WC slowly coming around

[BallPyFan]

I've got a little WC girl, received her 7 Dec and she was a bit thin, finally ate for me last week for the first time :) Always a happy thing. She has been coming out of her hide regularly for about 3 weeks now, and today she had a horrible shed (she got less than half off!). Since I keep them all in racks and that keeps the humidity in, I figure the trouble shedding is due to lack of eating. She has been losing wieght and I was contemplating assist feeding her. So, I broke out the warm wet washcloth routine with her, moving slowly to not startle or stress her. Took her a few minutes, but she started to relax...and relax...and relaxed a bit too much. Yup, gotta do laundry too now, but the shed is 95% off (just the tail and she wouldn't hold still for me to do that) and she is a bit calmer about being handled. Here's hoping she eats again for me!

[Schlyne]

As I understand it, the first shed usually has more to do with the previous husbandry than your husbandry.

[BallPyFan]

I got her in as a supposed WC who had been in captivity for a few months and had ate. I was skeptical to begin with LOL so I just go on the assumption she is a straight-up WC. She really doesn't have any noticeable scars, which is a good thing, very pretty high orange, but I will wait until I get a few meals in her before I post pics.

[Robilyn]

and relaxed a bit too much. Yup, gotta do laundry too now


haha eewww, i had my ball Monty out of his cage the other day and he was chillin on the couch with me. i should have known better, since he'd eaten two meals and i hadnt cleaned his cage yet...snake feces are now my least favorite thing to clean out of upholstry!

[BallPyFan]

Well, it took her from Monday evening until sometime yesterday to decide to kill and eat that rat pink, but she now has meal #2 under her belt, and one of my other WCs has been looking out the "door" of her hude and flicking her tongue...much better than the backside of the snake firmly planted up against the opening as a "Do not disturb" sign!

[Robilyn]

glad they're coming around for you :smt004

[TommyD.]

Yeah me to w/c are usally very hard to get to eat and if that one's already ate two meals she might just be okay. Have you had a fecal ran on her for parasites that maybe why she's not gaining much weight?

[BallPyFan]

Tommy..she needs to leave an actual fecal...when she "got" me it was mostly liquid with a few urates LOL She skipped on the fuzzy this week, but has been spending even more time outside the hide and doesn't high-tail it back when I open her box now. Slow but steady progress.

[Sherry Howell]

Katrina, take her to Dr. Smith...she can do a fecal on her.

[BallPyFan]

even without feces? Wow, you said she was good, but that is REALLY good!

[Sherry Howell]

Katrina, if she's eaten, she has feces in there...she just hasn't crapped it out.

[SMsnakes]

I reptile vet can do a wash.. No feces needed.
I treat all my wild caughts Inside and out and leave them alone for 4-6 months And keep them warm, I offer food once a month. I use rat pups I sent them with gerbils. They will come along. Out of 25 wc I have only had only 2 that would not eat right off. It takes time. I have NEVER had one starve its self. Its all about making it feel secure and with out stress. I use just standard paper towels (easy too see any proplems feces color, ticks, and even mites,) and always make sure they have clean water, I mist them once every 2 weeks. sheds are perfect.

[jawbone]

I was holding my 9 month old BP last week, about 4 days after her last meal and noticed she was really getting fat. I mean her tail was huge. Her under belly was swollen. Then I thought to myself "uh oh..." and right then she let loose. It was like a St. Bernard puppy. Pretty gross.

[TommyD.]

Ballpyfan,
The vet I go to can do a fecal with out a sample also although she makes be do a check up with her when I actually get a fecal sample. Although she told that if a fecal is more then 48 hours old then I need to get another one.

Jawbone,
I have had snake's for sometime now but I can gladly say I have never had the pleasure of experiencing this yet LOL. Although I have had different snakes especially babies crap on me when sexing them :smt019. Maybe you should use a towel while handling :smt005 .