Swcp hurt spine

[gsabaxr]

Hi all,
i am really worried about my swc she took a large adult rat tonight as she was half way through it she came off her branch and was only holding on by her tail. She kept trying to get back up but the food was to heavy. This went on for a hour or so, she was folding her body really tight like a kink in a hose as she kept falling. Could this of damaged her spine? I then tried to help her out and she rejected her food is there any way of telling if she hurt her self?????
Please help,,,,if she is unhappy or not eating iam un happy.

 

[Chris1]

there was a thread on here about a year ago where a jungle fell off its perch striking at its food and broke its spine,...so yes, a bad fall has the potential to do damage.

this snake could no longer climb, so i guess that would be the first indicator,..if its on the ground,..

you could get it xrayed if ur worried,.....

geee i hope ur wrong.

 

[mysnakesau]

Give her a fortnight or so to recover before offering another feed, and let her have her heat 24/7 for a week or so to see how she goes. If she has done no damage she may feel bruised from it and will just want to stay tucked away but warm. I don't remember seeing the the jungle thread, I might go find it, but I nursed a green tree snake back to health after it was jammed in someone's screen door for an hour, before I was called to go and rescue it.

I know I am not a vet, and my experience doesn't guarantee the same result in your case. If he was kinked like a hose, does he look straight now, or does he still appear to have a kink in him? If so then as Chris suggested, get it X-Rayed would tell you for sure if he has fractured a bone. But if this little green snake can heal from this injury - but of course was only temporary skin and muscle damage, I would feel confident to say that your python should be fine. The pythons wouldn't be that fragile, surely. But don't take my word, I just want to believe in the best result. This GTS took 6 weeks to totally heal, and was released after 7 weeks in care.

 

[Chris1]

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/herp-help-38/jungle-broken-back-help-please-155568/

heres the link,..

is ur SWCP up on its branches or unable to climb?

holy hell Kathy, cant believe that was a healable injury! looks awful!!

 

[mysnakesau]

Just a thought, after reading that link - thank you Chris - If you decide vet treatment is needed, and are afraid of moving her, maybe you might want to confine her to a tub for now. At least then you won't be needing to physically handle her too much, you can pick up the tub without disturbing her.

 

[snakeynewbie]

From readin the first post it doesn't sound as though it fell and hit the ground just fell and was holding on by the tail and trying to drag the food back up, can you clarify this please OP? If it's the latter and the snake seems OK then I wouldn't worry.

 

[Bel03]

I hadnt seen that thread either....... how very sad........GSABAXR, i hope your python isnt so unfortunate, all the best!

 

[gsabaxr]

Hi all
Thanx to those of you who made an effort to reply. She seems ok and is climbing and moving as normal, she didn't fall and hit the ground she just kept constricting her food then loosing strength which ment unraverlling and as she did so she kinked her body a few times then would straighten. Her body looks all ok.

 

[Asharee133]

They look like fruitloops when they do that haha. My snakes always do it, their coils on the perches slip and they look like weird ropes trying to get back up and eat at the same time.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Sounds to me as though the food item was way too big if it was too heavy for the snake to manoeuvre properly. Snakes have the capacity to eat very large food items but that doesn't mean they should be given things which tax them physically in captivity. It's not necessary and could be damaging to the animal.

Jamie