White Lipped Python - Page 5

SnoopySnake · 10-09-15, 01:43 PM

I feel bad that I didn't notice the weight loss sooner, I would have with any of my others but I don't like messing with them too much when they're off food...

reptiledude987 · 10-09-15, 03:03 PM

I just did my first solo assist feed last night with my baby beakie and it wasnt fun. Basically use a food item 1-2 sizes smaller than you would normall use. If the snake wont open its mouth on its own you will need to gently pry it open. To do this you will need to be holding the snake behind the head. With the size of your snake you will also want someone to hold the body while you do this. Once the mouth is open get the mouse/rats head into the snakes mouth. Once its in use forceps to slowly push the prey item into the throat. to do this each push on the prey you will be putting a bit of the end on the forceps into the snakes mouth but thats fine. Once youve pushed the full prey item into the throat gently massage the lump down on the underside of the snake until its a good distance down so that the snake wont regurg it. Once this is done just treat as if it were any normal feeding just dont disturb it and keep an eye to make sure that it keeps it down.

With the lump you mentioned I dont know where it was in the snake. If it was anywhere near the vent there is a possibility of a bowel obstruction. If its drinking thats a good sign thats not the case. If you suspect that it may be an obstruction you want to get it to a vet asap. especially with the amount of time youve had this issue i really hope youve seen a bowel movement. I would hate to see something bad happen to your beautiful friend here.

SnoopySnake · 10-09-15, 10:06 PM

So essentially force feeding? I'm not really sure if I feel okay with that as it seems fairly stressful and he gets stressed easy..As far as the lump goes it was very small about about 1/3rd of the way down his body. Didn't see it till I got home or I wouldn't have went through with getting him...He seems hydrated but I don't see him drink, and he was having regular bowel movements up until he stopped eating but passes urates regularly.

reptiledude987 · 10-10-15, 08:04 AM

Yes assist/ force feeding is the same thing. I understand what you mean by the stress on the snake but the way i see it is a vet visit wouldnt be any less stressfull. This is probably the same thing the vet will end up doing anyhow.

**Aaron_S** · 10-10-15, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopySnake

So essentially force feeding? I'm not really sure if I feel okay with that as it seems fairly stressful and he gets stressed easy..As far as the lump goes it was very small about about 1/3rd of the way down his body. Didn't see it till I got home or I wouldn't have went through with getting him...He seems hydrated but I don't see him drink, and he was having regular bowel movements up until he stopped eating but passes urates regularly.

If your husbandry is good then you should pretty much never see your snake drink. Pythons and boas tend to be more built to retain their moisture/humidity. Especially if it's passing urates then it's good.

Also, if you haven't tried live yet go to that before assist feeding.

Quote:

Originally Posted by reptiledude987

Yes assist/ force feeding is the same thing. I understand what you mean by the stress on the snake but the way i see it is a vet visit wouldnt be any less stressfull. This is probably the same thing the vet will end up doing anyhow.

Just because I like to be picky and technical, assist feeding is different than force feeding. Now a days in the hobby I think the terms are interchangeable but that wasn't always the case.

Assist feeding is how I would describe placing a prey item into the mouth of a snake, pushing it just barely deep enough to "catch" and the snake does the rest of the work.

Force feeding is using one of two methods. One you literally force the prey item into the throat and work it into the stomach. That's highly stressful.
The second method is using a pinky pump. You insert a tube into the stomach through the mouth/throat and literally pump a pinky slurry into the snake. This is also highly gross and stressful.

SnoopySnake · 10-10-15, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reptiledude987

Yes assist/ force feeding is the same thing. I understand what you mean by the stress on the snake but the way i see it is a vet visit wouldnt be any less stressfull. This is probably the same thing the vet will end up doing anyhow.

I know the vet visit will be stressful for him but its necessary, with the visible amount of weight he's lost something has to be wrong...Maybe its silly but I feel like force feeding might lead the cycle on, I worry the stress from making him eat might continue to make him not eat...

reptiledude987 · 10-10-15, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopySnake

I know the vet visit will be stressful for him but its necessary, with the visible amount of weight he's lost something has to be wrong...Maybe its silly but I feel like force feeding might lead the cycle on, I worry the stress from making him eat might continue to make him not eat...

Fair enough I totally ubderstand where youre coming from. Its quite possible the stress wouldnt help with the underlying issue. Just wanted to offer an option.

reptiledude987 · 10-10-15, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Just because I like to be picky and technical, assist feeding is different than force feeding. Now a days in the hobby I think the terms are interchangeable but that wasn't always the case.

Assist feeding is how I would describe placing a prey item into the mouth of a snake, pushing it just barely deep enough to "catch" and the snake does the rest of the work.

Force feeding is using one of two methods. One you literally force the prey item into the throat and work it into the stomach. That's highly stressful.
The second method is using a pinky pump. You insert a tube into the stomach through the mouth/throat and literally pump a pinky slurry into the snake. This is also highly gross and stressful.

Good point. thanks for the clairification

**Aaron_S** · 10-10-15, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reptiledude987

Good point. thanks for the clairification

No problemo. It just makes me feel old when I remember silly differences between terms.

SnoopySnake · 10-10-15, 10:57 AM

If it makes you feel any better I'm 16 and had an idea of the differences lol. I'm glad we can handle different opinions here without an argument.

If he doesn't eat tonight then I'm going to try live in a few days, and if he still doesn't eat then to the vet we go...

datanasov01 · 10-10-15, 11:04 AM

My female White lips python (3 years) began to eat after 5 months starvation. The weight loss was 15%.

reptiledude987 · 10-10-15, 11:20 AM

I think those of us us who have been here for a while have come to expect these types of corrections from Aaron at this point lol.

SnoopySnake · 10-10-15, 10:57 PM

No luck, live it is.... I left the room and left all lights off for awhile, he bit at the rat defensively and then bit and coiled, when I came back he hadn't eaten it and got extremely angry and gave a few good strikes while I was removing the rat.

**Aaron_S** · 10-11-15, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopySnake

No luck, live it is.... I left the room and left all lights off for awhile, he bit at the rat defensively and then bit and coiled, when I came back he hadn't eaten it and got extremely angry and gave a few good strikes while I was removing the rat.

How long did you leave it in after the coil? I usually leave my frozen stuff in over night and check again in the morning.

However the snake could have just "killed it" to stop the annoying rat. I've seen snakes literally kill a prey item just to have it stop bothering them.

SnoopySnake · 10-11-15, 08:40 AM

I left the room for about 20 minutes and when I came back he was nowhere near the rat. The only way I've ever been able to get him to eat is by taunting him/non stop moving the rat but lately that just makes him defensive. I don't leave them overnight because he's never taken then overnight and I like to be able to refreeze.

Yeah I was worried he might do that with live which made me kinda weary of trying it but I know I need to..