Meet Lazarus (rescue)

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by Spirit_Scale

Wasn't trying to start a war so for that I apologize

I'm more comfortable using a product which has a bit of oil (I'm in no way coating him with it---a procedure which I know has negative consequences) then using a product that even when properly diluted has been known to cause fatalities, especially when he's an older and sort of sickly/health status unknown animal.
The other thing is that Nix is not a reptile-developed or approved product---the Zoo-med mite-off is.

That's all I meant.
If you've had good luck with the Nix product then by all means, I'm just not comfortable with it and prefer (what I feel) is a less harsh method, even if it is more labor intensive.
Its been a few days and 95% of the mites are dead---so i've got to be doing something right.

There is no war. I never said there was.

I'd like you to prove of these fatalities while nix was properly diluted. I've never heard of it and yes, I've seen the same snakes nixed twice, every month for 6 months. (Sprayed before leaving for a show so nothing will stick to them or crawl from one table to this one and then once again at home, just in case something did come home)

I have yet to see it be fatal when used properly. I wouldn't put too much stock into items because they are commercially made for reptile use. Doesn't mean it isn't a lie.

I can also get rid of the adult mites with water and dish soap to break the surface so they drown. Eggs is what you have to worry about it. Let me know if you have a new outbreak in a couple weeks when you think they are all gone.

I'm only continuing this so anyone who reads this thread will have both pros and cons of both products so they can make the same decision we've made, which product will work best for us.

[Spirit_Scale]

Well, if I need to I will consider the nix in the future.

Just got back from the vet, Lazarus weighs 2.2 kilos/almost 5 pounds and other than a retained eyecap, some old burn marks/scars on his nose and the abscess he's in good shape. He still does huff/puff/wheeze a bit but the vet didn't say anything when she examined his mouth. Worse comes to worse I'll take him back in if I notice anything off.

His abscess is actually three tiny ones close together, none of them are attached to the bone and none of them seemed very bad. So she decided to do the conservative option (in part due to his age and his health as its impossible to know *exactly* what his status is) and do two weeks of daily (baytril) antibiotic injections and see if it begins to go away on its own. Added bonus is that it should help if there's any beginnings of an RI in his lungs as well.

If not, we'll do the surgery, lance it, clean it out etc.

I'm very surprised and proud of him---hell of a lot of noise but no strikes or bites.
Though that may change with the daily injections lol.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by Spirit_Scale

Well, if I need to I will consider the nix in the future.

Just got back from the vet, Lazarus weighs 2.2 kilos/almost 5 pounds and other than a retained eyecap, some old burn marks/scars on his nose and the abscess he's in good shape. He still does huff/puff/wheeze a bit but the vet didn't say anything when she examined his mouth. Worse comes to worse I'll take him back in if I notice anything off.

His abscess is actually three tiny ones close together, none of them are attached to the bone and none of them seemed very bad. So she decided to do the conservative option (in part due to his age and his health as its impossible to know *exactly* what his status is) and do two weeks of daily (baytril) antibiotic injections and see if it begins to go away on its own. Added bonus is that it should help if there's any beginnings of an RI in his lungs as well.

If not, we'll do the surgery, lance it, clean it out etc.

I'm very surprised and proud of him---hell of a lot of noise but no strikes or bites.
Though that may change with the daily injections lol.

Baytril is bad to just use as a RI "preventative".

If an RI is present (doesn't sound like it) then a culture would be needed as the cause of the RI could be resistant to baytril. Hopefully no burns turn up with the daily injections.

I'm not trying to be a jerk here but boa abscess's are not like ours, they tend to be "hard" and not fluid filled. I don't see them going away on their own with a general drug like baytril.

There's nothing wrong with his health it seems from the outside other than the parts you mentioned and his age is still fairly young (even if it's 11 years) so I'd go with the surgery to get rid of it for sure.

All the best though. Good luck.

[Spirit_Scale]

I know that snake abscesses are not like those in mammals. But this was the option my exotic vet wanted to try and if it saves him being put under and me the cost of surgery then I'll give it a shot.
She wasn't able to do the surgery today and would've only been able to schedule it in at best two weeks so it gives me room to see if the baytril will have any effect.

As far as I know as well abscesses can often indicate systemic bacterial issues so this should help clear that up.

I'm familiar with baytril and know that it isn't effective for many pathogens anymore as well as can cause burns/lumps in snakes, so I'll be alternating his injection site and hoping all goes well. The RI preventative was more an off-hand comment 'hey maybe it'll help if I'm lucky' then a serious 'it'll treat this for sure' type of thing.

He just shed a little while ago, everything came off in one piece minus (as I predicted) his head, which with a wet cloth I was able to roll off the stuck skin---it was ready to come off just between the abscess and the scars it is tricky for him. The retained eyecap is gone as far as I can tell and both eyes and nostrils are clear. There's still a piece stuck where his abscess is but I'm letting him soak and calm down before I work that off him. There's an odd patch on his back that looks like either damaged scales or a scar---its not stuck shed (though perhaps retained shed from a long time ago?) as it doesn't move when soaked and gently rolled and there weren't any holes in his shed when I checked.

I'll get some pics up of him and the odd patch

[KORBIN5895]

I think daily injections for two weeks is very extreme. Also nix is supposed to be sprayed directly on the snake.

[slowhite03]

So, I've been reading this and as an outsider I'm going to say this, I don't want to start a war or an off topic starter. They are using a well used mite remover and he wants to use it, quit trying to force him to use a diffrent product when he is comfortable using the product he has. Why does everyone say take their pets to a vet and once the vet recommends something they say the vet is wrong and they know what's best. If the vet recommends something, I would trust what they say. Sorry to rant but I just had to speak my mind.

[KORBIN5895]

Originally Posted by slowhite03

So, I've been reading this and as an outsider I'm going to say this, I don't want to start a war or an off topic starter. They are using a well used mite remover and he wants to use it, quit trying to force him to use a diffrent product when he is comfortable using the product he has. Why does everyone say take their pets to a vet and once the vet recommends something they say the vet is wrong and they know what's best. If the vet recommends something, I would trust what they say. Sorry to rant but I just had to speak my mind.

You are 100% percent correct in saying mite-off is well know. Unfortunately it is well known as being extremely ineffective. The only people that purchase this are new snake owners.

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

As I said, doesn't NEED to be bigger.

Quite often we over feed our captives and overestimate what they need to thrive.

People love to feed huge meals to their captives on a regular basis. Try feeding your pets 10 - 15% of their body weight on a regular weekly basis, bet you'll see a faster growth.

I completely agree with the fact that we feed our snakes way too much.

I personally feed very large meals but I space them way out. Today I fed my 6'6" female albino a rabbit weighing 3 lbs 11 oz. I won't feed her again for 5-6 weeks at the earliest.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by slowhite03

So, I've been reading this and as an outsider I'm going to say this, I don't want to start a war or an off topic starter. They are using a well used mite remover and he wants to use it, quit trying to force him to use a diffrent product when he is comfortable using the product he has. Why does everyone say take their pets to a vet and once the vet recommends something they say the vet is wrong and they know what's best. If the vet recommends something, I would trust what they say. Sorry to rant but I just had to speak my mind.

Actually I didn't "force" anything. If you actually read my entire comments I made note to say my comments were so anyone who needed help reading the thread would have two viable options and the pros and cons of both to make judgement on.

I never said I knew more than a vet but I certainly know a heck of a lot about reptiles. I only made suggestions based on known facts. Do you take everyone's knowledge at face value? I'm a professional, I get paid to raise snakes, why is my opinion not apparently valid?

[Spirit_Scale]

These are the pics from a few days ago right after he shed.

As for today, Lazarus is doing well. I can't be certain but I *think* the abscess is beginning to shrink after three days of shots and I'm hearing less noise from him (I checked his mouth, no obvious bubbles or drool). He's taken two small rats (cleaning out the freezer of the remaining stock before I go get mediums for him and my BP---occasionally I switch up sizes with my BP when he begins to get fussy as sometimes smaller-than-normal prey does the trick) and is very active and curious.

No bites or sketchy behaviour from him and the mite situation is under control thus far, I find a dead mite or two every other day.