Please Help

[snake_girl]

Hi,
I'm not sure how many of you remember but My ball python had A heat burn(really bad one) about a month or so ago and Its been clearing up ver nicely...But... Now she hasn't eaten sinces feb,3/03 and has lost a lot of weight. I took a tiny bowel movement that she had to the vets and he said from what he could see in the fecul that she had no parasites and that the weight loss was most likely due to stress.

I'm not sure what to do

before when I just bought her I found out about two weeks later that she was a very very sick snake. ( she could barely move her head because her body was infested with parasites, and she was so skinny that not only could you feel her ribs you could see it from a distances) so I took that and my vet took that as a: desprate times call for desprate mesures... so I was told to force feed her for 3 weeks.

I did that, and there was a big debte on weather or not I should have done that but I feel it was the only choice considering she had no response to food no matter how i persented it. I am no avocate(sp?) for force feeding buy any means..... again But I'm not sure what to do now she's so weak from fighting off a system shock like a heat burn that she's not eating like before, should I wait a few more months or what I don't know what to do I'm so scared of losing her because I've been close to it twice.

so what I'm asking is what would you do if your first snake was sick not eating and you were at your wits end?

any advise would be great thank you,
Grace.

ps all temps are good, hum is good and she has alot of dark hiding places and her tank is in a quite part of my room.

[LdyDrgn]

How were/are you treating the burn? What kind of substrate are you using?

[Linds]

I would recommend giving her unflavoured pedialyte. The electrolytes will help to support her stressed out system, which may also be deydrated from the massive burm and antibiotic treatments. In some cases, it will also act as an appetite stimulant. Only a *small* amount is needed, I would suggest using approximately 1.5cc - 2cc per 300g of snake. Good luck and keep us updated

<center>**DISCLAIMER: I am not a certified vet, and all medical advice should be taken at ones own risk. This is from my personal observations and practices, and not being able to see the animal in question, cannot be certain of its exhisting problems and conditions**</center>

[LdyDrgn]

You can mix the Pedialyte 50/50 with water and put it in her water dish for her to drink at her leisure. This method is used by many recognized herp rescue/rehabbers around here. In dire situations, it can be given full strength.

[snake_girl]

thank you guys sooooo much!

grace

[NewLineReptile]

did you try to put her food in her hide box ? it worked on my snake when she stoped eating