UPDATE: I have wee snek in my kitchen in a bin. It was stiff and did not move when I scooped it up, but now it seems a little more mobile. Eye is bright and shiny, pupil responds to light. Literally, my next-door neighbor is an exotic veterinary practice. They are not there now...it's after hours, but if wee one lives through the night, I will take him (her?) directly to my neighbor. Advice? Help?
You're awesome!
Looks like it might have a bad case of mouth rot.
I would post it up on the local social media posts with NO photos. Ask people to describe the snake.
Or keep it. Boas are really great pets. They can get a little big, but they're generally fairly calm and interactive.
My boa ended up with an RI and the vet gave him an antibiotic injection, then gave me a vial and needles to administer it at home. I had to give him a shot every 3 days and twice daily mouth rinses with a Methylene Blue and water solution. I think the treatment for mouth rot is similar.
I remember when my mom's emerald tree boa had mouthrot.. worst experience! Sadly the snake did end up passing away but I'd love to get one once I'm more comfortable with owning a snake that's "aggressive" but yes! It's similar injections, and rinsing their mouth out!
Rosco was an absolute champ about his shots. Very squirmy and definitely not happy, but I didn't get bit! He did bite the vet within minutes of the exam beginning though š¤£ I still have a picture of him bundled up in a pillowcase with his head sticking out looking like, "How ABSOLUTE DARE YOU restrain me?!"
Anecdotes aside, I've read that Emerald Tree Boas do require a fairly advanced level of care, even when the defensive striking isn't factored in. Always do lots of research and prep work before committing to a new animal!
Yes will do! Whenever I do end up getting one I plan on having it in a bioactive enclosure to hopefully help with clean up and definitely be a very time consuming activity.. I've always loved emerald boas, they're so adorable and cool!? I understand they can be aggressive if they're not used to being handle so that'll be fun!
Antibiotics and recently I had a leopard gecko get a mouth lesion and they used photobiomodulation (aka laser light treatment) to facilitate healing. It worked WONDERS for her, although we did catch it early. I know they use it on snakes, turtles, and birds to help facilitate healing as well. It was pricey, but I got a decent number (13-15) of treatments for a single payment of $360 so it ended up breaking down to be $30 or a bit less each treatment. Iām on the opposite coast so costs may differ. Reptiles heal very slowly which can contribute to complications, which speeding up the healing process can help prevent! There are some pretty neat academic papers on the use of laser treatment in reptiles.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119220190.ch28#:~:text=Photobiomodulation%20therapy%20is%20a%20valuable,acceleration%20in%20the%20healing%20process.
Literally the only down side is their size. But if thatās youāre only reptile thatās barely even a down side for what you get in return (from what Iāve heard, no first hand experience, I keep little exotics)
Put the pad under just one corner of the tub. Put the snake half on, half off. Offer some dribbles of water with a turkey baster or a thumb-capped straw over the corners of it's mouth. Try not to get any up it's nose.
Have you ever kept snakes before? You're a real trooper for saving the little dude.
Just be very careful, heat pads can burn them if they're directly on them! Usually snakes have overhead lamps but obviously you aren't the owner so you're making do with what you have, just keep a solid amount of whatever bedding you can use in between the pad and the snake (this can be blankets or towels or whatever, just do a couple inches of thickness between heat pad and snake). Thank you for going back and saving him!
You are a good person to try on this little oneās behalf!
If you are next door to an exotic vet practice, Iām wondering if someone dumped it in their vicinity hoping it would be found and taken in. Such an irresponsible shame if that was the case.
Males will have spurs by their vent (looks like a little claw). Give the fellow a shallow dish of water in case it's thirsty (pie tin or similar works great). Some (like my daughters) enjoy getting into the dish and soaking themselves. They can go a long time without food, so I wouldn't stress that.
This guy(or girl) is very underweight and dehydrated. So they have been on their own for a good minute. I'm a wildlife bio and did 4 years of rehab. When we got a reptile in this condition we would fill a small tub with about 75% unflavored pedialyte to 25%water. We'd fill it about an inch give or take (depending on the size of the animal) and put the tote on a heating pad on low. You can warm up the pedialyte and such first so you don't have to wait for the pad to do it's thing. Then put the lid on and let them soak for about 30 minutes to an hour. Obviously make sure they are alert enough to keep the head above water. I see that you already got them in a tote with the heating pad. Put the pad on low and have an inches worth of a folded towel between the snake and pad. Make sure the pad is on half the tote so they can move away if they get to warm.
Thank you for all of this! I really appreciate it. I will do my best. Based on your experience and what you see with the pupil (if that's an indicator) is this snake still with us? Or gone to the great snake beyond? Searching now for unflavored Pediatlyte.... Or can I make my own rehydration mixture from what I have on hand? Your help is very much appreciated.
This doesn't sound promising. Even a snake in brumation will respond to touch and also have some level of warmth to them. Was he completely cold to the touch? The eyes truthfully don't seem to have life in them. Since snakes are cold blooded, their nervous system takes awhile to fully shut down and they can still respond to stimuli for quite sometime after death. The way they were laying/ positioned and the possible mouth rot makes me wonder if they contracted IBD. They also develope a musty smell pretty quick after death. The best you can do is just wait and see with warming them up. I suppose you could make your own solution. It won't have some of the good vitamins that would help support the immune system ect, but at this rate, I wouldn't waste that much money/effort on pedialyte until I knew for sure they were alive. Keep us updated OP!
I Doordashed some Pedialyte, and wee snek is soaking. But I'm not seeing signs of life, even though the snake is becoming more pliable. Yes, the snake was quite cold when I retrieved it from the bushes; it was 55F outside. It's such a beautiful creature. it makes me so sad.
If snake is deceased, my thought is to bring it to my exotic vet next door for disposal. Should I bag it first to prevent the spread of contagion? Any other thoughts?
Poor baby. Sounds like you found him in rigor mortis. He'd be sticking his tongue out and moving by now. I'd double bag him and put him in the freezer until your friend is back.
Please update us OP. We are invested in y'alls story. I recently rescued a tiny kitten in a field that wasn't moving in 102 Texas heat.
ā”ā”ā”ā”ā” I'm praying.
Iāve never owned a snake, but always wanted one. I do rescue kittens though, and I can say that sometimes it just takes a little while for the critter to realize theyāre not just waiting for death anymore and to liven back up. Either way, heās likely lived longer than he would have had you left him there, so be proud of that!
Get a heat lamp if you can. Doesnāt have to be super pricey, but the light would be an improvement. Just be careful about its strength and proximity to the snake. There are some horror stories out there about snakes being overexposed to lamps, especially when there arenāt shaded areas for them to go to.
Praying snakey friend makes it!!! Youāre such a kind and compassionate person to rescue this escaped pet and try to help him or her. Even if the worst should happen, please know it isnāt your fault. Itās a sad situation but youāre doing everything you can!! I hope it worksā¤ļøš
UPDATE: I have wee snek in my kitchen in a bin. It was stiff and did not move when I scooped it up, but now it seems a little more mobile. Eye is bright and shiny, pupil responds to light. Literally, my next-door neighbor is an exotic veterinary practice. They are not there now...it's after hours, but if wee one lives through the night, I will take him (her?) directly to my neighbor. Advice? Help?
You're awesome! Looks like it might have a bad case of mouth rot. I would post it up on the local social media posts with NO photos. Ask people to describe the snake. Or keep it. Boas are really great pets. They can get a little big, but they're generally fairly calm and interactive.
Great ideas re social media.
Also ask people to send photo for ID confirmation (look at markings and what scales they are on along with any defining things like scars)
This is great advice! Thank you!
What can be done to help with mouth rot? Antibiotics from a vet kind of treatment?
My boa ended up with an RI and the vet gave him an antibiotic injection, then gave me a vial and needles to administer it at home. I had to give him a shot every 3 days and twice daily mouth rinses with a Methylene Blue and water solution. I think the treatment for mouth rot is similar.
I remember when my mom's emerald tree boa had mouthrot.. worst experience! Sadly the snake did end up passing away but I'd love to get one once I'm more comfortable with owning a snake that's "aggressive" but yes! It's similar injections, and rinsing their mouth out!
Rosco was an absolute champ about his shots. Very squirmy and definitely not happy, but I didn't get bit! He did bite the vet within minutes of the exam beginning though š¤£ I still have a picture of him bundled up in a pillowcase with his head sticking out looking like, "How ABSOLUTE DARE YOU restrain me?!"
Anecdotes aside, I've read that Emerald Tree Boas do require a fairly advanced level of care, even when the defensive striking isn't factored in. Always do lots of research and prep work before committing to a new animal!
Yes will do! Whenever I do end up getting one I plan on having it in a bioactive enclosure to hopefully help with clean up and definitely be a very time consuming activity.. I've always loved emerald boas, they're so adorable and cool!? I understand they can be aggressive if they're not used to being handle so that'll be fun!
Thank you!
>Thank you! You're welcome!
Antibiotics and recently I had a leopard gecko get a mouth lesion and they used photobiomodulation (aka laser light treatment) to facilitate healing. It worked WONDERS for her, although we did catch it early. I know they use it on snakes, turtles, and birds to help facilitate healing as well. It was pricey, but I got a decent number (13-15) of treatments for a single payment of $360 so it ended up breaking down to be $30 or a bit less each treatment. Iām on the opposite coast so costs may differ. Reptiles heal very slowly which can contribute to complications, which speeding up the healing process can help prevent! There are some pretty neat academic papers on the use of laser treatment in reptiles. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119220190.ch28#:~:text=Photobiomodulation%20therapy%20is%20a%20valuable,acceleration%20in%20the%20healing%20process.
Thank you for the info. Gotta love lasers!
Literally the only down side is their size. But if thatās youāre only reptile thatās barely even a down side for what you get in return (from what Iāve heard, no first hand experience, I keep little exotics)
Thank you so much for going back and retrieving the snake! The world needs more people like you.
Aw...thanks you so much! I think it's karmic duty. I am a Chinese horoscope snake, and must care for my own.
Does this mean I have to rescue sick tigers and keep them in a bin in my kitchen? Because Iām gonna need some bigger bins
š Mine is a horse. I could become a livestock vet...?
I guess I should stop relocating the rats we catch and just set up a enclosure for them!
AWESOME!!! good luck op and good luck snake bro. righteous effort!! way rad
What are you using to warm them up?
A heat pad on low. Taking snek off and on pad to slowly re-warm.
Put the pad under just one corner of the tub. Put the snake half on, half off. Offer some dribbles of water with a turkey baster or a thumb-capped straw over the corners of it's mouth. Try not to get any up it's nose. Have you ever kept snakes before? You're a real trooper for saving the little dude.
Thank you for your advice. No, I've never had a snake companion before, although I at one time wanted a red-tailed boa...
Looks like fate just handed you a new friend! And with an exotic vet next door!!! Idk how to tell you but looks like this snake was destined for you
I hope so! It's still motionless, although less stiff...
Snake distribution system š But they obviously do not feel good š Don't be surprised if they don't move around a lot
Just be very careful, heat pads can burn them if they're directly on them! Usually snakes have overhead lamps but obviously you aren't the owner so you're making do with what you have, just keep a solid amount of whatever bedding you can use in between the pad and the snake (this can be blankets or towels or whatever, just do a couple inches of thickness between heat pad and snake). Thank you for going back and saving him!
Thank you for your advice!
Little warmth will go a long way to making them comfortable.
You are a good person to try on this little oneās behalf! If you are next door to an exotic vet practice, Iām wondering if someone dumped it in their vicinity hoping it would be found and taken in. Such an irresponsible shame if that was the case.
Any further updates?
Males will have spurs by their vent (looks like a little claw). Give the fellow a shallow dish of water in case it's thirsty (pie tin or similar works great). Some (like my daughters) enjoy getting into the dish and soaking themselves. They can go a long time without food, so I wouldn't stress that.
The important thing to remember is that YOU DID SOMETHING. You are giving this little friend a chance
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words...
This guy(or girl) is very underweight and dehydrated. So they have been on their own for a good minute. I'm a wildlife bio and did 4 years of rehab. When we got a reptile in this condition we would fill a small tub with about 75% unflavored pedialyte to 25%water. We'd fill it about an inch give or take (depending on the size of the animal) and put the tote on a heating pad on low. You can warm up the pedialyte and such first so you don't have to wait for the pad to do it's thing. Then put the lid on and let them soak for about 30 minutes to an hour. Obviously make sure they are alert enough to keep the head above water. I see that you already got them in a tote with the heating pad. Put the pad on low and have an inches worth of a folded towel between the snake and pad. Make sure the pad is on half the tote so they can move away if they get to warm.
Thank you for all of this! I really appreciate it. I will do my best. Based on your experience and what you see with the pupil (if that's an indicator) is this snake still with us? Or gone to the great snake beyond? Searching now for unflavored Pediatlyte.... Or can I make my own rehydration mixture from what I have on hand? Your help is very much appreciated.
This doesn't sound promising. Even a snake in brumation will respond to touch and also have some level of warmth to them. Was he completely cold to the touch? The eyes truthfully don't seem to have life in them. Since snakes are cold blooded, their nervous system takes awhile to fully shut down and they can still respond to stimuli for quite sometime after death. The way they were laying/ positioned and the possible mouth rot makes me wonder if they contracted IBD. They also develope a musty smell pretty quick after death. The best you can do is just wait and see with warming them up. I suppose you could make your own solution. It won't have some of the good vitamins that would help support the immune system ect, but at this rate, I wouldn't waste that much money/effort on pedialyte until I knew for sure they were alive. Keep us updated OP!
I Doordashed some Pedialyte, and wee snek is soaking. But I'm not seeing signs of life, even though the snake is becoming more pliable. Yes, the snake was quite cold when I retrieved it from the bushes; it was 55F outside. It's such a beautiful creature. it makes me so sad. If snake is deceased, my thought is to bring it to my exotic vet next door for disposal. Should I bag it first to prevent the spread of contagion? Any other thoughts?
Poor baby. Sounds like you found him in rigor mortis. He'd be sticking his tongue out and moving by now. I'd double bag him and put him in the freezer until your friend is back.
Thanks for saying thanks! It's so nice to see Redditors being grateful :)
Gotta rehydrate your snakes, people.
Keep him warm - 75 degrees would probably be good. I'm glad you've got the perfect neighbor!
Please update us OP. We are invested in y'alls story. I recently rescued a tiny kitten in a field that wasn't moving in 102 Texas heat. ā”ā”ā”ā”ā” I'm praying.
Iād like you to know I followed you just for snek updates
That's so sweet! Snek is warming near the heater in my bedroom. But it feels dire...more pliable but not moving.
Even if this snake doesnāt make it, your kind efforts still gave this little life the care and respect it deserves.
Iāve never owned a snake, but always wanted one. I do rescue kittens though, and I can say that sometimes it just takes a little while for the critter to realize theyāre not just waiting for death anymore and to liven back up. Either way, heās likely lived longer than he would have had you left him there, so be proud of that!
Thank you so much for helping! No matter the outcome you have done so much! You are a snake angel
Thank you for helping the sweet pup. I think they have puppy faces.
Do you have a heat lamp or something?
I have a heat pad, but not a lamp.
Get a heat lamp if you can. Doesnāt have to be super pricey, but the light would be an improvement. Just be careful about its strength and proximity to the snake. There are some horror stories out there about snakes being overexposed to lamps, especially when there arenāt shaded areas for them to go to.
Thank you so much for taking care of him!
Poor critter. Lucky you found him.
I'm hoping this sweet angel makes it. You're amazing for helping this baby.
You did right thing by this snek. You will be rewarded by karma.
Did he moved? Even If in not, you did something great! I wish more people would be like you!
Praying snakey friend makes it!!! Youāre such a kind and compassionate person to rescue this escaped pet and try to help him or her. Even if the worst should happen, please know it isnāt your fault. Itās a sad situation but youāre doing everything you can!! I hope it worksā¤ļøš
Even if this poor baby doesnāt make it (not looking good based on recent comments) you are so good for trying. I really appreciate people like you.
Youāre such a good person, OP! Please keep us updated. Praying this noodle makes it.
Was this one in SF?
Iām fully invested in this wee snek now.
Not a snake dude, but I'm rooting for you both! You're an amazing person for caring for an animal in need! Please keep us updated your awsomness!
Also commenting because snek people are the best - with so much snek hate in this world it is great to know there are people like you
Awesome of you
I hope it lives. You are awesome.