Update on my two pound rescues

[jaleely]

Alright! I decided to start a new post..for those of you following the tales of Bitey and Ribs!

Both have finally completed their sheds, with a little help. They both seem to still be a bit dehydrated. I don't know how to make a snake drink...lol just wait it out, and keeping them moist with fresh water. Each snake still has a wrinkle on one eye...in fact both of Ribs' eyes seem to have a wrinkle. I'm assuming deyhdration, and perhaps retained eyecaps...though both snakesn DID shed eyecaps this time.

Ribs ate a nice rat last night...and ate fast! It's quite an improvement from the snake who was so weak, she couldn't even eat a mouse. She's finally looking healthier, and has normal energy.
Bitey looks normal...and bitey *lol* he's such a fuss!

We decided to measure them tonight. As refference, we have Jasper, our 10 year old adopted ball normal.
He is 53inches long, and about 5lbs or so. He looks healthy, and not overweight or fat.

Saphie (Sapphire) our juvenile girl normal ball, is about a year, year and a half years old. She's about a pound, and 32inches.

Bitey is 3 feet and 700grams. You can still feel his ribs, though he is looking good.

Ribs, is 2.2lbs, and four feet...48 inches. You can still see the spine, and completely feel all her ribs. But, she is doing well. She has eaten lots of mice (while she gained energy, and, I think, was healing up from an esophagus tear) and about 5 rats. And has gained weight. I didn't think to weigh her, in the beginning. I guess because I was so horrified at her condition anyway. They have both been shedding and looking horrible since i got them about 3 weeks ago. I've only felt comfortable BEING comfortable around them Now!

So, anyway, all is well. I can't imagine how much Ribs weighed when i got her. Jasper got down a bit in weight since we got him...he was FAT. And this from the people who said he would only eat if you hit him in the nose with food, or forced it on him!
He got sleek, but never skinny. He looks good right now, after a few months not eating, and then having three rats.

Ribs and Bitey are on their way!

[stephanbakir]

Sounds amazing, updated pics?

[jaleely]

Hadn't thought about it! Duh, i will get some! My camera is crap, and so's the one i have on my phone. It's been through a lot though...dropped in the toilet...took a week to dry, since we were on a boat on the great barrier reef at the time! Humid! Oh and i've broken the screen, dropped it a few more times : ) I digress....pics soon!

[alessia55]

I'm so glad to hear they're doing better!! I remember those first pics you posted of Ribs :no: So this is definitely good news to hear he's eating well and finally has some good energy in him. Can't wait for those pics!

[snake man12]

Good luck with ribs and bitey

[jaleely]

An update. I haven't really done pictures, since they look exactly the same lol
But! A while ago I was frantically posting questions about sheds. I never found any good advice to deal with my particular problem. Both snakes had finally finished shedding initially...and then had immediately started "flaking". Like, each individual scale was coming off and shedding one at a time. Scales everywhere. I'd been helping them, keeping them moist, and rubbing with a damp cloth. Halfway through they both refused food...and I figured it was about time for a food break anyway.

So, Bitey still has a dash of single scales floating off....but now both snakes have blue eyes are are starting a NORMAL shed. Finally! I wonder how long it's been for Ribs to have a normal shed? Ribs has been in blue for about 3/4 days. Bitey just turned blue today.

I've been keeping an eye on the poo...bitey did a nice big one about a week ago. Ribs has only really had one poo...small. At first she/he peed quite a few times. Once, i noticed there was a bit of a gel-orange substance. Looked it up, and of course it was related to how dehydrated Ribs had been.
I just kept the humidity up, and made sure she/he was drinking.

(Which reminds me, i have a video and some pics of Bitey drinking that are really cute, that i need to post)

Anyway....from the beginning, i noticed that Ribs had a kind of hard ball around the vent area...actually further up in her body. I actually wondered if it was a slug. I hate to admit it, but in the initial hubub of actually getting her hydrated and eating, i kind of put it on the back burner. Today, while feeling around and checking to see if there was anything...actually anything just like that lump....i found it, and remembered. I decided to ease it towards the vent, to see if it would come out...and sure enough, it did. Popped right out. A huge hard as a rock lump of a bit of urate and orange.

I really wish i had a reptile vet in my area. I would have had that taken care of sooner. I feel horrible, but at least it is out now. I don't think it was blocking anything. There was no other poo/pee/musk to come out. And, she had definitely pooed once, and peed large urates before.

Poor thing though...jeez. I actually get kidney stones, so i attribute it to how that would feel. I feel awful this snake has had to endure so much.

Well, the other day we got a good deal on a 40 gallon, so I moved her to that tonight, and she's exploring a bit. I think she feels better. She had usually just sat there. I'm hoping this shed passes quickly for both of them.

We thought of renaming Bitey to "Scout" because he periscopes all the time and is very curious. He's been balled up and unhappy since he started shedding though.

Been keeping it moist, and keeping an eye out on the scales, and noses, and poos etc.

We're still on the road to recovery, as both snakes still have ribs you can feel (especially Ribs) but they are doing much better!

[Norm66]

Wow, quite a time you've had with them. Kudos to you for going through it so dilligently. :)

[ZARADOZIA]

Very good news. Couple of ways to encourage them to drink. Get a water bottle that has a fine mist and spray it above their heads. Sasha loves the water bottle and will drink from it. And Soaking them in large tub/bathtub, water temp needs to stay a constant 90-95 degrees. You can also get a 1cc syringe and fill it with water (no needle) and squirt water (gently) between their front lips.

[jaleely]

Thanks Zaradozia! :)
It's funny, "scout/bitey" pratically comes running when i give him fresh water. Every day! It's really cute. I've only seen ribs drink once. She seems to be fattening up, and doing fine, except for what's wrong with her..you know? lol
I have held off forcing water with a syringe. Soaks yes, but i know the one is drinking, and i'm pretty sure ribs is too so i'm trying not to traumatize more than they have already been through. I have been checking everytime i go upstairs to see how they are...i can't wait for their first REAL shed (third since i got them in October). Shed, shed, shed!

[ZARADOZIA]

Oh, something I learned with Sasha, she prefers her drinking water to be cold. Can't say I blame her, I like mine cold too. I don't know if it makes a difference or not for yours, just a thought.

[jaleely]

Hey, just thought i'd post. I'm so proud of Ribs! HE (I just got some probes, so they are both he lol) has been cruising around, hunting, and finally moving out of his hide. He just finished a shed a few days ago...all on his own *finally* and is active, perky, and a real cutie! I'm all warm and fuzzy that he has energy like a real snake!!!

Bitey is currently hiding in his damp hide being grumpy because he's going to shed. They both went into blue at the same time but Ribs just peeled that baby off and that was it. Bitey has been looking pretty sad, but he's doing fine as well, and since he was doing much better beforehand I haven't been worried.

Well! Other than that, i found out my adopted/rescued corn snake is a BOY *lol* I was so sure it was a girl! So we named him Cob.

When Ribs was still kind of weak, he took a guinea pig...hubby tried to give him one the other day and he hated it! So we brought out a rat, and that's what he wanted. Well, I'm glad he at least has the energy to be a picky brat!! lol

[Norm66]

Good news! I'm glad your rescues are doing well. You should be very proud of yourself. :)

[alessia55]

Glad to hear they're all doing well. They've come such a long way from when you first got them!

[Gungirl]

Always good when rescues make the u turn into healthy pets.

[jaleely]

Thanks! It's been indescribably rewarding! I wish I could save them all! Totally greedy about it hehe

[jaleely]

Ah, Ribs is healthy alright. I was trying to feed another snake, and was sitting on the floor with it and the food, upstairs. Long story short is Ribs was in his hide, and hen all of a sudden i look up and he's in the closest corner to me, peeking at me with one eye, flicking his tongue, and then turning to peek at me with the other eye...totally begging!
Other snake didn't want the food anyway, so i opened the lid and Ribs came slithering over lickity split and snapped it right up! I don't usually feed in tank either, but this was just too funny. He wanted it! Yesterday! lol

[ZARADOZIA]

That's wonderful!!