Help, he is weak and won't eat!

[Billups]

Here is the situation. I bought a baby red tail a week ago. I built my own 4x2x2' melamine cage (yes i found out its way too big since then) and heated it with a 100w red night light. My boa is so weak and won't eat. He barely moves around in his cage and won't wrap around my hand at all. I took him to the pet store and they said that my basking area may be too hot! I measured it for 2 hrs and it came out to 105 degreese! I moved him to a 20 gallon tank since then where the basking area in it is a consistent 95 deg. It is also heated with a under the tank pad. I've been running a day/night light schedule. He is not getting any better at all.
The only other thing that I can think is wrong is the tank I built off of the how to section. It required caulk. It takes 2 hrs to be "paintable" and 24 to cure. I put the boa in it after 6 hrs. Could there have been fumes or something. The problems didn't develop until well after the cureing time. Was my baskng area too how and messed him up in the head? I don't know what to do. I would appreciate any help at all. Thanks.

[spike06]

im no snake expert, but id say take him to a vet

[Adrya]

Not allowing the caulk to do its complete curing for 24 hours could be one of many factors affecting your boa.

I think taking him to a good reptile vet is also in order.

[irish]

paintable caulk is usually a latex base. not highly toxic for humans but for a reptile it could be the cause. see a vet for sure asap......good luck i hope everything works out

[Ice-47]

there's 2 things i recommend. 1) is take him to a qualified vet.. as anyone will recommend, and second is i have heard of "Helping" your snake eat.. gently grab him behind the head(dont apply too much pressure, just enough to keep him controllable) and tap a pinky (F/t, or F/k) on his nose. eventually he will get angry enough that he will bite the meal. gently and slowly set him down, this trick takes finess, so be as smooth and gently as you can, he will iether a) eat the meal, or b) spit it out, in this case, attempt it again.

[xbigredtankx]

Originally Posted by Ice-47

there's 2 things i recommend. 1) is take him to a qualified vet.. as anyone will recommend, and second is i have heard of "Helping" your snake eat.. gently grab him behind the head(dont apply too much pressure, just enough to keep him controllable) and tap a pinky (F/t, or F/k) on his nose. eventually he will get angry enough that he will bite the meal. gently and slowly set him down, this trick takes finess, so be as smooth and gently as you can, he will iether a) eat the meal, or b) spit it out, in this case, attempt it again.

i do not think it is necissary to force feed the snake yet... he may be weak but he needs a vet first...pinkie pump maybe or some kind of liquified meal rather than a full mouse/pinkie would be easier to intake and digest.

goodluck

[Billups]

Well, at this point i'm less concerned with him eating and more worried about why he is so lethargic and weak. Is it possible he got too hot under the lamp and is now permantly this way? Thats what the store told me.

[Ice-47]

as stated previously, take your snake to a veteranarian, the pet store doesnt always havea qualified person who knows everything about the snake he is selling you, few people do it because of the love for the creature, it's mostly about the wallet my friend.

[xbigredtankx]

it is VERY possible that he is dehidrated... if the temp is that high, it is possible it has dryed out much of the moisture in the origional tank, make sure he has plenty of water. Check the skin/scales to make sure they are not very dry and almost flakey (sp?) or damaged. The skin skin should be softish and smooth, not dry and crusty!! (think of it like heat stroke....loss of energy and lethargic movements!)

[xbigredtankx]

Originally Posted by Ice-47

as stated previously, take your snake to a veteranarian, the pet store doesnt always havea qualified person who knows everything about the snake he is selling you, few people do it because of the love for the creature, it's mostly about the wallet my friend.

let me re-phrase that.... the people at the pet shop probably couldnt even tell you it is a boa.... the only reason they knew that was because of the label it came with when it was shipped to them!!...never trust the local pet shops (especially petco and petsmart!!) they often screw everything up!