View Full Version : Lethargic milk snake
I've had Jonas about two weeks. He hasn't eaten for me yet. For the last few days, he hasn't left his hide at all. I picked him up today to check on him, and at first he seemed almost limp. He just draped himself over my arm. After ~30 seconds he seemed to "wake up" and sort of lazily slithered around, and anchored himself with his tail. It has been approximately 4 weeks (by the store's estimate) since he shed.
Could this lethargy and limpness be a sign of serious illness, or should I just let him be and see if it's just him going into shed? His eyes haven't clouded, or if they have they've already unclouded.
His vent is clean, and I found no sign of mites.
marvelfreak
06-16-10, 06:43 PM
When you get him out does he flick his tongue a lot? I say get him to a vet and getting him check out would be wise. May have worms or something internally wrong.
Took him to the vet today, vet tube fed him a mix with an antibiotic and a drug to induce hunger. An hour in a snake bag to the vet, and 90 minutes in the snake bag in the waiting room "cured" him of his lethargy temporarily, so he was "normal" for the vet (isn't that always the case?). Luckily he took my word for it, and was as concerned as I was. He says if he doesn't liven up and start eating, bring him back. Here's hoping he starts eating and stops doing his limp noodle impression.
On the way home, my wife didn't tie the bag shut before she sat him on the back seat. Five minutes from home I glance behind me and see the bag is empty.... 20 minutes of tearing the car apart, and 20 minutes of total panic later we found him inside the back seat (we had to dismantle the back seat) we were terrified that he'd managed to get out of the car while we were driving down the road. From now on snake bags go inside critter carriers.
marvelfreak
06-19-10, 03:05 PM
Glad you found him. Hope he starts eating.
what temp are you keeping his enclosure?
also, i have a pueblan milk snake......... is he Apricot or what?
His enclosure is at ~80 degrees. Ambient for the reptile room.
No, he's not apricot.
yea 80 is fine, but arnt pueblans great!
He's a wonderful snake, I'm just worried about him.
Called the store where I got him on the vet's advice to find out exactly what they were feeding him (live mice) and tried that, but he still refused. Will try again in a few days.
Sigh, this morning, s(he)'s prolapsed. Looks like it's back to the vet tomorrow.
infernalis
06-20-10, 07:30 AM
meanwhile, use a damp towel or something besides substrate in the cage. Don't want anything sticking to the prolapse.
Bummer news! sorry to have to read this.
meanwhile, use a damp towel or something besides substrate in the cage. Don't want anything sticking to the prolapse.
Bummer news! sorry to have to read this.
Ever since the prolapse, he's been soaking in his water dish, I take this as a good sign.
Back from the vet part deux!
Vet gave me antibiotic injections for him, and told me to put anti biotic ointment on his vent (his prolapse had gone back in this morning, but he was still "gaping" from being swollen down there). If he starts prolapsing again, it's back to the vet, and he'll put in a suture to hold the vent closed until it heals.
When I picked him up yesterday night to check on his prolapse, I thought he was dead. He just hung there limply in my hands, not moving and not even flicking his tongue... then today at the vet he was bright eyed and bushy tailed. I swear, if he keeps this up, I'm just going to bring a rat with me to the vet and feed him there.
infernalis
06-21-10, 10:22 AM
I swear, if he keeps this up, I'm just going to bring a rat with me to the vet and feed him there.
LOL nice one.
Here's a pic of jonas in his sick bed.
I'm keeping him on paper towels. He gets antibiotic injections every 3 days, and neosporin on his vent twice a day. The swelling has gone down on his vent, but he's still refusing food. Hopefully he gets over this soon.
shaunyboy
06-25-10, 09:54 AM
i hope things work out for you mate.ive been treating my jag for over 9 months and still cant get him to stop producing bacteria free mucas in his lung.still nebulising him for 15 minutes twice per day.he's eating anything i put in front of him and is a healthy looking and acting snake.until you hear him clear his lung 1 or twice every couple of days you would never know he was ill.prolapses are a pain to deal with,your lucky to a point mate as sometimes prolapses can dry out and kill the part thats prolapsed.at least his is all good from that point of view.i'll have my fingers crossed it all goes well.
cheers shaun
I knew about the danger of prolapses, that's why he went right to the vet as soon as I saw it. If he's still refusing food in another week or if his prolapse/vent swelling comes back, he goes back to the vet (unless he's showing signs of going into shed). I think he'll be a very amicable snake once he's feeling better. He's very curious, and seems to have gotten over his fear of humans. He's not even musking anymore when I apply the antibiotic cream to his vent.
shaunyboy
06-25-10, 10:36 AM
I knew about the danger of prolapses, that's why he went right to the vet as soon as I saw it. If he's still refusing food in another week or if his prolapse/vent swelling comes back, he goes back to the vet (unless he's showing signs of going into shed). I think he'll be a very amicable snake once he's feeling better. He's very curious, and seems to have gotten over his fear of humans. He's not even musking anymore when I apply the antibiotic cream to his vent.
thats good news mate.let us know how it all goes.
cheers shaun
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