• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

PLEASE help

Corvine Dragon

Corvine Dragon

New member
The back screw of my snake's cage didn't click into place when I shut him in, and of course he found a way out. Unlike these other posts I've read, right outside his cage was a cat. I woke up to what I can only assume was her leaping up at him (I have him raised so he's kept away from her) and she was gone when I jumped out of bed.

My snake was slithering down from his cage. He has a huge slice [not a cut. like he was skinned] from about an inch behind his read right up to his jawbone. Amazingly enough, it only bled a couple drops, but that's more than enough for me to panic.

I know I should take him to a vet, but it's not an option. I can't afford it. I can't even afford medical attention for myself.

So what do I do? I'm really afraid to let him sit overnight. It looks like the scales for that patch of his body are bunched up around his neck, but I'm afraid to get rid of them for fear of further stressing him. That's going to be a major problem if he lives to next shed.
please someone help
 
Last edited:
Alright. I've checked the book 'What's wrong with my snake' from John Rossi D.V.A., M.A. Available on Amazone. I suggest you at least purchase that. It says the folowwing:

Once an injury has occured, you must evaluate the severity in order to determine the proper treatment. Almost all bite wounds and other open wounds are likely to become infected. Topical ointments such as Silvadene Cream, Betadine, and Polysporin will usually work effectively, as we discuss in the section on dermatitis, but systemic (injectable) antibiotics are often necassary as well. The ointment you choose should be placed on the lesion once per day, and the would make take several months to heal. [Snip] Heavy feeding is advisable during this time to increase healing and to improve the immune response. [snip] a large meal may cause more trauma, possiblly even reopening a small tear that was healing.

Perhaps you could save your pocket money to able to take him/her to a vet next time something happens.
 
I've seen you post elsewhere, you're usually a little less insulting, but I value your opinion. We're in a hurricane at the moment, so everything is closed, we don't have any antibiotic (combed my house for it before even turning the computer on) so what would you suggest for right now? Should I wash the wound or attempt to unbunch the scales around his neck, or just continue to sit here bawling and hope he lasts until I can get the stuff?
 
It all depends on the question asked. I find it insulting you take a pet and yet don't bear the financial responsibility. it's not the snakes fault your parents don't want to pay a vet. But i guess it's your snake and your responsibility. You should find/earn money for treatment. If you find that insulting so be it.

But i am no expert. I quoted this from a book. Thankfully i never have had to deal with trauma, but i haven't had them for very long yet. So i cannot advice you in this matter. But there are many snake experts here that will probably give you good advice soon. The only thing i can add is that for now you at least leave the snake alone to avoid more stress. Stress really puts a bullet to his/her immune system.
 
Understandable, I suppose. It's not a matter of having the money and refusing to spend it. I simply don't have the money.

Right, I was thinking that, too, so I'm leaving him be until tomorrow when I can search for antibiotics. (stores are closed, but maybe neighbors have some, or something.)
Timing couldn't have been worse.
 
I'm no expert - so somebody please correct me if I'm wrong here - but I'd be inclined to try and clean the wound as cat claws can carry a lot of bugs. On the other hand, don't want to increase the stress.

Corvine - Do you have anything in the house that a human would put on a scratch or cut, or use to disinfect clothes or kitchen surfaces? Bit of a long-shot, but give us a list of what you have available, because it could be that something you already have is reptile-safe.

Jicin - Not really the time for a lecture, my friend. Let the obvious background issue go for the minute and let's just help deal with the problem.
 
I was going to use peroxide, but I read that it harms good tissue and slows the healing process, so I figured it was better to let him calm some and get an outside opinion before doing anything.
Nothing else I'd think of putting on an open wound, though. Bleach, surface cleaners, that type of thing.. Nothing I'd think would be helpful.
 
I'd be carefull of using human medicines on a snake. Just wait untill someone here knows what best to use. Then buy that tomorrow.
 
Worth trying the forum's Search facility for references to peroxide, but it seems to be mainly used as a viv disinfectant rather than on the snake itself.

Is there really nothing in your house like antiseptic ointment, that you could put on a cut finger?
 
Well, that's what I meant I went looking for. Nothing. Soap and peroxide.

Yeah, running a search on peroxide in the forums is where I heard it's harmful and slows healing.
 
If you really don't have much money depending on where you live if you have wild grapes growing in your area, using the leaves from that and crushing them then applying it on your snake. Wild grapes is where you get the grapefruit seed extract from and the leaves have astringent properties to them. Until you can get something better, but its a just for the moment fix.
 
Peroxide is good on human wounds, it clears wounds up and leaves very little scarring.

I know, my Mother used it on me as a child. However, after the first time she used it she had to find me and drag me into the house screaming and kicking before she could use it again - why? - IT HURTS LIKE HELL!!! PLEASE DO NOT USE PEROXIDE ON YOUR SNAKE!

I hope that you manage to get the meds you need - good luck.
 
Good luck with him! I hope that the polysporin helps.

Jicin--The book you quoted said both to feed heavily and not feed heavily. Does it explain that in there? Do they mean to feed smaller meals, but more often? The book sounds pretty helpful. Also, if there's a hurricane, I doubt a vet's office would be open even if it could be afforded.
 
no lecture

Maybe there is a Humane Society, ASPCA, in your area. They may be able to help in the future. The New York area humane society / ASPCA would treat the snake for free or almost free.
 
Yeah i think it's a good book. Though it does get you paranoid :D It advises you to even clean all the doorknobs in your home :D

The pictures though are rather gruesome. But luckely there in black and white. And you can read about not-so-standard deseases and accidents. It even has a snake drug chart and antibiotic chart. Though i'll leave these sort of things to a vet. But also common problems and deseases and how to treat them. Definately a reccomentdation.

I just quoted parts of the book that i found applied. It's general chapter on trauma and i think it should be applied depending on the case. It doesn't matter how big you feed if the damage it at the base of the tail. But in this case it's at the neck. Naturally he/she will reopen the wound with a large prey. So in this case, depending on the size of the snake, i would advice small or no prey. Perhaps the vet decised to stitch the wound i don't know.

Corvine Dragon good luck with your snake. keep us updated
 
I was thinking the same thing, fc. I actually called around today on the off chance that something might be open. Nothing was, of course. I'll call around tuesday.

Thanks fly and Jic, I'll keep you all posted. He still seems to be acting like nothing's wrong, flicking his tongue around and holding on to my arm when I hold him, so that's hopefully a good sign.. He drank at least once today, too. I'll be getting him pinkies tuesday. He's a 3' snake, so pinkies should be fine and not rip the wounds open more, right Jicin?

Not that it matters, but applying that polysporin is an AWFUL pain. Whatever helps, though..
 
Lol, just be glad you don't have to inject antibiotics into him. My snake isn't even traumatized (he's got a resp. infection) and he flips out whenever I have to inject him. Think of having to do that with an open wound around...

I hope your snake will be okay. It's promising that he is alert and acting normally. Any mouse that is a tad less than his body diameter shouldn't open the wound any, I would think. When I had my first snake, I fed him mice that were exactly the same size around as he was, and he hardly had to stretch his jaw and his lump was never around for long. Of course, since then I've realized I could have fed him more, but for a snake with a wound like that it shouldn't hurt too much.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top