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Is my snake going to die?

D

Death5hand

New member
Anyone please help me. I have a female amelanistic reverse okeetee corn snake. She is going to be two years old this spring. I've been working alot lately and so haven't really been holding her much lately but about a month and a half ago, she lost some interest in eating. She still eats but not once a week like normal. Now she eats about twice a month. for a couple of weeks now I have noticed she holds her mouth open a bit maybe half an inch or less. My girlfriend says she has heard her sneeze or cough frequently. I moved the snake to a location in the house where I thought the temperature would be a little warmer and tried spraying her cage more often to keep it moist. Now her mouth is way open like all the way at least open one inch!!!
She does not hold her upper body up just holding her mouth open 80% of the time. At night the temperature in her cage is around 75 and in the day it's around 83. The bedding is a moist bark mixture I have used since she was a baby. Screen top so it's moist on the bottom but not really any humidity. This has happened all of a sudden after having this wonderful animal for almost two years. Can anyone help?
 
I would stop the extra spraying cause that is assumed to make it worse instead of better. To dry is not good too, between 40-55% humidity should do. Since her mouth is open that far all the time and she sneezes and stuff, a trip to the vet is my advice too! Isn't she oozing from her mouth and nose?

Further you can get the heat up to 90 IN PART OF HER VIV so she can warm up easier and remain a higher body temp. if she wants to until you can see a vet, though that should better not take too long. The lowest temp in her viv should be 75 but better even 80. These adjusted circumstances also help to recover after the trip to the vet. Good luck and keep us informed!
 
no, she's not oozing from her mouth or nose. She is getting ready to shed her skin so I thought maybe it was something to do with that but I will take her to the vet and see what they say. Thanks for your help.
 
The phase before shedding can make her feel worse I think cause the process can make fluids build up in the area around her throath (some glands and the tight skin have to do with it supposedly) so her airway gets narrower. Maybe you can see a swollen area beneath her neck behind her jaws. Explains why she is not yet oozing but does have big problems breathing. I don't know how long it will take her to shed, but her condition could get a little better after the shedding. But going to the vet would still be a good idea! I don't expect the infection to be mild enough to be 'cured' by the snake itself after shedding, according to her symptoms.

Maybe you can put a piece of onion into her viv to release her airways a bit during waiting for the vet.
 
Blutengel said:
The phase before shedding can make her feel worse I think cause the process can make fluids build up in the area around her throath (some glands and the tight skin have to do with it supposedly) so her airway gets narrower. Maybe you can see a swollen area beneath her neck behind her jaws. Explains why she is not yet oozing but does have big problems breathing. I don't know how long it will take her to shed, but her condition could get a little better after the shedding. But going to the vet would still be a good idea! I don't expect the infection to be mild enough to be 'cured' by the snake itself after shedding, according to her symptoms.

Maybe you can put a piece of onion into her viv to release her airways a bit during waiting for the vet.
Click to expand...

I mean 'relieve her airways' of course...
 
Blutengel said:
Maybe you can put a piece of onion into her viv to release her airways a bit during waiting for the vet.
Click to expand...


Is this a veterinary reccommended procedure? Is it OK for reptiles? I've heard from my German friends that boiling an onion and drinking the juice is an old-wives home remedy for a blocked nose but it actually has more to do with the heat of the liquid than anything.

I would be warey of using this method as snakes are extra sensitie to smells and it could just irritate rather than help.


...imho
 
Get a UTH under the tank if you don't have one yet. Measure the temps with a digital thermometer. Make sure to provide a warm end and a cool end. Hides on both ends.

What kind of bark are you using? Pine and some other types are toxic to snakes, and most people here use Aspen.
 
Make it a good Vet

Although there still could be a few other possibilities it sounds like a respiratory problem. There have been a few times I've "cooked" the problem out of a snake, but I think she needs Vet help. Make sure it is a Vet who handles reptiles and is not out for an office visit paycheck.
As far as the onion. Would like to know if it was tried by the poster or not. Onions are death for many animals. Including me.
 
i HAD that problem

well my corn WAS like that. Are you feeding her pinkies? what i did was fed him anoles but im not so sure you should try that. ask some one at a pet shop or call the vet immediatly!!!! :shrugs:
 
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