Jose's Vet Trip

#1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 02:44 PM

I took Jose to the vet on Saturday. He seemed very knowledgable but couldn't find anything physically wrong. He said Jose certainly didn't look emaciated and even if he's healthy this could go on for another year. He said Jose's weight was good and his temperament was normal. He felt Jose's body all the way down and couldn't feel any problems or blockages. He couldn't test for parasites since Jose hasn't given a good fecal sample since he passed his last meal. We talked about my husbandry and he saw nothing that would cause this so we talked force feeding. He did say that he's had success with ball pythons giving them a mix of antibiotics and an anti-parasite called Metro something or other. (Let me know if you know the full name of this stuff). He tube fed Jose with an assist feeding liquid he uses to tube feed dogs and cats which he said is not good for snakes if you have to tube feed regularly but that it has been successful with ball pythons on a one time basis to help stimulate his appetite. In this liquid he also added some of that antibiotic/parasite stuff. Jose seemed to tolerate the feeding well enough. When I got home I took him out for some sunshine and I made some better hides for him and put him away. I checked on him yesterday and he has not regurged the formula. I'll wait until he passes it and then try a gerbil or a hampster or something. Crossing my fingers that this works.

_________________
photo.redtailboa.net/Murtle

eddie · #2 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 04:24 PM

Hmm, I have no idea what the metro is.
Could be a generic name for panacur or flagyl or strongid.
Can you call and find out what it is cause the only thing I found on the vet meds site that was close in name were anti-inflamitories.

I am also curious about the feed mix he used, any info on that would be good too.
Kinda worries me about him saying its not good for snakes in the long run and still using it.
[addsig]

#3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 04:34 PM

A/D aws the assist feed formula and Metronidazole is the medicine. He said he would not use the A/D all the time because it does not have exactly the right balance of nutrition to sustain snakes for life but that in a case like Jose's it's worth trying since he's had success with it in the past. I think it doesn't have enough fiber for them. If he doesn't start eating on his own I may ask him if he can do it again but use the recipe you gave me.
[addsig]

eddie · #4 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 04:45 PM

Ok thats what I was thinking, the med he gave IS flagyl, I just wasn't sure what name he gave ya for it.
[addsig]

#5 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 04:54 PM

Yeah the lady on the phone said she thought it was a generic for something else.
[addsig]

#6 (**permalink**) 10-08-2002, 02:14 PM

Well, he pooed out some feces from the force feeding. I'm taking that as a good sign.
[addsig]

Ed_r · #7 (**permalink**) 10-08-2002, 02:49 PM

3 Days to poop? Thats really quick to go through a system. Sure it wasnt a regurge? Or just urates?
I've heard of some snakes just passing through nutrients if they are in brumation. Have you tried kicking the temps up a bit on him. Sometimes a slight rise in temps gets them going.
[addsig]

#8 (**permalink**) 10-08-2002, 03:41 PM

It's definitely poop. The temps have been kicked up. He went to the cool side when I brought him home. I even moved him to the warm side but he moved back to the cool side. The food was injected straight into his stomach pretty far down his body so I think that's why he did it so fast. It's a little messy but there is definitely solid brown.
[addsig]

faze · #9 (**permalink**) 10-08-2002, 04:02 PM

>>3 Days to poop? Thats really quick to go through a system. Sure it wasnt a regurge? Or just urates?

it probably went through him so quick becuase it was a liquid form so there wasnt much for them to digest.....meg's you workin on bringing it into him for tests?
[addsig]

#10 (**permalink**) 10-08-2002, 05:15 PM

Well I dunno, is it testable with the Metronidazole in there?
[addsig]

Ed_r · #11 (**permalink**) 10-08-2002, 07:11 PM

As long as it comes out the back end it is because at least it will show traces or worm or parasites.
[addsig]

#12 (**permalink**) 10-08-2002, 07:34 PM

Ok then I will send him the next one because what I got yesterday was pretty small and I expect to see some more come out of him.
[addsig]

JuliusSqueezer · #13 (**permalink**) 10-08-2002, 08:17 PM

a gerbil or hamster? for a rosy? please tell me you are joking.
[addsig]

#14 (**permalink**) 10-08-2002, 08:30 PM

Why? Too big? To small? I dunno I'll try anything if he wont eat mice or rats. I was planning on getting an appropriately sized live of either and then whacking and freezing. The pet shop I go to generally has baby gerbils of different sizes depending on when they are born.
[addsig]

faze · #15 (**permalink**) 10-08-2002, 08:40 PM

jules whats the matter with a younger hamster or something? is there somethin that makes it so that they cant take down a young hamster?
[addsig]

JuliusSqueezer · #16 (**permalink**) 10-09-2002, 06:19 PM

I am fairly certain that her problem is not WHAT is being offered but either how offered or how the snake is or was kept or some health issue such as parasites or something. If whatever is keeping Jose from eating is corrected and he happens to then eat a gerbil or hamster...he may want to stick to them....or he may not like them at all and you will still think he won't eat. A healthy well kept Rosy Boa should be one of the easiest snakes you could possibly ever hope to keep. Concentrate more on WHY not WHAT.
[addsig]

#17 (**permalink**) 10-10-2002, 02:27 PM

Well perhaps you ought to come and see how I've got Jose set up if you are so sure I am doing something wrong... Rosies may be the easiest snakes to keep but remember mine was not the typical rosy from the start. Most Rosy's never bite. Mine did. And even though the pet shop said he was Captive Bred he may very well be wild caught and that could be a factor. My point is, I've done everything I can to correct my husbandry and have a vet do what he can to help him also. It's now up to my snake to eat. According to my vet, some stop eating until they get exactly what they want in a prey item, so if that means trying a hampster or a gerbil so be it. I'm not going to leave out the WHAT as a factor.
[addsig]

Ed_r · #18 (**permalink**) 10-10-2002, 02:48 PM

Why not let the meds take effect and have him get acclimated to the newer better climat. usually takes a week or two. then if he still refuses to eat then possible try something that drastic. you have to fix one thing at a time so you know what fixed the problem . by changing too many things you will never know what was the problem. Plus snakes look at hamsters like candy. They will get hooked on them really quick. Do the mouse feeding or rat whatever his normal diet was.
I'm with Jules on this one.
[addsig]

#19 (**permalink**) 10-10-2002, 04:04 PM

I see it was unclear in my original post but I had planned to wait a couple weeks. That's a good point Ed. I will try a mouse first and then if that doesn't work go with something else. Thanks [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
_________________
photo.redtailboa.net/Murtle

JuliusSqueezer · #20 (**permalink**) 10-10-2002, 07:24 PM

Oh yah...he could be wild caught...so holding out for his natural diet...I didn't realize there were gerbils and hamsters running wild in Southern California. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Actually it isn't all that unusual for a Rosy to bite. a lot of them do....but them biting and not eating doesn't seem to be a pattern.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> My point is, I've done everything I can to correct my husbandry </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
Well, at least you are out of denial now...You have been stating all along that you were already doing everything right which has made it very difficult for anyone to help you. Just don't expect results overnight. It usually doesn't work that way. Please don't get so defensive when people are trying to help. Noone is out to scorn you...everyone just wants to see Jose get better. You let your pride get in the way of that for a while it seems but I have noticed from other posts that you are making a huge attempt at correcting some things...ie shopping for a heat lamp etc. This is not and has never been about proving who is right or wrong. This is about getting a snake to eat and be healthy.
[addsig]

Advertisement