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Older snake refusing to eat -- needing guidance

N

NomadicLass

New member
I'm really troubled about my son's corn snake and was hoping y'all might be able to lend me some advice...

We've had our little amel for about 1 1/2 years - Lisa was about 6 months old when we got her. She stopped eating about two months ago, and yesterday we noticed a lump about halfway down her body. Up until that time she was a good eater and ate 2 pinkies (f/t) every 5-7 days. A few times we tried to bump her up to fuzzies, but most times she couldn't handle them (regurged) so we kept her on pinkies.

As for the pinkies, I warm them up (water bath), brain them - I even cut one in half a few days ago in desperation - but she refuses to eat. I've tried different "brands" of f/t pinkies -- ones that I typically have shipped from "The Mouse House" and a few I bought locally at PetCo. I thought about going the live route but can't find anyone who will sell live feeders in my area.

Today I took her to our vet and wasn't encouraged by what he had to say. He mentioned x-rays, etc. to help diagnose the lump, but because of Lisa's malnourished state he said she probably would not survive (and I tend to agree). He then recommended crickets and mealworms to get her to eat...I know, I know....not what anyone here would probably recommend... I tried them regardless (anything to get this little girl to eat), but she ignores them.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a snake that flat-out refuses food for an extended period of time? At what point do I say enough's enough and let her go? I really hate watching her starve herself to death.

Behavior-wise, lately she's been seeking out the coolest spot in the vivarium, but over the past few months (since she went on her hunger strike), she's been more active than usual, cruising her vivarium, not hiding out in her log, etc.

Setup: 20gal long aquarium, temps are 85 (warm side) and 68 or so (cool side), aspen substrate, hides in warm/middle/cool areas of tank, and water dish.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
Honestly, it sounds like a terminal condition. Reptiles know when it's their time to go and they stop eating. I think your best bet would be to try and diagnose the problem, regardless of the possible side effects. It would be better than for her to die of starvation.
Who knows... maybe you can find out what's wrong and make her better!
 
This is very interesting. I'm not sure if I'm mis-reading, but are you saying she's a 2 year old Corn that is eating 2 pinkies every feeding?

If she hasn't eaten in 2 months, and she just now got a lump in her belly, I would take her to a reptile vet. (The only one I found in Montana is in Bozeman - you can click here for the information.) It sounds like it could be Cryptosporidiosis. If it is, she probably won't make it.

Just out of curiosity, do you have any pictures of her so more experienced people can chime in and possibly help more?
 
I'd be worried about a 2 year old snake that can't eat a fuzzy without regurging, and the thickening sounds like crypto could be possible. Did you get fecal testing done?
 
I lost a snake to a tumour last year - it caused a blockage that affected his digestion. The vet tried to operate, but by the time it became visible externally, it had spread internally and I euthanased him on the vet's advice.

I'd agree that the vet needs to take definitive action rather than just let the snake starve to death - either investigate further or euthanase to end its suffering. It certainly won't get better just by being fed smaller food and being left untreated.

I'm so sorry - I wish I could offer a more optimistic outlook.
 
Suzy, yes do did read it right...she is about 2 yrs old and is still on pinkies. I tried following the Munson plan shortly after we got her (at 6 months old she was only being fed 1 pinkie a week). After a few weeks of having her we bumped her to two pinkies...she did great and eagerly ate them..and after a while moved her to a small fuzzy. She ended up regurging two out of the three fuzzies we tried (after a regurge we moved her back down to pinkies for a period of time and then would try again).

We're over 5 hours from Bozeman (we're near Kalispell...if there are any Montanans out there...), and as stressed as she was with me taking her to our vet 15 min away I don't think she'd handle the stress of that long of a trip. Thank you so much for researching it, however - I appreciate it.

I don't have recent pics, but I'll try to get one today. The lump she has really is only apparent depending on how she is laying (sometimes very visible, at times nearly invisible).

diamondlil, no, no fecal testing was done. Honestly, since she hasn't eaten in so long (and hence no bowel movements for a while) it didn't even occur to me to have it done. The vet never brought it up either...

bitsy, I appreciate your input. I think the vet's thinking was that if we could get her to at least eat something, then that would be a start, and we could go from there. She is just so small -- and now so thin -- he doesn't think he can safely take a needle to her, anesthetize her, etc.

Researching further, the crypto diagnosis sounds spot on with Lisa and her history with us.

I think I'm going to stop by the vet clinic again and visit another vet today - he isn't strictly a rep vet, but perhaps he may be a bit more proactive; although, I really think it may be time to take her in to have her euthanized...

I feel so terrible that I let this go on for so long, but up until just the past few days she has been very alert and active. Her not eating did concern me, but she was still energetic and not acting the least bit ill.

Thanks everyone
 
If the vet is going to euthanize her, all he has to hit is her heart...To me, she does not sound like she was right from the beginning. If/when she dies, be very, very thorough in disinfecting her viv. I'd clean the tank with a 10% bleach solution, rinse well, and then clean with a 25% ammonia solution, rinse well. Any hard goods such as a water bowl and ceramic or plastic hides with smooth surfaces should be able to be disinfected as well, but I would throw away any silk or plastic vines, any wood, any plastic with a rough surface. I'm sorry, you must be terribly attached to her by now.
 
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