|
|
Post by cat001 on May 10, 2017 12:18:38 GMT
I've finally got one of those rare days off from work lol, and also don't have a laptop at the moment so making do with an Ipad instead (although I'm finding it a lot harder to use than a laptop). First an update on Eddy and her egg-binding issues; Her previous treatments helped the eggs move down to about an inch above her vent but they refused to travel any further so we decided surgery was the next step. Surgery is more risky for reptiles than it is for mammals because of their different metabolisms but she still got through it well enough and stayed at the vets overnight for observation. We picked her up yesterday and was told that one of the eggs had partially entered the other which was why she was having such problems with them. It also became apparent the the eggs were also partially blocking her bowels as she did a few very stinky poos on the journey home and felt like there was more to come. She seemed understandably weak when I picked her up to put her in her enclosure (didn't try to grip me) but she immediately went for a drink from her water dish then climbed up to her basking shelf and instantly fell asleep under her heat lamp. About an hour later I brought her dinner up to her but she was in such a deep sleep that she didn't even wake up to the sound of me opening the viv door or having her dinner placed near her face. When I went to take her dinner out she suddenly woke with enthusiasm and wasted no time in eating, then went straight back to sleep. Very glad that despite everything, she's still got a excellent appetite. In the picture you can tell she's sleeping by the way her eye seems to be looking downwards, the eyes don't always droop downwards in sleeping Snakes but occasionally they do (sometimes it's just the one eye) which I think is really interesting.
 Another picture I wanted to share was of Norman, I let him out for some exercise the other day and after a bit of a slither around he climbed up to the window ledge and just sat and watched for about 10-15 minutes, then when he had enough he took himself back to bed. He's a very well behaved snake  
|
|
|
|
Post by cat001 on May 10, 2017 12:24:47 GMT
Also had my oldest snake, Benny, out yesterday. He often slithers up to me during his time out, yesterday he coiled up on my lap for a bit before going off to slither around then later when I walked past him he tried to climb up my leg, and if I'm under a blanket he'll often join me, he's a very engaging snake. He's also 15 next year, a pretty big birthday I think.
|
|
|
|
Post by lotsofcats on May 10, 2017 14:07:41 GMT
Poor Eddy, I hope that she is now much better.
|
|
|
|
Post by cat001 on May 10, 2017 16:30:39 GMT
During her examination before her surgery the vet was very pleased with how healthy she seemed, very alert and active, well hydrated and had gained weight from her last visit, which probably helped her a lot with recovery. She's still sleeping lots so will give her a few more days before I start encouraging her to move around to stimulate a bowel movement, don't want her getting toilet problems.
I had also spotted my usual vet while I was there (this vets was further away then my usual one and saw a different person for the surgery) and she was saying how she was talking to her colleague about Eddy's original issue with the water retention, they'd not seen it in such a young snake and still can't figure out the cause so that one remains a mystery, although thankfully the issue has never returned! Eddy's not had the best of luck lately, poor girl.
|
|
|
|
Post by cazypops on May 10, 2017 19:12:49 GMT
Glad that Eddy pull through the surgery ok. Hope she's feeling better soon. you sound like you have very loving snakes. I never think of snakes being attached to a human.  |
|
|
|
Post by cat001 on May 11, 2017 20:09:08 GMT
Snakes can certainly identify different people and know who they've had good or bad experiences with, they also vary hugely in personality too! I've had snakes that get excited when they see me (they're mostly thinking I might have dinner for them lol) and have absolutely no fear of me so are happy to be handled and sometimes climb up to me for handling. I've also had snakes that are naturally nervous and just don't like interaction. I find shy corn snakes are generally the exception though and the majority are curious, adventurous and friendly. Eddy has been awake for most of the day today, her bowels seem to be clearing themselves, she left a large smelly 'present' in her enclosure which promptly got cleaned up. There was also some small blood spots around the enclosure so she had evidently been moving around, she seems to be better healed today so hopefully no more bleeding. It was adorably when she knew I was doing something in her enclosure so her face poked out of her wooden hide for a moment, she realised it was only me and dissapeared back out of sight. It was like she was thinking "oh, it's only you..." ^_^ |
|
|
|
Post by tonib on May 11, 2017 22:09:36 GMT
cat001, Sorry to hear Eddy needed surgery but so pleased to hear she came through well and is gradually recovering. Like cazypops I hadn't thought of snakes voluntarily interacting with humans Yours sound as though they are quite characters |
|
|
|
Post by cat001 on May 29, 2017 10:56:03 GMT
Just a bit of an update, I've still not replaced my laptop yet so not really been on the Internet much, which is just as well as I've had very little free time anyway.
I've had a bit of an outbreak with my snakes, they'd all contracted something but my two most vulnerable snakes (Eddy who had surgery and Benny the oldest) were the most effected. Both were very floppy when I picked them up and hardly used their muscles to grip at all. I think they must of had the snake equivalent of a fever as they clearly weren't feeling their best. The others were acting fine but sounded a little gassy, and their poo was a bit off colour which makes me think it's a gastric bug.
Have been disinfecting routinely with a high concentration of F10 and switched to bottled mineral water instead of tap water, all enclosure temperatures were also increased and this seems to have done the trick. Both Eddy and Benny are currently my most active snakes, Benny is eating well again but Eddy is yet to eat so i'll keep topping her water up with reptoboost and offering her small meals.
|
|
|
|
Post by tonib on May 30, 2017 18:01:35 GMT
Sorry to hear that you had an outbreak with your snakes cat001 but glad it seems to be resolved even if you don't know the cause. I hope Eddy eats soon. |
|
|
|
Post by cazypops on May 30, 2017 19:40:41 GMT
Glad that you snakes are on the mend, and hope that Eddy gets her appetite back soon. |
|
|
|
Post by cat001 on Jun 2, 2017 9:33:42 GMT
So I figured out why Eddy wasn't eating... I noted that when I took her out she was determined to try and burrow under things, blankets, snake bedding, anything, so I cycled down to the pet store and bought a bag of moss for her which I put in a large Tupperware tub. She immediately settled in it and the following day started laying eggs!!! It was only a month ago she had surgery for stuck eggs so I'm not impressed with her, she's too fertile. At least there will be less follicles available to develop into eggs seeing as she laid a very large clutch this year already and they seem to be smaller too, so easier to pass. So far she's passed quite a few already but I didn't count them as I don't want to disturb her while she's still laying. I'll check on her again tonight when I get back from work, hopefully she'll want dinner when she's finished.
|
|
|
|
Post by cazypops on Jun 2, 2017 21:19:20 GMT
Wow, she's a proper little hussy, Might be a silly question, but which one of your other snakes is she mating with? or is she producing unfertilized eggs? (we had a budgie who did this years ago). |
|
|
|
Post by cat001 on Jul 15, 2017 16:40:18 GMT
Sorry it's taken me so long to reply, I have Eddy housed with Norman as he's a very meek snake. I didn't witness any mating behaviours between the two and it is possible Eddy could be producing the eggs without mating but it's a possibility he could have been up to no good. Although the dozy thing doesn't even know how to strike properly so I personally can't see him instigating anything lol.
Eddy had her stitches cut at the vets yesterday and i'll be soaking her in a bath tonight to loosen up the skin and pull the stitches out (vet didn't pull them out as they're too dry).
|
|
|
|
Post by cazypops on Jul 16, 2017 17:45:17 GMT
Hope she enjoyed her bath. What has happened with the eggs?
|
|
|
|
Post by tonib on Jul 17, 2017 0:45:16 GMT
Glad Eddy's doing well cat001, hopethe stich remains come out easily with the soaking. |
|
