Snake in trouble at the local pet store

msubigdawg · 08-28-04, 05:37 PM

I kinda volunteer at the local pet store. I like to go in and handle the snakes and lizards. Well they just got in a Solomon Island Tree Boa. I have had no expierence with them but I have had expierence with red tails and some pythons. This snake at the store came in such bad shape. I think its tail could be broken. When I run my fingers down the tail region it kinda feels like her bones are running together and it feels crumbly. lol sorry for the bad imagery. The tail would lay there kinda limp most the time. I has about 4 or 5 spots along the body where the scales almost look deformed and sunken in and it looks bad. I am going to try and see if I can get her to do a lil lay away type thing and keep it there so I can care for it. I also can't get it to eat right now. It is about 3 feet long and the only thing they would let me feed it are mice and I feel they are to small. Do you think if it was wanting to eat it would try for a mouse like that. I think it should be on smal rats but if I have to I will feed like 4 or 5 mice now until I or someone owns it. If it just doesn't want to eat what do yall think I could do to get it to eat. This snake just makes me sad and I am going to school to be a herpetologist one day so I kinda want to get my hand on as many snakes as I can. So if yall could give me some help it would be greatly appreciated.

Jordan B · 08-28-04, 06:25 PM

The latin name is Candoia Carinata Paulsoni. It sounds like it may have a fractured tail and scale rot. Get it to a vet pronto, and be VERY gentle with it. Don't let anyone take it out of it's tank and cover it with a towel. Good luck, sollies are one of my favorite snakes.

Jordan

Jordan B · 08-28-04, 06:26 PM

Oh yeah, move it onto paper towels to.

bistrobob85 · 08-29-04, 12:07 AM

I don't think nobody's going to take it to the vet... people in most pet stores don't do that. Usually, they try to heal them themselves ( when they have an experienced employee who really know what they're doing... pretty rare... ). Otherwise, they bring them back to the company ( or guy ) who sold the animal to them, live or dead, and they want their money back... Make sure the housbandry of the snake is perfect before thinking about feeding it... It seems like the snake has been knocked by something that would have broken some of it's bones and spine... You probably can't cure that yourself. As for the scale rott, keep the animal on something drier than it usually is and disinfect the wounds. Make sure the snake doesn't dehydrate during this treatment... It would be a wise choise never to buy snakes in such a bad shape, tell the boss to hire someone who's going to choose the right/healthy animals to sell and be able to heal them whenever they are sick or wounded...

phil.

BoidKeeper · 08-29-04, 09:31 AM

Is it on display for sale right now or in quarantine? PM Jim jwsporty, capital colubrids. He has a pair I think and should be able to offer you some advice.
Cheers,
Trevor