs and would recommend him to others. I have noticed that he seems to be more into scalies with legs though (and what seems to be an aversion to feeding rodents to snakes - I think he has pet rats)
 
The vet in my area wants $65.00 for a visit. I don't think that's too bad. I still plan to try more feeding tactics before anything else. I am having a hell of a time finding a place with live pinkies to try! So much so, that I am considering buying a 40 gallon tank and a few mice. I have read a bit about it, but my boyfriend's boss breeds mice for his lizards, and he kinda scared me talking about some crazy disease his mice get sometimes. I am not sure how much I should listen to him though, especially since he refused to sell me a live pinky because he was afraid it would bite Star Shadow. Do newborn pinkies even have teeth yet? Ugh. I am having a rough time dealing with this right now, as I am extremely sick. I have influenza A, with a secondary lung infection, ringworm on my face, and ended up with another infection on my face that is minor, but painful, and involves a lot of swelling and stinging. I can hardly walk, eat, or do anything normal. I can't wait to feel better, and get back to taking care of everyone!!!
 
A pinkie will not be able to bite your snake. If he breeds mice as feeders, he should know that.
 
That's what I thought. He freezes his right away, and has no experience with snakes. I still feel like he should have known that.
 
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