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Blind BP?

NinaCaliente

NinaCaliente

New member
I was in Petco yesterday and saw a little BP in one of their "adoption" cages. It was labeled "special needs - blind". After further inquiry I was told that the little snake had retained its eyecaps over several sheds. It has been seen twice by a vet, who said the snakes eyes cannot be saved at this point, but that there is no infection and no treatment was required. The animal care person told me his eyes had kind of "atrophied"; each eye looks like it is covered in a scab (maybe scar tissue?), but there are no signs of infection that I can see. The only concern the vet had about this snake is that it was not taking food, and was being force fed. Since then though, I am told the snake has taken a mouse willingly for the past 3 weeks.

This little snake just melted my heart. My DH held him, and he seemed a bit skittish at first but when DH was still the snake settled down into his hand. I was considering adopting this snake, but I am unsure... I was not really looking to acquire another BP right now, and if this snake lives a normal lifespan it would be a big commitment - I can't imagine it would be easy to rehome him. I posted this question on another forum, and the responses I got were mostly of the opinion that this snake should be euthanized, that his quality of life would be so poor that it is cruel to keep him alive.

I am looking for your opinions. WWYD?
 
Well I haven't dealt with blind snakes before... but I have worked with blind dogs and cats. The quality of life in dogs and cats is just fine ... they adjust really well. As long as things don't get moved around in their normal spaces too much... for example I wouldn't ever rearrange his tank once he was in it...

I don't know what to think about a snake though. It would be hard to rehome so you would probably be taking it home for good.

As long as he is wanted and that is the only health concern - if he continues to eat, I don't see why not. As long as you understand what you are getting yourself into.

The other side of it, is don't get a snake just because you feel bad for it. Do what is right for you.
 
If it were me I'd adopt him in a heartbeat, I'm a sucker for animals in need. If you have the ability, time and funds to care for him and you like him then go for it, but I would take him to see another vet and he may have to be euthanzed eventually if he is doing badly but I think if he is eating now then he should do well. I know someone who has had a blind corn for years and it is doing extremely well and acts normal.
 
You don't think you could get the eye caps off? I watch Viper Keeper TV, and he's removed eye caps from a cobra that had a _ton_ of them built up, and she was fine...He just flicked them off with a tweezers.
 
Nanci, from the way she presented it, I think they ARE off, but the eye beneath it was constricted from the number that were there, and they don't think that the eyes can recover.

At least that's how I read it.

I would take it. If nothing else, you would be making sure no one unscrupulous would try to breed it.
 
Are they sure the eyes aren't just dehydrated? I suppose... Can't BPs go on random hunger strikes anyway? Force feeding is so stressful. Sounds like trouble- the non-feeding part, but I don't believe a blind snake is necessarily going to live a miserable life! I wonder what would happen if someone good with BPs gave it a chance, to try to get it feeding.
 
I think if it were in a home experienced with BPs it would do a lot better. If you go there again see if you can take a picture maybe some one on here could help you better if they saw it.
 
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