# Wild snake with ticks!



## starr9 (Feb 8, 2012)

These are pics from a friend of a friend who is doing her Vet prac atmo. I dont have any other info other than that. Im not sure where she works etc. Thought you may like to see!


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## raycam01_au (Feb 8, 2012)

wow poor blooody thing thats insane, i know a few cant hurt it much but jesus hope it recovered well


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## jakedasnake (Feb 8, 2012)

poor snake


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## starr9 (Feb 8, 2012)

Not sure how its going but I have sent a pm to find out. So glad someone thought to take it in to get cared for!


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## Australis (Feb 8, 2012)

Ive never seen anything close to this, impressive.


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## vampstorso (Feb 8, 2012)

Well....he's a popular little guy, isn't he? :|


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## s0041464 (Feb 8, 2012)

Holley smokes, terrible little parasites! 
I'm all for the knowledge/experience gained from this, hopefully it lives strong back into the wild


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## Jarrod_H (Feb 8, 2012)

Crazy!


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## MathewB (Feb 8, 2012)

Wow, poor bloody thing. Kinda reminds me of Davy Jones crew though....


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## Banjo (Feb 8, 2012)

Insane.


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## tarzans_girl (Feb 8, 2012)

I've seen ticks on snakes before and we get a lot of ticks here on dog and ourselves - but this is crazy! Poor snake. I hope it survives.


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## snakes123 (Feb 8, 2012)

I was thinking this was going to be another one of thoes threads where the aminal had a tick or two and the poster had taken it in for care and never let back to the wild becaues they thought it was to sick. But holy crap thats a lot of ticks, let your friend know she did a good job please.


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## maddog-1979 (Feb 8, 2012)

jeebus....by the looks of the upturned scales it had more at some stage too


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## serpenttongue (Feb 8, 2012)

FMD!!! That is both horrific and disgusting!! I hate ticks. Interesting that they have all congregated at the head. What a blessing for that snake to have someone pick them all off.

It should survive without problems.


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## dintony (Feb 8, 2012)

Wowee.... that made my skin crawl!! Poor thing


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## serpenttongue (Feb 8, 2012)

That first photo makes me feel sick. They must have really impeded it's view.


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## Bluetongue1 (Feb 9, 2012)

That is an unbelieveable infestation. I have never seen tick attached to the top of the head like that.

I would be very interested to know what they did to remove them and why it was done under anaethesia. Did the anaethetic also affect the ticks, allowing them to be pulled out with fear of regurgitation? I recognise that with that number there would be a real risk of poisoning the patient by rmoving them the traditional way. Why was something like Ivemectin not used? 

Mind boggling! Thanks for posting.

Blue


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## daveandem2011 (Feb 9, 2012)

Wow poor thing thats insane wonder how it turned out.

CHeers for sharing Dave.


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## dickyknee (Feb 9, 2012)

Reminds me of this thread Farma posted a while back 

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-snakes-37/mess-149698/


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## Trench (Feb 9, 2012)

dickyknee said:


> Reminds me of this thread Farma posted a while back
> 
> http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-snakes-37/mess-149698/



just what I was thinking
poor thing


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## thepythonguy (Feb 9, 2012)

wow thats crazy poor snakes does anyone know how many they removed


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## Gruni (Feb 9, 2012)

That is probably one of the most shocking things I have seen in a long time! I can't believe the sheer number of ticks in the dish after they were pulled. Would be curious where/how it was found.


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## Ricochet (Feb 9, 2012)

Does that mean it's a TICK HEAD - I've been called something similar

Poor critter - glad we don't have ticks down here in southerm mexico


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## waruikazi (Feb 9, 2012)

Are they native ticks or cattle ticks?


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## saximus (Feb 9, 2012)

Bluetongue1 said:


> I would be very interested to know what they did to remove them and why it was done under anaethesia. Did the anaethetic also affect the ticks, allowing them to be pulled out with fear of regurgitation?



Maybe just to make it easier so the animal wasn't wriggling around trying to bite everyone? That was my first thought anyway. 

Poor fella. My skin is all crawly now


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## starr9 (Feb 9, 2012)

So good news is he/she is alive and well!!! She said it was approx 45min long to remove all the ticks. This was on the Gold Coast.

I have sent her another PM with all your q's and hope to here back asap!


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## JungleGuy (Feb 9, 2012)

I saw this on my girlfriends facebook.. friend of a friend as well small world lol good to hear it got better. I caught a green tree snake recently and it had a couple of ticks on it which we removed. There were large swollen lumps from past ticks which had already fallen off so it makes me wonder if this poor snakes head will swell up alot or not.


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## Gruni (Feb 9, 2012)

Must admit I posted it on FB too, I have some herping friends I thought would be interested.


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## edstar (Feb 9, 2012)

poor thing!


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## Poggle (Feb 9, 2012)

Is this Jackie's photo??


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## Straddie_Ranger (Feb 9, 2012)

I am the one who found the snake. I manage all the Campgrounds on South Stradbroke Island off the coast of the Gold Coast and arranged for it to be transported to the mainland by the Coast Guard, and for the RSPCA animal ambulance to transport it to Curumbin Wildlife Hospital. The poor snake was in an aweful way, and it looked like he/she was slithering around blind. We could not do anything else but help the poor thing. Of course we have had the horrible comments that a shovel would have been the best thing for it, because to some people if it is not covered in fur, and in their opinion warm and fuzzy, it does not deserve help. Fortuanately we don't all feel that way about our scaly friends, and I'd rather this little fellow, than an epidemic of the rat & mouse population. I have spoken to the hospital, and they are doing blood work, to see if there is any other underlying conditions. Apparently there was a combination of paralisis ticks and brown bush ticks and there was well over 100 of them. Makes you sick to think about it. I am hoping that he or she will survive and can be released back here on the island where he or she belongs.


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## Sezzzzzzzzz (Feb 9, 2012)

well done hun! You did a great job!


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## Darlyn (Feb 9, 2012)

Hooray for Straddie Ranger excellent story


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## Ricochet (Feb 10, 2012)

Go the Straddie Ranger - at least someone cares about the critters like we do. Hope all goes well


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## Bluetongue1 (Feb 10, 2012)

Above and beyond the call of duty. You have done a very good deed there *Ranger*. 
It is also great to hear of a non-herper with the right balance between furry and scaly. It's good to know someone of your calibre is looking after the place.

Blue




JungleGuy said:


> I saw this on my girlfriends facebook.. friend of a friend as well small world lol good to hear it got better. I caught a green tree snake recently and it had a couple of ticks on it which we removed. There were large swollen lumps from past ticks which had already fallen off so it makes me wonder if this poor snakes head will swell up alot or not.


I suspect that thee lumps you observed were skin worms – quite common in GTS. They pick them up from eating frogs. I know as kids, we used to knick the skin with a razor blade and squeeze out the worms. Then a little dab of Dettol and the snake would be fine. 

*Saximus*,
I had considered that but want to know if there is a further reason.


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## Straddie_Ranger (Feb 10, 2012)

Thanks everyone for your kind comments. An update for you in regards to our patient, I just rang the hospital, and he or she is going into foster care today for a couple of weeks, and then they said he is going to be released back here on Straddie, so very good news, it looks like he or she is going to be absolutely fine! The poor thing was very dehydrated though, but all's good in the end.  Not all the animals We've rescued and got to care have had a happy ending, a wallaby that had that many ticks last year didn't make it, and the failures get you down, but when you have success and you can save one, it feels really good! The Staff Currumbin Sancturary Wildlife Hospital do such a great job, I don't know what our little friends from the bush would do without them.


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## lynfrog (Feb 10, 2012)

Just this week my partner picked up a carpet python with 110 ticks. She found at her workplace near Ballina nthn NSW.
We spent 20 mins removing them- like the above example a mix of paralysis ticks and brown ticks. It even had some in its mouth.
It was dehydrated and very passive- we picked off the ticks without anaesthetic and it just lay there.
Have it here recovering a few days- ate well yesterday, and once its recovered we will let it go where it came from.
maybe they cant remove the ticks very well from around the head, but are better at getting them off its body?


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## starr9 (Feb 10, 2012)

Ya!! Im glad you found him/her Straddie Ranger!! Well done! Im so glad you found this post 2 so we could find out how its going!!! 

Keep up the g8 work!!!! This news has made my day!!!


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## mje772003 (Feb 11, 2012)

Hey Ranger great work and its great to see someone that does care about all creatures great and small. 

With that coment "We could not do anything else but help the poor thing. Of course we have had the horrible comments that a shovel would have been the best thing for it, because to some people if it is not covered in fur, and in their opinion warm and fuzzy, it does not deserve help."

Some people are so narrow minded as to what part snakes provide in the environment and that they are a fragile vital part of the eco system.

By the way Ranger do you also look after North Straddie too?

Cheers Matt


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## Chadeash (Feb 11, 2012)

a snake exactly like that came into currumbin wildlife sanctuary hospital the other day... maybe its the same one


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## Straddie_Ranger (Feb 11, 2012)

Thanks mje772003, that was the comment I made to one of the people who said a shovel would have been best, as he was quite anti-snakes. I pointed out that if that snake dies, we are going to get more rats and mice & probably venomous snakes move in in it's place. Not that I'm worried about our resident eastern browns or other venomous snakes myself, but I knew he would be, and then he calmed down and agreed with me, that keeping a snake like our fellow here, is the best thing for the enviroment. I only look after South Stradbroke Island and the four campgrounds here, pretty much keeps us all busy enough. 

Chadesash this is the exact same snake. He was found in this state on South Stradbroke Island, where we arranged for the snake to go to the mainland with the coast guard and then for the RSCA animal ambulance to transport him to the Curumbin Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital, as we have with so many South Straddie patients either fury, scaley, spikey (echidnas) etc, over the years. He is in foster care now I believe, with a carer from Wildcare. Do you work at the hospital? I really can't wait to have him back. I think I can hear the rats breeding in the walls now while he's gone.


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## MathewB (Feb 11, 2012)

Where are the campgrounds in relation to jumpinpin?


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## Gruni (Feb 11, 2012)

We used to camp at the ones at 'The Bedrooms' just down from the Pin where the first mangrove island is/was. I was there some years ago and the passage we used was almost fully silted up so the mangrove might be part of the main island by now. There's another area at Tipplers, don't know about the other two.


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## veenarm (Feb 11, 2012)

question... Will you tag the snake in some way with a marker? so if you ever come across him again?

Thats unbelievable amount if ticks... I freak out if i get one when we go in to the bush.... hate the little suckers :\


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## damo77 (Feb 11, 2012)

serpenttongue said:


> That first photo makes me feel sick. They must have really impeded it's view.


My first thought too. That really turned my stomach and I am usually not too easy to rattle.

Respect to the ranger.


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## Fantazmic (Feb 12, 2012)

I wonder how they get so covered in ticks..and others dont...I wonder if the poor snake is unlucky enough to crawl through an area where there is an infestation and they all jump on...and like someone said earlier the snake can get them off its body but not off its head?

I also wonder if with all the rain we have had there is a tick plague at the moment ?


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## PythonLegs (Feb 12, 2012)

The snake was probably on a flying fox only diet and picked up some hitch hikers mid-meal..those bats are parasite heaven.


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## JasonL (Feb 12, 2012)

Poor ticks, just trying to make a living in a competitive envirmonment...


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## Gruni (Feb 26, 2012)

Is there any updates on this one Starr9?


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## Fantazmic (Feb 26, 2012)

poor ticks......YUCK YUCK YUCK !!


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## starr9 (Feb 26, 2012)

Hey as far as I know the snake pulled through and has/will be released asap!


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## Gruni (Feb 26, 2012)

The other thread about the python with ticks opened a can of worms, I would be curious to know from your friend whether the vets feel the ticks would have dropped off in time and the snake been fine without help? Seems a few snakes have been found this summer in this condition.


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## mmafan555 (Feb 26, 2012)

Throw a ****ing molotov cocktail in that container after your done picking them all off!!!


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## Straddie_Ranger (Mar 5, 2012)

I have an update for you all on how our python friend is doing. It is touch and go, we don't know yet if we've saved him or not, we may or may not have saved this beautiful guy. I have had a few phone calls from the carer from Wildcare, the lovely lady who is looking after him, & she has called him Parlay (remember Pirates of the Caribbean) which of course means truce. Parlay has not been feeling much better and has still not eaten yet. Yes I know, not a great concern with snakes, but why. His head was still extremely swollen, and the carer was not happy with the fact that there just wasn't enough improvement with the swelling of his head and his eyes, and he still didn't seem to be able to see. She took him back to Currumbin Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital, for them to do some more blood work and tests. They did. Initially he was extremely anaemic, which with all those ticks was understandable, he was now less anaemic, but still somewhat so, which wasn't the concern. The concern was why was his head still soooooooo swollen. Another question all along was, why was he still that long, or hibernating that long, to get that many ticks on him? They are still picking off up to 40 ticks off him per day. A lot of ticks were hiding under the scales and were too small to see to the naked eye. As they grow and get bigger they can then be seen to remove. The carer has said there were far more than well over a hundred ticks on Parlay, she is estimating closer to a thousand. I doubt without human intervention that this snake would have ever been well enough to survive on it's own, even if all the ticks fell off on their own and new ones didn't get on at all. They decided to X-ray his head. They found that he had 3 bad fractures to his skull one close to his eye where its like there is a big crater. It looks like our friend had been run over by a vehicle. This must be why he was hibernating so long in summer. He couldn't eat, and he would have been in so much pain. I doubt without the fractures, he would have had that level of ticks on him, but even if he did and there had been no fractures, I doubt he would have recovered from the anaemia, but with the fractures to the head, preventing him from eating along with anaemia, no way. Now he's back on the pain meds & antibiotics. He definitely won't be back on the island until after winter now, but at least we know what we are dealing with. Let's just hope he can recover enough for us to pick up Parlay in our boat with his carer in about 8 months or so time, to release him back to his native bushland on South Straddie.


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## -Katana- (Mar 5, 2012)

I'm just curious if using a pinkie pump to feed him would help with his anemia and give him the resources to recover quicker?


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## Gruni (Mar 5, 2012)

Wow! Thanks for the update. Fingers crossed he pulls through and we get to hear more updates with more and more good news ver the next few months.


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## PhilK (Mar 5, 2012)

Very cool. This girl is my mate she is in my girlfriend's year at vet school.
Snake was seen at Australia zoo. Ticks removed and snake sent to a carer... there is probably an underlying cause though. Snakes should not have that many ticks.

EDIT: derr I didn't read the whole thing - there is the underlying cause haha car to the head


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## congo_python (Mar 5, 2012)

I hope it pulls thru the poor buggar is in the wars for sure.


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## Gruni (Mar 5, 2012)

PhilK said:


> Very cool. This girl is my mate she is in my girlfriend's year at vet school.
> Snake was seen at Australia zoo. Ticks removed and snake sent to a carer... there is probably an underlying cause though. Snakes should not have that many ticks.
> 
> EDIT: derr I didn't read the whole thing - there is the underlying cause haha car to the head



You are talking about another snake aren't you? This one was found on Sth Straddy and sent to Corrumbin for treatment. Seems to be a few snakes in this circumstance lately. Although this thread has been far less controvertial than the one with the video of the tick infested python from Lismore.


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## Straddie_Ranger (Mar 5, 2012)

Hi Gruni, I've just been reading that thread about the other python with the tick infestation. Talk about bickering! I guess a lot of them would feel that we did the wrong thing by helping our snake here Parlay, but even if poor Parlay doesn't make it, I would still do the same thing all over again & I have no regrets. Yes in lots of ways I do agree with the sentiment that we should, should if at all possible, leave no footprint. As humans we do leave too great a footprint on our enviroment, however I also agree with the sentiment that as humans we have hurt our enviroment & our wildlife (sometimes purposely & sometimes unintentionaly) far to much, and if we can make it up to them in some small way by (in this case) saving the life of a snake to replace the one that got killed by the car or the barbed wire fence etc etc, then why shouldn't we do that? I love the wallabies & bandicoots on Straddie too, but no I'm not going to rip one out of the jaws of a capet python to save it, even if it wasn't already too late by then. Nature is nature, & I think using common sense is always a good thing. As far as using the RSPCA comments on that other thread is concerned, I competely understand where those comments are coming from. I have had hardly any luck with them either. I usually call Wildcare Australia, & if I can get the animal to them on the mainland, they will always pick it up somehow to take it to Currumbin Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital, or will organise the Animal Ambulance for me. This time I did have to ring the RSPCA however to get the Animal Ambulance. The girl who sounded extremely young on the phone did not sound very happy to be rescuing a snake, & made comments to the fact that they were too busy and had too many other animals to pick up that morning. I told her however, that I had spoken to Currumbin Hospital & I had spoken to Wildcare & I had spoken to 'Fred' from the Ambulance, who were all waiting to hear from her, to do her part to register the pick up. I think I guilted her into arranging it, otherwise, I don't think she would have. All other calls I have made to RSPCA previously resulted in them telling me to ring someone else. 

The thing I don't understand is why people *can't perservere* until they find someone willing to help. Not really trying to have a go at the OP on the other thread, but surely he could have done something other then half heartedly try to knock a few ticks off and then walk away after taking photos and video footage. I competely understand why he wouldn't want to capture the snake himself to take it into care, but there are people he can call who will do that, who are trained to do that. We here are all trained in how to handle venomous snakes and are all confident to do so, but if we were not trained, I would not attempt to capture an injured or sick venomous snake (ours this time was just a non-venomous python), but I would still call someone, particuarly if it was a python, but even if it wasn't, to get someone who knew what they were doing to help. We have to look after our wildlife before they go the ways of the Dodo. 

As for paralasis tick paralising a snake or a reptile, I don't know for sure if they do, but I would really doubt it. Our Wallabies are immune to the ticks and they usually do have quite a lot of them on them at all times, with no ill effects. If you find a wallaby that has hundreds or thousands of ticks on them, then they may die from anaemia, but I really doubt in that case, that the wallaby would not have an underlying cause or sickness that would allow for that wallaby to have so many ticks on them. I think the same would be for a snake, and in Parlay's case, it was the car running over his head. 

To the person who said that ticks don't hurt on a human, I beg to differ, as one time I had 4 ticks on me, 3 on my head, and one on my shoulder. One was on my temple and that one I think did the damage. I had the toxin I think go through my glands. My face swelled up, and I felt pressure on my ear-drum and my eye ball socket. I slept through an entire day and night, then went to the doctor who put me on antibiotics and antihystamines. I find it difficult not to like any creature on earth, but ticks, I find it pretty difficult to like. Gruni, the comments you made, made perfect sense to me however. I think Philk must have been talking about another snake up there on the Sunny Coast. I noticed, that there was another python with a similar snake infestation last year also. Currumbin Sancutary Wildlife Hospital said that they had never seen an infestation close to that on any reptile before. I think comments like that, would mean that it would always be extremely likely that there would always be an underlying cause to create that kind of infestation, such as an injury or pre-existing illness, in an animal that was immune to paralasis ticks. They will cause paralsis in dogs & cats and other animals, which without proper treatment in time, will lead to death, but not all animals are effected in that way by paralisis ticks. Doesn't mean they won't finish off the job by causing aneamia to an animal that would have recovered from their injury or other illness if it wasn't for those ticks. Should we leave an animal in that state to die on it's own, knowing that there is most probably something else wrong with it? That is something that each individual will have to determine for themselves I guess while they wrestle with their moral demonds. For me though it's a no brainer, I'm going to help every time, even if it's to get the animal euthanased, if it is deemed not to be savable. Just my 2 cents worth. Apologies in advance for being long-winded, and passionate about this.


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## Kerinamc (Mar 5, 2012)

How can u tell if your snake has ticks?


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## Sezzzzzzzzz (Mar 5, 2012)

do captive bred snakes get ticks?


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## Gruni (Mar 5, 2012)

newtolovingsnake said:


> do captive bred snakes get ticks?



Only if you have ticks in your yard and the snake is exposed to them that way. No diferent to how you or your dog can get them. At Balina we had paralysis ticks in the dunes near the beach and my friends dog used to get them because he would venture of the trail leading to the beach.

*Kerinamc* go back to the star of the thread and look at the pics. Once they start to engorge you'll know they are there.


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## Sezzzzzzzzz (Mar 5, 2012)

yeah thats what i figured. Thanks gruni.


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## waruikazi (Mar 5, 2012)

Why hasn't the animal been dipped in permithrin, or a similar insecticide dip? Or given a shot or oral dose of ivermectin?

That is the first thing you do with a wild animal presenting with a tick or mite infestation. Do these guys know what they are doing?



Straddie_Ranger said:


> I have an update for you all on how our python friend is doing. It is touch and go, we don't know yet if we've saved him or not, we may or may not have saved this beautiful guy. I have had a few phone calls from the carer from Wildcare, the lovely lady who is looking after him, & she has called him Parlay (remember Pirates of the Caribbean) which of course means truce. Parlay has not been feeling much better and has still not eaten yet. Yes I know, not a great concern with snakes, but why. His head was still extremely swollen, and the carer was not happy with the fact that there just wasn't enough improvement with the swelling of his head and his eyes, and he still didn't seem to be able to see. She took him back to Currumbin Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital, for them to do some more blood work and tests. They did. Initially he was extremely anaemic, which with all those ticks was understandable, he was now less anaemic, but still somewhat so, which wasn't the concern. The concern was why was his head still soooooooo swollen. Another question all along was, why was he still that long, or hibernating that long, to get that many ticks on him? They are still picking off up to 40 ticks off him per day. A lot of ticks were hiding under the scales and were too small to see to the naked eye. As they grow and get bigger they can then be seen to remove. The carer has said there were far more than well over a hundred ticks on Parlay, she is estimating closer to a thousand. I doubt without human intervention that this snake would have ever been well enough to survive on it's own, even if all the ticks fell off on their own and new ones didn't get on at all. They decided to X-ray his head. They found that he had 3 bad fractures to his skull one close to his eye where its like there is a big crater. It looks like our friend had been run over by a vehicle. This must be why he was hibernating so long in summer. He couldn't eat, and he would have been in so much pain. I doubt without the fractures, he would have had that level of ticks on him, but even if he did and there had been no fractures, I doubt he would have recovered from the anaemia, but with the fractures to the head, preventing him from eating along with anaemia, no way. Now he's back on the pain meds & antibiotics. He definitely won't be back on the island until after winter now, but at least we know what we are dealing with. Let's just hope he can recover enough for us to pick up Parlay in our boat with his carer in about 8 months or so time, to release him back to his native bushland on South Straddie.


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## PhilK (Mar 6, 2012)

Gruni said:


> You are talking about another snake aren't you? This one was found on Sth Straddy and sent to Corrumbin for treatment. Seems to be a few snakes in this circumstance lately. Although this thread has been far less controvertial than the one with the video of the tick infested python from Lismore.





Straddie_Ranger said:


> I think Philk must have been talking about another snake up there on the Sunny Coast. I noticed, that there was another python with a similar snake infestation last year also.


Hmmm no... this is EXACTLY the three photos from her phone/facebook.... weird


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## Straddie_Ranger (Mar 6, 2012)

waruikazi said:


> Why hasn't the animal been dipped in permithrin, or a similar insecticide dip? Or given a shot or oral dose of ivermectin?
> 
> That is the first thing you do with a wild animal presenting with a tick or mite infestation. Do these guys know what they are doing?



Well you're probably better off asking Currumbin Sancturary Wildlife Hospital who's vets specilize in Wildlife, not cute little fluffy cats & dogs. I was told however, that they didn't want to do that, because they said that reptiles can have an intolerence to chemicals. Since Parlay was sooooo badly anaemic, they thought it was best not to take the chance, of causing an already sick animal who doesn't have the ammunity at that time, to come into contact with chemicals, in case there was a huge intolerance.



PhilK said:


> Hmmm no... this is EXACTLY the three photos from her phone/facebook.... weird



Philk, these photos have gone all around Facebook. The vet nurses and vetinary students are passing them around. My son saw it on facebook, as one of his friends is a vet student at Currumbin Sancturay Wildlife Hospital, where we sent the snake to. I have update photo of Parlay, sent to me by his carer, if anyone wants to see them. I'll warn you, he's still not doing well, so if you are a snake lover, & a little bit squeemish, it might not be best to look. Do I just click on Insert Image? I don't have to start a new thread to upload pics, do I? Let me know if you would like to see them or not?


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## Dmnted (Mar 6, 2012)

Ranger. maybe put photos in an album in your profile. that way people can see them only if they actively look for them unless everyone feels they should be added to this thread.


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## Kerinamc (Mar 6, 2012)

I never thought snakes would get them. I had a kangaroo in the yard sometime back, he had to be put down from ticks, which is strange, cause they have a little hook thing on their paw that pulls them out. I justbthought snakes would be immune, don't know why. I've learnt a lot from this website. It's great!


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## waruikazi (Mar 6, 2012)

I'm really not interested enough to contact them, it doesn't sound to me as though they are experienced with reptile parasites. 

If you get in contact with them you may want to suggest as i have above if they are worried about the ticks, if they aren't then they shouldn't have taken it into care in the first place (but that's another story). The ivermec will also treat most internal parasites, which can very quickly turn into a significant issue for a reptile with the added stress of being in care. They could even use a topical treatment like TOD sprayed directly onto the snake and then soak it in water if they are worried about it being overcome by the chemicals.



Straddie_Ranger said:


> Well you're probably better off asking Currumbin Sancturary Wildlife Hospital who's vets specilize in Wildlife, not cute little fluffy cats & dogs. I was told however, that they didn't want to do that, because they said that reptiles can have an intolerence to chemicals. Since Parlay was sooooo badly anaemic, they thought it was best not to take the chance, of causing an already sick animal who doesn't have the ammunity at that time, to come into contact with chemicals, in case there was a huge intolerance.
> 
> 
> 
> Philk, these photos have gone all around Facebook. The vet nurses and vetinary students are passing them around. My son saw it on facebook, as one of his friends is a vet student at Currumbin Sancturay Wildlife Hospital, where we sent the snake to. I have update photo of Parlay, sent to me by his carer, if anyone wants to see them. I'll warn you, he's still not doing well, so if you are a snake lover, & a little bit squeemish, it might not be best to look. Do I just click on Insert Image? I don't have to start a new thread to upload pics, do I? Let me know if you would like to see them or not?


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## Straddie_Ranger (Mar 6, 2012)

Dmnted said:


> Ranger. maybe put photos in an album in your profile. that way people can see them only if they actively look for them unless everyone feels they should be added to this thread.



Thanks for that Dmnted. I think that's a great idea. I won't put it up tonight, don't have much time now, but I can tomorrow, or over the next few days. If no one says that they don't want it added to this thread for all to see, I can still consider that, but if one person says no, then it's definately best not to. I think adding to my profile is probably the best thing, but people can leave their opinions on it, if they like.


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## Gruni (Mar 6, 2012)

I think the initial pics were bad enough and we still follow the thread with great interest, personally i would probably put them in the thread using the 'Advanced' post option and the 'paperclip' to manage your attachments and palce them in line via the option on the bottom right of the window... but I am just as happy to go to an album on your profile.


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## RobynTRR (Jul 9, 2012)

This is a fascinating thread, I have never seen such heavy infestation. I have found a few similar pics online to add.


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## moosenoose (Jul 9, 2012)

Now that's a great rescue! I'm surprised it could function with that many ticks on it.


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## Rissi (Jul 9, 2012)

That actually made me feel queasy. And I dont 'quease'. That poor poor thing.


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## Mo Deville (Jul 9, 2012)

i was about to eat a bowl of rice bubbles before i clicked on this bloody thread!!! NOT ANY MORE. LOL NASTY!!!

good job tho.


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## Rissi (Jul 9, 2012)

mo-deville said:


> i was about to eat a bowl of rice bubbles before i clicked on this bloody thread!!! NOT ANY MORE. LOL NASTY!!!
> 
> good job tho.




BAHAHAHHAHAA you sicko. Thanks for relating food to this. You just helped me lose 10kgs.


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## mmafan555 (Sep 17, 2012)

I wonder who likes ticks better....that snake or this deer??


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## PMyers (Sep 17, 2012)

Yep... there goes my dinner...


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## dragonlover1 (Sep 17, 2012)

JasonL said:


> Poor ticks, just trying to make a living in a competitive envirmonment...


"poor ticks".... to hell with them there are some things on earth we could do without


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## Hazordous-Herps (Sep 17, 2012)

[video=youtube;pEIF4CT4RWM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEIF4CT4RWM[/video]

Heres the video of the snake covered in the ticks (not my video BTW)


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## Sleazy.P.Martini (Sep 17, 2012)

Rissi said:


> That actually made me feel queasy. And I dont 'quease'. That poor poor thing.





dragonlover1 said:


> "poor ticks".... to hell with them there are some things on earth we could do without



Unfortunately this is the attitude a lot of people have toward snakes. Everything has its place...


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## notechistiger (Sep 17, 2012)

Wow that poor deer!


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## mmafan555 (Sep 17, 2012)

notechistiger said:


> Wow that poor deer!



This Moose ain't looking so hot either

[video=youtube;Rsd2i-qFHK4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsd2i-qFHK4[/video]


Here's an article on ticks killing moose...Apparently it's fairly common

Ghost Moose: Winter Ticks Take Their Toll | Northern Woodlands Magazine


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## Stuart (Sep 17, 2012)

These parasites really tick me off...

Any update on how the fella I'd doing?


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## Rissi (Sep 18, 2012)

furiousgeorge said:


> Unfortunately this is the attitude a lot of people have toward snakes. Everything has its place...




Oh for sure, I don't have an issue with parasites whatsoever I was having an issue with the sheer amount on this one animal. 
As I would be if someone was keeping 5 thousand cats. My problem is not the animal it's the quantity.
I've studied a heap of parasites and have always been amazed by them


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## Sleazy.P.Martini (Sep 18, 2012)

Yeah that's cool mate I was referring more to dragonlover


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## dragonlover1 (Sep 18, 2012)

furiousgeorge said:


> Unfortunately this is the attitude a lot of people have toward snakes. Everything has its place...


I'd much rather have snakes than ticks


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## Sleazy.P.Martini (Sep 18, 2012)

dragonlover1 said:


> I'd much rather have snakes than ticks



I'm sure YOU would. Which pretty much reinforces my point, each to there own.

- - - Updated - - -



dragonlover1 said:


> I'd much rather have snakes than ticks



I'm sure YOU would. Which pretty much reinforces my point, each to there own.


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## BIGBANG (Sep 19, 2012)

i seriousy hate ticks, almost as much as i hate spiders, ticks make my skin crawl and shiver spiders just plain scare the hell out of me, i remember as a kid picking 30-40 ticks of blue tongues and shingle backs that we found around our property but nothing like that, that is seriously disgusting


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## mmafan555 (Sep 22, 2012)

20 foot 2000 Crocodile vs 10,000 ticks who wins?


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## Colubrido (Sep 23, 2012)

Jezuz.


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## infernalis (Sep 23, 2012)

Straddie_Ranger said:


> I am the one who found the snake. I manage all the Campgrounds on South Stradbroke Island off the coast of the Gold Coast and arranged for it to be transported to the mainland by the Coast Guard, and for the RSPCA animal ambulance to transport it to Curumbin Wildlife Hospital. The poor snake was in an aweful way, and it looked like he/she was slithering around blind. We could not do anything else but help the poor thing. Of course we have had the horrible comments that a shovel would have been the best thing for it, because to some people if it is not covered in fur, and in their opinion warm and fuzzy, it does not deserve help. Fortuanately we don't all feel that way about our scaly friends, and I'd rather this little fellow, than an epidemic of the rat & mouse population. I have spoken to the hospital, and they are doing blood work, to see if there is any other underlying conditions. Apparently there was a combination of paralisis ticks and brown bush ticks and there was well over 100 of them. Makes you sick to think about it. I am hoping that he or she will survive and can be released back here on the island where he or she belongs.




I just registered right now so I could say this this to you, Very impressive, well done, and you are my hero for this.

This has warmed my heart to read.

Kudos and all the best from America.


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## jaleely (Sep 25, 2012)

*Thank you*

This was really horrifying for me to see, but thank you so much for being kind hearted and rescuing this animal from that infestation. Really touched a nerve for me. Wrenching!
So many people wouldn't have helped it or would have killed it. It deserved to not have to have that horribleness on it's face : (

I was interested to know how they removed the ticks, as well.

Thanks... i hope i never have to see something like that in person though!!


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