 Recent Herp Discussion | | | | | | | | Online Users: 125 | | 89 members and 36 guests | | $N@K3$, Australis, bb_4_lyf, beardy_boy_6, bimbo, boconnor, brenttin, bump73, caustichumor, centralian11, Charlie, Christopher, cjpossum, cma_369, cooper123, cv_2_, Dan19, Daniel_Penrith, dee4, dickyknee, Dipcdame, Dragon-Drew, Eylandt, fine_jungles, froggyboy86, funcouple, gar1, GazzaRover, gen3ls1, gexftw, gozz, Helikaon, hodges, jack, jaih, jasontini, jaysnakes3, jimbo, jmac, Jungletrans, kandi, kensai, Kyro, LadySnake, lauren87, Lewy, llasher, Marto167, MatE, mattG, mattyandnat, mckellar007, monis, MoreliaMatt, mrmikk, MzSel, No-two, notechistiger, oshakoor, Reptile_Boy, Repz, rexrox, ryanharvey1993, rythmnblu, saratoga, sevrum, shane13, Shonfield, slither, Spann, ssnakekid, station, Stitched, tattoolizzie, Tolly, urodacus_au, w3ap0n, warren63, Xadam87X, xuereb, zostar | |  | | 
29-Apr-08, 11:40 AM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Mar-07 Gender:  | | |
I need to give my 16mth mac a course of fortum which involves 12 injections at 3 day intervals. I was wondering if anyone had any tips for making the procedure as easy as possible. After the first injection at the vets she went off, striking at anything that moved. Girlfriend won't touch the snake so I will have to do it on my own, the snake is feisty at the best of times. Any tips will be greatly appreciated.
|
29-Apr-08, 11:55 AM
|  | Aspidites freak! Subscriber | Join Date: Jun-07 Location: HIDING BEHIND THE FISH TANK! Gender:  | | | | Hey there Chris..what happened to her? Giving injections is relatively easy (if there are 2 people) I had an issue with a snake i recently aquired it had RI...Due to his size and aggressiveness i had a friend help me. If you could possibly convince your gf to give the fortum whilst you hold the snake securely, she shouldn't have an issue. My friend held the snake firmly(not too firm) whilst i gave the injections ...I was told to do it at the lower half of the snakes body, and to administer the shots in between the scales. I had to pinch the skin to lift the scales and the needle went in with no problems. Best of luck with your little girl.
__________________ bona fide diva!... just because I don't care...doesn't mean I don't understand **When you stop striving for perfection you might as well be dead  **
marilyn monroe.. exotic dancer and performer available for bahmitsvas, herpetological meetings and lingerie parties
|
29-Apr-08, 12:11 PM
|  | Sarcastic Snake Subscriber | Join Date: Jan-07 Location: Sydney Gender: | | | Itbites - That is interesting - my experiences with injecting Fortrum have always been that it should be injected in the front half of the snake... Chris - I suppose I was lucky in that my only sick snake that required this treatment was a VERY placid animal...towards the end he didn't need ANY restraining 
Ideally have your girlfriend hold his body/tail - you concentrate on the pointy end and the injection...
I restrain the head by pinning it at the base, between my thumb and the base of my index finger...
Now, I don't know how to describe this part but will give it a go - I would then run the body down the palm of my hand where I would hold a section with my remaining fingers and then run the body back up my hand so that the snake made a ' I/I ' shape with my hand holding the head and ' / '.
This is where it is easier with a second person as they can hold the remainder of the body to stop him coiling overyour hand to make you lose grip...
With the injection I slide it under the scales for a few millimetres, in the meaty section alongside the spine, and then angle the point down slightly and insert it into the muscle a few millimetres...then inject the medication...
I hope that was understandable...
Also, my understanding was that, even refrigerated, Fortrum loses it's effectiveness after two weeks once it is thawed...?
__________________
- Simon -
|
29-Apr-08, 01:32 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Feb-08 Location: Vic Age/Gender: 17 | | | |
I am currently having to inject my coastal with antibiotics at the moment, i got told to inject her in the top half of her body also. i have somebody hold the snake while i inject her, i also got told that the angled opening of the needle should face upwards, and to inject it close to the spine.
all of this is purely what i have been told and shown at the vet
|
29-Apr-08, 01:32 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Mar-07 Gender: | | | |
Thanks guys, Aslan: my instructions from the vet were to get it (fortum) home, straight into the freezer, and then to thaw out the needle for 10-15 minutes at room temp, so, I hope it will remain effective. Also he said to work my way down the body so that the shots are going into a new part of the snake each time and to avoid the spinal cord region...makes sense really.
Coastal...who's your vet out of curiosity?
Last edited by chrisso81; 29-Apr-08 at 01:34 PM.
Reason: added question.
|
29-Apr-08, 01:37 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: May-06 Location: Brisbane Gender: | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Aslan  Itbites - That is interesting - my experiences with injecting Fortrum have always been that it should be injected in the front half of the snake... | Is this because of the renal portal system? Because the RPS's effect on drug dynamics is probably negligible. Peter Holz from Healesville did some work on this if anyone's interested.
Stewart
|
29-Apr-08, 01:38 PM
| | Suspended | Join Date: Aug-07 Location: SouthAustralia Gender: | | | |
First...i dont have a snake...will soon(my sons though)
what about putting 1/3 of the snake(the head) in a bag?
wouldnt that also calm the snake down....
just a idea?
__________________ " if you want it,take it,or stop moaning about it  " WE ARE ALL ACCOUNTABLE |
29-Apr-08, 01:38 PM
| | Aspidites freak! Subscriber | Join Date: Jun-07 Location: HIDING BEHIND THE FISH TANK! Gender: | | | | Hey Aslan...not sure how the medication Chris is using works...Just tried to explain how i had to give my snake injections for RI. Perhaps there are completely different methods for these 2 medications?... And also i was told to administer the injections in the lower half of the body to avoid hitting any vitals.
__________________ bona fide diva!... just because I don't care...doesn't mean I don't understand **When you stop striving for perfection you might as well be dead **
marilyn monroe.. exotic dancer and performer available for bahmitsvas, herpetological meetings and lingerie parties
|
29-Apr-08, 01:42 PM
| | Sarcastic Snake Subscriber | Join Date: Jan-07 Location: Sydney Gender: | | | RDU - No idea why mate - it was merely how I was taught by the Vet... Chrisso - Finding a different part of the body isn't an issue - don't think I could find the same scale twice if I tried
Freezing and thawing makes sense...as far as the spinal cord region, as you said, makes sense not to aim for the spine, however, the edges off to the side of the spine are some of the 'meatier' sections of the snake that are also well away from any organs if you go in too deep...
__________________
- Simon -
|
29-Apr-08, 01:45 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: May-06 Location: Brisbane Gender: | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by itbites And also i was told to administer the injections in the lower half of the body to avoid hitting any vitals. | Were you injecting into a muscle or just under the skin?
Stewart
|
29-Apr-08, 01:45 PM
| | Sarcastic Snake Subscriber | Join Date: Jan-07 Location: Sydney Gender: | | | Itbites - It may make no difference whatsoever - no idea - and if what RDU says is correct (and there is certainly nothing to suggest it isnt) than that is likely the case...
I am merely instructing as best I can from the instructions have been given and the technique I have been using - MANY others have been injecting snakes MUCH longer than I have
__________________
- Simon -
|
29-Apr-08, 01:49 PM
|  | Regular Member | Join Date: Mar-07 Location: werribee Age/Gender: 19 | | |
when my bredli had R.I and i had to give him antibiotic injections. i just used to put him in a pillowcase and just have the area where i was going to inject it exposed then just a quick wipe with some metho before injecting.  |
29-Apr-08, 01:50 PM
|  | Pot Stirrer Subscriber | Join Date: May-06 Location: Perth, West Australia Age/Gender: 24 | | | |
wow i'm really confused as to angles and so on, does anyone have a picture for reference?
__________________
"A Death adder can go from a strike position, to strike and envenoming their prey, and back to strike position again, in as little as 0.13 of a second, literally in the blink of an eye." Quote: |
Originally Posted by Jonno from ERD I reacted before the adder had a chance to get me. |  I wish I could be as fast as Jonno
|
29-Apr-08, 01:50 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: May-06 Location: Brisbane Gender: | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Aslan I am merely instructing as best I can from the instructions have been given and the technique I have been using - MANY others have been injecting snakes MUCH longer than I have | And we should keep in mind that compared to domestic animal medicine, herp medicine is in its infancy (or not even out of the egg!). There's so much we don't know, but there's a lot of active research (especially in the US) and our knowledge is increasing rapidly. That's why it's important to use a vet who keeps abreast of current developments in this area.
Going back to Chris' original post... Inject wherever the vet tells you, and the methods of restraint that others have suggested should work well for you. Keep in mind that the longer you take to do it, the more stressed the animal is likely to become, so be confident and do it quickly (but accurately).
Let us know how you get on.
Stewart
|
29-Apr-08, 02:24 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Mar-07 Gender: | | | |
I actually did it solo sunday night, I was just seeing what others recomended or had found worked for them. I popped her head and neck into a black sock, gripped her body firmly with my left hand and injected with the right. It was all over in a few seconds and I returned her to her tank without any striking. However, she wriggled a bit and the needle came out as I was injecting, not all the way but she ended up with a bubble of drugs under the skin. i gave it a good massage and it spread out without leaking back out of the puncture hole, so hopefully I'll avoid that problem next time. Thanks all for the advice and interesting discussion.
| | |
|
Similar Threads | | Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post | | any tips? | dandelion | General Herps | 1 | 24-Feb-08 02:30 AM | | injecting venom | chloethepython | Australian Snakes | 3 | 21-Feb-08 07:06 PM | | need tips | boavspython2612 | General Herps | 5 | 08-Aug-07 04:30 PM |
|
