Something is wrong with Torruk, help please??

[Norm66]

It sounds like he's on the road to recovery, I'm glad. The 30 grams looks to be about 4% if I've done my quick math correctly, I'm not sure that would be considered 'significant'. I don't think I'd worry about it. Lots of healthy royals go off their food, that a guy with an RI does wouldn't concern me.

[shaunyboy]

when dealing with a snake thats lost a lot of wieght due to health issues and the snakes NOT eating.....

i tube feed the snake to get it back to its proper wieght

i use.....

a syringe

an infant baby feeding tube (cut to proper size,depending on the individual snake)

you cut the tube so that it goes slightly down the snakes throat,to the point where the paste goes INTO the snake,and does NOT come back out the snakes mouth

i dillute a high protien cat/dog food supplied by my vet,into a paste that will flush through the feeding tube

i usually start with cat/dog food, quarter the wieght of the prey,the snake was eating

then as the snake puts on wieght,i up the amount of food,until i match the wieght of the prey it should be on

so a snake eating a 100 gram rat i would

start with 25 grams of paste twice every 7 days ( for 2 or 3 weeks)

then up it to 50 grams of paste once every 7 days (for 2 to 3 weeks)

then up it to 75 grams of paste once every 7 days (for 2 to 3 weeks )

finally upping it to the 100 grams once every 7 days,equaling the rat it should be eating

i have found this method really good,for getting the snake back up to its proper size

the cat/dog food i use is ONLY available from my vet.it is designed to have high protien to aid cats/dogs to get back to health,quickly after long periods of bad health

cheers shaun

[DeesBalls]

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Wouldnt recommend aspen with a Royal, keeping the humidity up without moulding can be an issue.

i use aspen with all 14 of my royals, and all shed just fine.... humidity stays just fine, and no mold

BUT i have heard this to be a problem for other people in their enclosures...

[mykee]

No need to worry about the weight loss, that's insignificant, expecially with an RI as Norm mentioned.
I am concerned that he's not healed up yet, seeing as how he's been on meds for three weeks. Most courses for meds for RI's are for three weeks. The fact that he's not 100% yet concerns me.
My guess is that since a culture was not done, that the meds are working on a secondary bacteria and the main bacteria will remain.
Just me spitballing.

[Snakefood]

Norm:

4% doesn't sound as horrible as 30g in 3 weeks!! makes it sound less concerning anyways.

Shaunyboy:

OK, I know the one your talking about (I think anyways)

Is it medi-cal recovery/convelecance?? (gold & white bag/can??)

IF I were to attempt this (sounds a little intimidating!!) how would I know I am not getting it into his lungs??

Any other input is much appreciated on the weight loss issue

[Snakefood]

Originally Posted by mykee

No need to worry about the weight loss, that's insignificant, expecially with an RI as Norm mentioned.
I am concerned that he's not healed up yet, seeing as how he's been on meds for three weeks. Most courses for meds for RI's are for three weeks. The fact that he's not 100% yet concerns me.
My guess is that since a culture was not done, that the meds are working on a secondary bacteria and the main bacteria will remain.
Just me spitballing.

the vet says it is quite common for RI's in BP's to take 6-8 weeks to fully clear up

The breeder says the same and adds that he should make significant improvement once he sheds (although I can't figure out what shedding has to do with Turruk's lungs)

Mykee- what do think about what I am being told (or anyone else experienced with BP's)

Also, if he is not FULLY RECOVERED by the next appointment, I think I will demand a culture be done.

[mykee]

No offense, but you should of demanded a culture be done the first time you brought him in.
I have very limited real-world experience regarding RI's but have read a tonne. With my one and only experience, I brought my female in, she had a culture done, I got her on meds for 24 days and shewas 100% by day 20.
She's been RI-free ever since.

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by Snakefood

Norm:

4% doesn't sound as horrible as 30g in 3 weeks!! makes it sound less concerning anyways.

Shaunyboy:

OK, I know the one your talking about (I think anyways)

Is it medi-cal recovery/convelecance?? (gold & white bag/can??)

IF I were to attempt this (sounds a little intimidating!!) how would I know I am not getting it into his lungs??

Any other input is much appreciated on the weight loss issue

because you would be putting it down his throat,not his windpipe

the windpipe on a snake is right at the front of the mouth,not down its throat pal (so they can breath while feeding)

i'll post a picture later,as right now i'm uploading a bulk of files onto my photobucket account

cheers shaun

[Snakefood]

Originally Posted by mykee

No offense, but you should of demanded a culture be done the first time you brought him in.
I have very limited real-world experience regarding RI's but have read a tonne. With my one and only experience, I brought my female in, she had a culture done, I got her on meds for 24 days and shewas 100% by day 20.
She's been RI-free ever since.

None taken. I should have and hindsight is 20/20. To be completely honest, I did not have the $$ for anything but exam + meds, the first visit I walked away with $4 to my name. But I have no excuse as to why I didn't "order" a culture be done on the second visit, except that the vet said it was normal to take 6-8 weeks and that he was definately getting better.

[shaunyboy]

the flesh coloured circle at the FRONT,on the bottom of the snakes mouth is the WINDPIPE pal



as long as you DON'T stick a feeding tube down there,then there is NO way, food can end up in the lungs

cheers shaun

[mykee]

Snakefood; DON'T even attempt to tube feed your snake. That is to be done in extreme cases, you're NOWHERE near ready for that and the stress will almost definitely kill your already immuno-compromised snake.

[Snakefood]

ok, it sounded pretty intimidating anyways, I'm sure Shaunyboy has alot more experience than I do!!

BUT...... WHEN do I start to actually worry about the weight loss?????

[mykee]

About a month after the meds are done.

[Snakefood]

You mean if he hasn't started accepting food within a month of finishing meds, that's when I should be concerned regardless of how much weight he loses in the meantime??

[mykee]

He's stressed, sick and not eating; he's going to lose weight. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. He'll start eating once he's ready to eat.