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INJURED SNAKE, need expert help***graphic***

I've never had a snake lose excessive weight from not eating for a few weeks. I don't feed my snakes every week and they are all in excellent weight. Even with stress I don't think you'll have much problem if you wait even a month. When my green tree python prolapsed, she was not fed for 6 weeks and then one very small item...waited a week, fed a very small item and then waited for defication to be sure that there was no prolapse. That was another 2 weeks. She did fine.I personally wouldn't worry about waiting.
 
Good Luck! The only time I ever had to tube feed a snake Baytril, the guy went from being great to handle to snapping and biting any hand that came near him for any reason even long after the treatment was done! So I'm reading this thread with great interest. I hope I never need to put this into use again.

Devon
 
I never had that problem with giving Baytril or anything else. I use a 1 ml syringe, push it into the throat a bit, squeeze out a bit to moisture the area and gently push it a bit further, twisting it a bit with about quarter turns clock and counter clock wise until it is in half preferably. Then I squeeze it in at once or maybe in two or three squirts depending on the amount of fluid in it. The fluid has a chance to move on a bit in between squirts so it won't overflow into the mouth. Most important is to keep the neck straight or you cannot get the syringe down. Most of the snakes did not like it but none ever got a temper afterwards. Usually it went easier each time I had to do it to a snake, they panicked less after a while it seemed.
 
So I had a recent trip to the herp vet to get my snake treated for a mass. He sent me home with injectable antibiotics. He also sent me home with paperwork that stated this:

"Studies of drug dosages in reptiles have shown it difficult if not impossible to achieve therapeutic levels of medicine when given in pill or oral liquid form. To bypass this inefficient cold-blooded digestive system, most medications are given by injection."

I was also instructed to jack his heat up to 90-100*. I currently have it at 94*. Its supposed to help the the uptake of the antibiotics.

He also told me that baytril has a myriad of side effects for reptiles, including organ failure and something to do with the muscles, therefore he does not prescribe it for reptiles. I asked him about this yesterday when I picked up the meds and my snake.

I have a lot of experience giving injections to animals so its not a problem for me, but IMO its much easier than giving meds orally. Maybe ask your vet about something injectable. My snake is on whats called Fortaz. I had never heard of it before yesterday though.
 
Well, I have cured some snakes by giving Baytrill orally and I did not notice any side effects besides ruined stomach juices and lack of appetite.
 
Have you thought of day old pinks. If he is not able to get a regular small pinky down,maybe he will be able to suck a really tiny one down?
 
Baytril can be quite caustic when injected and unless given deep in the muscle and often followed up with sub cutaneous fluids, it can burn and leave scars. Amykacin is usually quite effective and less damaging to kidneys and muscle. I've never had an issue with that. There are some things that oral antibiotics work for. I have heard of it for respiratory but it's usually less effective than injection. Injuries like yours has should respond well to oral medication although I'm not sure it's really needed. If the site is kept clean there should be little risk of infection. Snakes are pretty tough. most injections are a larger dose for first dose, then half that dose for the second and third with 72 hours between injections. Not sure on Baytril as I've never dosed mine with that. I'm sure he'll do fine!
 
Orally works for intestinal problems on my snakes. Never had to use antibiotics for anything else though.
 
Feeling pretty low at this moment...
Last night, Marty ate for the first time in just over three weeks and was eagerly looking for multiple pinkies to consume... i thought it best to just have him eat one as this morning was the day to remove the suchers. I was feeling pretty good about where we were at.
As my daughter (home recovering from strep throat) and I went to collect Marty and bring him to the vet this morning, we found that his tongue was stuck to the clay pot that I had been using for his hide. Seems the moisture on his tongue stuck to the dry pot like glue. He had pulled it out a good inch and half from his face, tissue completely dried out and dead.
We rushed him to the vet, she confirmed that the tongue was destroyed... and it was amputated. Suchers were removed from his face & she gave him a shot of Baytril.
I'm sure we looked pretty pathetic... 6'3", 210lb, 42 year old and a very sad little 9 year old girl w/tears running down both our faces.
30 years of off and on snake collecting/husbandry and this is a first... no more clay pots for hides. I would guess that glazed would be the way to go?
All in all, feel like a crappy dad to this poor little guy.
 
OMGosh poor little guy is accident prone. I have used clay pots before. No one has one now but no one will now. I am so sorry.
 
Wow, poor snake, two nasty freak accidents. He is lucky to have someone that cares so much as an owner! I was planning to go out and buy some pots for hides, but I will be sure to seal them.

Thank you for sharing so that all of us can learn, and avoid something like this happening again.
 
Not sure if he would agree on me as an owner and he is due a good bit of grace should he ever bite the crap out of me when he has grown up.
Hopefully, with the kingsnake's strong feeding response, he will adapt to the lack of his tongue in short time and roll on for a long life.
Hope and pray no infection sets up short-term.
 
I'm sure he'll do fine....seems that Lucky needs his name changed to Trouble! I've never had a snake get into as much trouble as yours seems to do!
 
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