Special Needs Snake

[Rogue628]

After I move I will be picking up a special needs snake. She's about 2 years old but is not quite as big as a year old would be. Not sure what her condition is called but she doesn't have a tongue nor does she have a complete lower jaw, which makes feeding her an issue. From what I've been told by her previous owner, she's one of the sweetest animals she's ever gotten to work with but she has so many to care for now, she really doesn't have the time to work with her like the little cinny needs (she's a cinny morph). I offered to take over her care since I have a little experience in problem feeders and know how to assist feed and can force feed if necessary (I absolutely HATE doing this but can). She's told me she's had to assist feed, but she will eat on her own if you rub her food on her top jaw most time. She has had to force feed her before.

We've talked off an on about it as she really does not want to euthanize her (it was another option she had thought about), especially since she herself has put so much time in on the girl and there's no other issues she has. She's just not a good eater and has never been sick. The owner would much rather give her to another person who has the time and patience to work with her, and maybe even get better results.

It's too cold to ship her from where she's at now and I don't want to get her here only to have to move her again by the time she gets adjusted to her new surroundings....I don't want to put her through that.

I'm such a sucker for animals like this. They tug at my heart strings so bad. In all I'm excited to be getting her, knowing I'm going to have to work with her. I just hope I can be a good mommy and even get her to gain some size. If not, as long as she's healthy and I can keep her healthy, I'll be happy.

Thought I'd post a couple of pics of this special creature. I know what I've got my work cut out for me, but I really think it'll be worth it end the end.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g191/SVRogue/littlecinny01.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g191/SVRogue/littlecinny02.jpg

[Skumbo]

aww poor thing. glad it had a good owner to start with though, and not someone who would neglect an animal thinking "it just wont eat for me" :(

im sure youll take good care of her!

[infernalis]

"Special" snakes can be very rewarding... Good luck.

[KORBIN5895]

Name her baby hughie

[Trent]

Good luck!!

[alessia55]

Aww she's really cute! Good luck with her!! Keep us posted. I'd be interested in seeing feeding pics to see what the process looks like...

[Hurrok]

Awe...she looks like such a sweetheart. It is so good to see that someone would actually take the time to care for animals like this rather than just getting rid of it somehow. I have a special place in my heart for animals like this too, so I'm glad there is others that feel the same way. Best of luck :)

[jaleely]

She looks thin but not emaciated. I actually don't see how feeding will be TOO bad if she can get it into her throat muscles okay. Has she always been this way? What happened, or was she born like that?

I really want to keep hearing about how she's doing. Let us know! And I'll take her if you can't! lol

[theapexgerman]

I learnt a special need anmial is one of the most loveing animals my uncle has a 3 leg dog such so freindly hope you don't got to fource feed her

[Caylan]

She's very sweet looking, good on you taking her over. She may even get used to being assist fed and not put up too much of a fight later on, snakes seem to be smart that way... She has to be one of the cutest royals I've ever seen though lol! good luck!

[Rogue628]

She was born this way. I heard one person call it slack jaw but I think that's incorrect. The girl who has her now says she's getting better with feedings. She's taking food if you rub it under her top jaw. It just takes some time. Hopefully I can continue this and she'll eat more on her own this way instead of having to assist feed.

[hylia]

She is really beautiful. She's a lucky girl to have come upon people who are willing to make the extra effort for her. Can't wait to hear about how she does in your care.

[Hillsberry]

Awwww it's great to know she is going into a loving home. I wish you the best of luck with her! :)

[CK SandBoas]

She is such a cutie! She will definitely have a loving home with you=)

[Rogue628]

Thanks! I'm really excited to get her but nervous about it at the same time as I haven't had to deal with feeding issues like these in years (assist feed with possible force feed...I just hope it doesn't come to it).

But I really love working with animals who have issues. There's nothing more rewarding to me than to have an animal that has issues that you help them overcome or cope with, all the while keeping them healthy and happy. :)

[jaleely]

I bet you can get her to eat! She IS actually a very nice looking snake. Wow, can you imagine though? She can't smell. In fact...does she have heat vent sensor thingies?

[Rogue628]

As far as I'm aware of, it appears she does.

If she proves to be a hard feed, I'm seriously considering pureeing her food and feeding it to her through a syringe. I've heard of people using this method on small hatchlings that had problems eating the first few feeds, but I've never personally used it. I taught my old royal to take water from a dropper so I know it can be done (I thought it was a cute trick and it didn't take her long to teach her). It's probably much less stressful than assist or force feeding and I'd much rather use a less stressful method.

[Psyche]

how and why did you teacher he that? lol its cool

[Rogue628]

how and why did you teacher he that? lol its cool


When I moved back from Texas with my animals, my mom's place was the only place I could keep them for a while. The little Houdini (she was notorious for escaping) got out of her cage and although we looked everywhere, we never found her. She eventually popped back up in the wash room next to the water heater...in plain site. She was dehydrated pretty bad. :( I called a local vet that dealt with reptiles at the time and he told me to try giving her a mixture of pedialyte and water, but be careful of her intake. After a couple of tries of giving her water with a syringe, she got to where she'd open her mouth when I touched her top jaw with the syringe. I gave her so much of this mixture at different intervals. The next day I took her and my burm to the vet for a check up (he was beginning to show signs of an RI...probably got it during the move). She was completely rehydrated (I stayed up all night with her) and he gave her a clean bill of health and told me it was ok to feed her but small meals at first, while my burm got antibiotics for the RI.

Every since then I'd been able to touch her with a dropper and if she wanted it, she'd open her mouth and let me give her a few drops. :D She was also quite literally hand fed because she was so tame. She never got me instead of her food although she came close a couple of times lol

This one was my baby. She went almost everywhere with me when it was warm enough. I cried and was depressed like I had lost a child when she passed. :( She was such a sweet animal. I couldn't have asked for a better pet. :)

[Psyche]

awhh thats pretty neat, im glad you were able to have that kind of connection with each other :)

[jaleely]

aww! what a sweet sounding snake! How old was she? I'm sorry she's gone! : (

[Rogue628]

aww! what a sweet sounding snake! How old was she? I'm sorry she's gone! : (


Analiesse was probably about 8 years old or older when she passed. I don't think I have formed a closer bond to any other pet I've had. I bought her as a wee hatchling and she was probably about 3 or so when she escaped the time I mentioned. She really truly loved human attention and even threw 'fits' when I put her up. She pouted! lol She was a one-of-a-kind for sure. I was very lucky to have had her. She's the one who helped me get over my fear of snakes. :)

[jaleely]

aww!
Snakes are truly amazing animals. I just can't believe i spent the whole of my life without them. My husband kind of randomly wanted a ball python, and since we got the one snake, a few months later i got another...and it's just gone from there. I take so much joy and pleasure from taking care of them. I will never, ever be without one again and i hope the ones i have live long, long healthy lives! I'm going to do my best, that's for sure!

BTW Analiesse is a really pretty name and a cool one for a snake! And i'm glad you got over your fear of them!

[Rogue628]

aww!
Snakes are truly amazing animals. I just can't believe i spent the whole of my life without them. My husband kind of randomly wanted a ball python, and since we got the one snake, a few months later i got another...and it's just gone from there. I take so much joy and pleasure from taking care of them. I will never, ever be without one again and i hope the ones i have live long, long healthy lives! I'm going to do my best, that's for sure!

BTW Analiesse is a really pretty name and a cool one for a snake! And i'm glad you got over your fear of them!


When I first started keeping, I thought it was ironically funny to name my snakes Irish/Gaelic names since there's no native Irish snakes :p

[Skits]

She's a very cute snake. :) I'm sure you'll do great with feeding her too.

[alessia55]

Could you get a photo of what it looks like from underneath her jaw? I'm curious as to how much of her upper jaw is exposed.

[Kiljosh]

I second this, more pics i'm curious about this little one. I think shes cute

[Rogue628]

As soon as I get her, I will be posting pics of her and how I feed. Hopefully sharing her this way will open suggestions on way to better improve her life and eating capabilities. I'm always open to suggestions and constructive criticism in my keeping and husbandry. If I'm doing something wrong and don't realize it and noone tells me, how am I going to correct it?

[jaleely]

I've been curious as to how this turned out. Did you ever get this snake, and if so, how is she doing??

[Rogue628]

No I haven't. She and I keep missing each other. We're both extremely busy. If I don't hear from her by the end of the month, I'll contact her again. I'll let you know how that goes :)