reptile vet recomendations - Sydney area

[RodSydAus]

I was hoping someone could recommend a good reptile vet anywhere in Sydney but the closer to inner west suburbs the better.

I got 2 yearling childreni about 6 weeks ago from the same clutch of eggs. One of them has been feeding and growing excellently, but the other is not :? I worry I'm doing something wrong, but I treat the snakes the same with very different results between the 2.

Although they have seperate enclosures, the lighting/heating and humidity of the enclosures is identical, neither are in a traffic area, the snakes get treated and handled identically but one has not grown and refuses to eat regularly. According to the feed card that came with the snakes, the poor eater hadnt eaten any pinkies for 3 weeks before I got it and has only had 2 pinkies in the 6 weeks since whereas the other has progressed to hoppers confidently in that time. I have tried upping its food size to fuzzies in case that was the problem, but had no success with them at all so have gone back to the only thing it has eaten since I got it - pinkies.

Am I worrying prematurely? I'd like to get it along to a vet with some knowhow about snakes for a checkup in case there is something wrong that is not obvious to the eye. The snake looks as healthy as its brother apart from the fact it is now a fraction the size of its brother.

 

[nuggets]

there is a list of vets in nsw at south coast herpetological society.... good luck, i wouldnt worry to much mate at least its eating somthing...

 

[CodeRed]

If you decide to go to a vet then you can try:

Rob Johnson
126 Stafford St
Penrith
4721-4796

or

Dave Vella
North Shore Vet Hospital
64 Atchinson St
Crows Nest
9436-1213

 

[Reptile Mad]

i use a vet at canly heights her name is terri she also works at austral her numbers are 9606 9312 or 96049792

 

[RodSydAus]

thanks for the replies, I had a look at the list on SCHS and like the look of going to the Taronga Zoo Vet Centre. If the vet I see isnt a specialist, they are definitely going to have access to a specialist since its affiliated with the zoo. I'll give them a ring tomorrow or Monday if they arent open.

You're probably right in that I'm worrying unnecessarily nuggets, but I'd rather be over careful and I'm stumped as to what the difference between the 2 is....

 

[Rennie]

I don't think Canley Heights should be too far but the same people run both of these and they have at least a couple of reptile vets.

Shop 6 Harden St & Avoca Rd Canley Heights 2166 (02) 96049792 or (02) 96049300 or
Shop 4 Edmondson Av & 10th Av Austral 2171 (02) 96069263

Another option might be to get someone more experienced who lives nearby to come over and show you some other ways to try and feed it, this saves the extra stress of another car trip for your little baby. I wouldn't worry too much just yet as it is still eating something so its not going to starve yet.

Good luck

 

[Administrator]

We also have a list at http://www.aussiepythons.com/wiki/index.php/Reptile_Vets#Sydney_Metropolitan

 

[RodSydAus]

thanks admin, I tried the zoo vet centre and was told they dont see the general public. I used your list link and have an appointment with Dr Rosenwax over at Waterloo next week.

 

[Tatelina]

That's a cool name..Rosenwax..
Have you tried some of the suggestions that I've read online about scenting food?

 

[RodSydAus]

I have tried slitting the head and squeezing the brain juice out to improve the food scent - much to the horror and disgust of my daughters :lol: - with no extra success. I have read that brushing the food against the snake can have benefits if thats what you mean by scenting, I have also tried a live garden skink having read that this is like icecream for snakes so thought he would take it.

update: feed night is usually Friday night so I posted this thread after another unsuccessful feed. When he doesnt eat in the feed enclosure I have been leaving the pinkie in his normal tank on top of a rock for him to maybe eat overnight. This is usually a waste of time with the pinhkie still there next day so I went ahead and posted last night, but the pinkie was gone this morning - YAY. I already have the vet appointment though so am going to go along and make it the inaugral annual checkup. I shouldve guessed the bugga would eat as soon as I made an appointment