rescued Bredli

[ShepQLD]

oh the temps are 34 in one corner, 32 at one side and 26 at the other side. She seems to stay in the 32 degree spot most of the time. I did actually go out and get pinky rats for her but compared to the size of her they look massive!? Ill have another look when Im out and see if I can pick up some smaller ones. I did wonder if it would be worth trying to get hold of something different like a day old quail or something? I dont know how big they are though or where you get them from? but what do you think? is it worth trying something completly different just to get something into her? if so what would you suggest? (also I did offer her the smallest pinky rat I had on her first day back here but in hind sight she would have been to stressed and to cold to think about eating then, *my mistake* but it is likely she wont like the smell of them to much either because of that?)

 

[ShepQLD]

yep Im with you on that adfel, Ive left her with a brained budgie scented pinky and Im about to go out shopping so fingers crossed she works a miracle for me when im gone and eats the damn thing! Im really keen to get some food into her, shes so skinny its really sad to see her in this state! the previous owner did say he had fed her the week before..... but he had no records at all on her and she hasnt 'passed' anything at all since Ive had her.. I very much doubt he has touched her for a long long time to be honest. (he was also scared to death she was going to bite him (poor girl hardly had the strength to lift her head!!! let alone tag him!)

 

[bfg23]

From the looks of the pictures she would have no problems getting even the biggest of pinkie rats down.

But if really dont want to try the rat. You could brain the rat and rub it all over a mouse.

I would up the temps in the warm end a bit. I have a basking lamp in my big bredli tank and the surface temps directly under the lamp get up to 65 some days and they always bask in the hottest part.

 

[adfel]

Do u know how much she weighs.... Snakes can eat food up to 4 times its own body size so don't be too alarmed by the size of the food... I follow a general rule of 20% of their body weight is the food size i feed.... Another thing you could maybe look into, because she hasn't eaten properly in some time, you might consider a Vitamin B injection... That also could help to get her appetite up....

Good luck... I hope she eats for you as well although if she doesn't you may have a long process ahead of you getting her to eat.... Please keep me updated I would love to know how you go.....

 

[ShepQLD]

Im not to sure how much she weighs, I could try to track down some scales though, it would be good to have that on record anyway.
Ive just returned from the shops.... no joy, the pinky was just sat there. Ive removed it but Im thinking of leaving one in with her overnight tonight, maybe things might seem better in the dark for her lol. If not I will start trying every option possible before resorting to forcefeeding. Something I have started to wonder though is if it is possible that the previous owner may have damaged her jaw or something? I cant see any signs of any injury from the outside at all but how likely is it that he could have hurt her forcefeeding her?
anyway, I will not give up she did seem a little more interested when I rubbed budgie feathers on it, I take that as a good sign. (I also happen to have budgies nesting at the moment and am expecting babies any day... no no Im not thinking of feeding her a baby!! but I am thinking it will be easy to get a strong scent on a pinky when im handfeeding baby budgies!)

 

[bfg23]

I would up the temperatures, leave her alone for two or three days, and try a brained pinky rat in the middle of the night.

You need to resist the temptation to constantly try feeding them. The more you offer and she refuses, the more stressed she will become.

 

[zuesowns]

I don't believe the pythons jaw would be damaged or hurt without obvious signs, remembering there jaw dislocates and stretches over the largest preys.

I wouldn't resort to force feeding at all. pythons can last a long time without food and without heat I believe your python would be storing fat cells and hibernating, but now that the temp is up and it is starting to warm up she should start feeding soon. Don't worry about the size of the pinkie - she will be fine to eat one of them. I would not use rats and try mouse as they have a stronger sent (especially the males) and try day old quail at the pet shop - she will be able to take one of them, you'd be surprised what they can eat and 1 massive food item won't hurt just to get her feeding response back, all you want her to do is strike and constrict and then she should feed after that I believe.

I am in a simular situation with my stimson python not feeding due to self cooling I believe.

with problem feeders like your little bredli, you need to mimick a rodent and make it enticing for her to hunt the prey - I wouldn't resort to assist feeding yet.

let me know what happens

 

[ShepQLD]

yeah I am very loathe to resort to forcing her, my only concern is that she is so thin but I shall take that advice on board. I wont offer her food tonight Ill wait a few days and give it to her in the middle of the night and leave her with it.
As yet she has shown no sign whatsoever of striking at anything, if she has gotten a fright when I have been holding her she just flattens herself into me, kind of like she flattened herself against the floor when she caught scent of the food poor little thing has had a rough trot! In the meantime I will try to track down some day old quails, I think maybe the trauma of how she has been fed in the past is probably the biggest issue in all this, maybe if I can offer her something totally different it might tempt her more.

 

[Kristy_07]

I would up the temperatures, leave her alone for two or three days, and try a brained pinky rat in the middle of the night.

You need to resist the temptation to constantly try feeding them. The more you offer and she refuses, the more stressed she will become.

I agree with bfg - you need to leave the poor little sod alone for awhile! Even if you discount the stress of what she went through with her previous owner, since you have taken her in, she's been put in a new environment, been given multiple baths and pillow cased, finally got that old skin off with a lot of encouragement and help, been in the car, been the the vets, been probed, handled, and tried to be fed multiple times! That's a lot for one little snake!

I'm not saying you've done anything wrong - you've done all the right things. But now just let her settle for awhile. Keep her temps around 32-33 and she will get hungry. Even small yearlings can go a long time without a feed, and like I said before, my yearling bredli was that size when I got him, and he is perfectly healthy. 5 months on and eating every 10 days, he's 50-60% bigger, so don't worry about her size at the moment. Get her healthy and feeding, and she'll catch up fine.

 

[ShepQLD]

ok, Im bumping the temps and Ill leave her alone for a few more days, I havent handled her since returning from the vets though, I left it five days before offering her food... thought that would have been long enough
but you are so very right, she has been through hell and back the poor thing. how long would you suggest I leave her now before offering food again? (Oh and I didnt do the pillowcase thing, the main shed around her belly came off during a bath the day before the vets and I today is only the second atempt at offering food, but still she has most certainly still been through an awful lot (Including getting that little blood blister pricked with a needle aswell!!)

 

[adfel]

I would leave her at least another week....

 

[ShepQLD]

ok. my other two are due for another feed a week from today so Ill leave her alone and try again then
thanks all! Im looking forward to the time I can post some updated photo's of her looking healthy and happy!

 

[Kristy_07]

Yep, at least another week, maybe a bit more Just check on her when you're cleaning or giving new water to see she's okay, but let her have a good rest and get warm and hungry!

 

[Funkstaa]

I found this post yesterday and I keep finding myself back here too see what's happening and if she's fed lol, fingers crossed for you and can't wait to hear the good news of her having a feed after she's had some quiet time good luck!

 

[Ashrwee]

i work with reptiles part time at a zoo and when ever that happens to a python we get a big plastic container with a lid and fill it up with hot water and make sure the container is filled up enough so the pythons hole body including the head is under water tho making shore that there is enough gap tho for the pythons head to stick out of the water if they want to stick it out.. leave them in there between 30min-1 1/2 hrs do that daily around the same time.. it could take weeks but it does work

 

[adfel]

i work with reptiles part time at a zoo and when ever that happens to a python we get a big plastic container with a lid and fill it up with hot water and make sure the container is filled up enough so the pythons hole body including the head is under water tho making shore that there is enough gap tho for the pythons head to stick out of the water if they want to stick it out.. leave them in there between 30min-1 1/2 hrs do that daily around the same time.. it could take weeks but it does work

Is this to get her to eat ?

 

[bfg23]

to get rid of the retained shed i think adfel

 

[adfel]

to get rid of the retained shed i think adfel

Cool i thought it might have been but wasn't too sure whether it might have been for dehydration with not feeding...

 

[ShepQLD]

Just thought I would let you know that I have weighed her. she is 25 grams (remembering that she is 15 months old!) her skin is looking 'loose' again, Im thinking maybe I need to bath her again to help her keep hydrated. Im wondering if I should take her back to the vets but really dont want to stress her out all over again. on a positive note she is getting more and more active and showing much more strength then she did at first, she was loosing control of her head when she first came home if she stretched out to much but she can hold her weight now quite well.
more baths do you think? or back to the vets? :S

 

[mysnakesau]

I don't think she needs a trip to the vet. It won't hurt, if thats what you want to do, but vet probablywon't do anymore than tell you to do what you have already done.

How much retained skin is on the the little girl? If you can get the piece off the tip of her tail that would be good. Use your fingernails, try to tear it if you can (after soaking of course). But if its just drips and drabs left on her body I'd leave her be now until her next shed. Now that you have her in the right environment, she will start eating soon and her next shed should be much better, taking the retained skin off with the next one. Good luck with her. Sounds like she's on the right track. Well done. Keep us posted. Be happy to hear it when she finally takes that first feed for you.