dehydrated snake?
- Thread starter kerry
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Hi ... and don't apologise - it's no problem.
Is the snake still eating? If so, the only thing I can think of is to thoroughly wet down the mouse/rat before feeding. Other than that, I can't think of anything else. Maybe someone else has some ideas.
Good luck
grahamh
Well-Known Member
Hi Kerry
along the same lines as David. If still eating then use a syringe to put a little warm water into the food item. Ensure that the enclosure has a reasonable humidity 50% plus.
How do you know that its dehydrated. That would normally only happen if the snake has diarrhoea and is not drinking and/or eating.
G 8)
along the same lines as David. If still eating then use a syringe to put a little warm water into the food item. Ensure that the enclosure has a reasonable humidity 50% plus.
How do you know that its dehydrated. That would normally only happen if the snake has diarrhoea and is not drinking and/or eating.
G 8)
The syringe thing conjures up images of the snake grabbing the food prey and squeezing, with the result that water jets out of every available orifice!! :lol: :lol: "Little" warm water is probably the operative word here! :wink:
If you're really worried, perhaps a quick trip to the vet?
grahamh
Well-Known Member
LOL DL
:lol:
:lol:
Greebo
Snakologist
If you always have water and are not overheating the enclosure, she shouldn't be de-hydrated.
But if she is...half fill an ice cream container with slightly warm water and put her in for a couple of hours (she wont drown).
What sort of snake do you have? Different snakes have different textures.Your's may be perfectly normal for it's species.
But if she is...half fill an ice cream container with slightly warm water and put her in for a couple of hours (she wont drown).
What sort of snake do you have? Different snakes have different textures.Your's may be perfectly normal for it's species.
popp
Active Member
Hiya kerry welcome to aps,the pinch test i thought was to do with the snake being under weight not dehydration.
grahamh
Well-Known Member
Hey Popp/Kerry
what exactly is the pinch test.
G 8)
what exactly is the pinch test.
G 8)
Yeah, that got me wondering too, so I looked it up at http://www.corallus.com/hortulanus/husbandry.html. The section on this topic said :
Check animals for their level of hydration. This can be done by observation or by the pinch test. Animals which are dehydrated have dry wrinkly skin. The pinch test involves pinching the skin along the sides of the animal together. If the skin does not rebound back fairly quickly to its original position, this suggest your animals is dehydrated. Dehydrated animals can be treated by frequent soakings and injections of electrolytic solutions.
There ya go! You learn something new every day! :wink:
popp
Active Member
Damn & i thought i read it aswell,oh well im of to trade this brain in on a new one so ask me again next week. I JUST LOVE THE GLOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
polymorphene
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The best place to test for dehydration is behind the head on the side of the neck. after pinching if the skin stays up this is called "tenting" and suggests dehydration. My little coastal was dehydrated when she was sick and i was injecting fluid under her skin it was just sterile water but there is other stuff you can use for severe dehydration eg. hartmans solution exclusively used in iv drips. If you snake does show signs of dehydration and you cant get it better by giving it food injected with water i would suggest taking it to your vet to determine the best course of action rather than trying to fix it at home.
SnakeBabe
Not so new Member
Re-hydrating a snake via tubing can be done easily but if you never have before, I suggest you have a qualified vet do it. Since the air passage is separate there is not much chance of you doing it wrong but don?t take a chance call a vet.
Also check the eye caps for signs of dehydration. If wrinkled it needs more moisture.
My thoughts would be if your snake got to this condition once it might happen again if there is not a change in your husbandry practices.
First is your humidity what it should be for that species?
Does your snake have a water bowl big enough for it to soak in?
Is your snake so large that when it climbs over the edge of the water bowl is it putting pressure on its esophagus making it hard to drink?
Now the most important of all, do you clean and change water daily? Snakes have an ability to know when water gets stagnant and will not drink it.
A full water bowl will be left alone even if the snake is thirsty. Snakes need fresh water daily. Even survival manuals given to army personnel tell to drink water where snakes drink from, chances are it is clean. God just programmed them that way. So please, clean and change water daily. I even go so far as to place my snakes in the water bowl as I fill it and I see them drink often.
Good luck
Hugs and Hissessss,
Maria
Also check the eye caps for signs of dehydration. If wrinkled it needs more moisture.
My thoughts would be if your snake got to this condition once it might happen again if there is not a change in your husbandry practices.
First is your humidity what it should be for that species?
Does your snake have a water bowl big enough for it to soak in?
Is your snake so large that when it climbs over the edge of the water bowl is it putting pressure on its esophagus making it hard to drink?
Now the most important of all, do you clean and change water daily? Snakes have an ability to know when water gets stagnant and will not drink it.
A full water bowl will be left alone even if the snake is thirsty. Snakes need fresh water daily. Even survival manuals given to army personnel tell to drink water where snakes drink from, chances are it is clean. God just programmed them that way. So please, clean and change water daily. I even go so far as to place my snakes in the water bowl as I fill it and I see them drink often.
Good luck
Hugs and Hissessss,
Maria
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