One of our baby snakes is poorly.
By gemini_rose
@gemini_rose (16264)
June 8, 2008 12:50pm CST
I know a lot of you do not really like snakes and in a previous discussion have said that you would not have them as pets, but it is really sad, one of ours is poorly.
I have not been much for these snakes in all the time my hubby has had them but since these dear little babies came along I have been smitten with them. I am learning more about them and although I do not hold or feed them (YUCK) or clean them out, I have come somewhat attached to these little fellas.
They are now 11 days old and when they are born they do not take their first feed until after they shed their first skin which is anytime between 5 - 7 days after birth. Well of course they have now all shed and 11 of them have taken their first feed, really well too I might proudly add. All except one, he is having real trouble with his food and cannot seem to get it down his throat and it is possible that he has a defect in his throat.
My hubby has now bought a special feeding syringe called a pinkie press that will crush the food up and hopefully he will be able to be fed. If not my hubby will have to take him to the pet shop and see if they can help. It is really sad because he must be hungry and it is so hard to see him not able to eat. But fingers crossed this pinkie press will work.
Have you ever had to hand rear a baby animal for any reason?
When is the last time you had a sick pet?
I have not been much for these snakes in all the time my hubby has had them but since these dear little babies came along I have been smitten with them. I am learning more about them and although I do not hold or feed them (YUCK) or clean them out, I have come somewhat attached to these little fellas.
They are now 11 days old and when they are born they do not take their first feed until after they shed their first skin which is anytime between 5 - 7 days after birth. Well of course they have now all shed and 11 of them have taken their first feed, really well too I might proudly add. All except one, he is having real trouble with his food and cannot seem to get it down his throat and it is possible that he has a defect in his throat.
My hubby has now bought a special feeding syringe called a pinkie press that will crush the food up and hopefully he will be able to be fed. If not my hubby will have to take him to the pet shop and see if they can help. It is really sad because he must be hungry and it is so hard to see him not able to eat. But fingers crossed this pinkie press will work.
Have you ever had to hand rear a baby animal for any reason?
When is the last time you had a sick pet?1 person likes this
9 responses
@mummymo (23706)
•
9 Jun 08
Oh I think snakes are lovely honey but I couldn't feed them! It is such a shame that this little baby is having such bad problems and I do hope that the pinkie press works - it must be awful to watch him struggling to eat and not being able to! I haven't hand reared an animal but my cat was when she was found with her brother and sister abandoned at days old - by the time we got her at 6 weeks she could drink kitten milk on her own and eat her food ok!
Love the new avatar by the way! xxxx
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
9 Jun 08
No, I do not really like to touch them or feed them! Glad you like my avatar!
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
8 Jun 08
I hope your little "baby" will be OK. We had some kittens awhile back that got sick and did not survive, so I know how emotionally attached one can get to these little animals.
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
8 Jun 08
I was devastated for a long time. Then we got another little kitten and my heart healed. Sometimes I think of the "babies" and cry. But, they will always live in my heart. I got lots of video footage of them, before they passed. I hope your little snake will be well. Sadness is a heavy burden.
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
9 Jun 08
Hi Rose,
I have to admire you for your resoluteness. Small or not, just his picture made me get the creeps. I think he’s beneath some clothing or something, I was just thinking if I came across a snake under my bed-sheets like the one in the pix, I would just pass out! Baby or not, most of us would not even stop to think why its there and whether there’s something wrong with it! Such poor is our knowledge of snakes that the majority just does not trust these creatures. All the more why both your husband and you get my
I just hope this little fella pulls thru nice and fast.
I just hope this little fella pulls thru nice and fast.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
9 Jun 08
He is under a piece of kitchen towel in his box. Snakes should never be trusted fully, they are the kind that will let you think you are friends and then turn on you. These are not venemous though so it is OK!
I have some news on the baby and I will be sharing it just as soon as I get sorted!
@tessah (6617)
• United States
8 Jun 08
ive done it with kittens so many times i cant keep count. more often its one single little one, but i had a litter of three once who were less than two weeks old when i found them. all needing to be fed every 2 hours day and night. all needing daily baths. that was rather taxing. once they got old enough and their eyes were open it got easier. they were able to bath themselves and i wound up getting creative and filling a rubber glove with kitty formula and punching needle holes into three of the fingers so they could all eat at the same time rather than individually. 
@cinderella2007 (2662)
•
8 Jun 08
Sorry to hear about your porly snake, I can understand how though your not into breeding them, you must still be attached to them!!
Hopefully the pinkie press will help you little snake and encourage hime to feed on his own!!
Let us know how you get on!!
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
8 Jun 08
He is going to try him tomorrow and I will let you all know as soon as he does it.
@ruby222 (4847)
•
8 Jun 08
Omg Rose...I know im not into snakes but im so sad to hear that that one baby isnt too well..it must be upsetting for hubby ..after all he is the fanatic...but with any pet you would be really sad if this happened...Ive never helped hand rear any animal..but im hoping that that pinkie press will work and the baby can be saved...will wait for further news...
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
8 Jun 08
Well hubby tried to feed him with a really tiny piece of food to see if he could manage it, but he could not do it and the snake was getting really anxious.
He is going to try him with the pinkie press tomorrow and my older son is going to help him. Fingers crossed.
@minnie_98214 (10557)
• United States
9 Jun 08
Thats too bad i for one hope it works. I never saw your first discussion but I am one who is not disgusted by snakes. I would have one for a pet if it was big enough that my other animals wouldnt be able to eat it. Well good luck and i hope the poor little guy makes it.
@ellie333 (21016)
•
8 Jun 08
No I wouldn't particularly want a snake for a pet but I also wouldn't want to see one poorly so hopefully this method your husband is going to try will work. The last time I had to nurse a sick animal was about three years ago when my cat got runover and had to have his tail amputated and his leg pinned bless. I had to confine him in a cage whilst he was healing and pay special attention to him as he was in a lot of shock also. He has recovered well and other than having no tail he is still a handsome cat. Ellie :D
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
8 Jun 08
I am glad to hear that your cat survived, the poor thing it is horrible when things happen to them.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
8 Jun 08
The only thing I've ever had to hand feed was an abandoned kitten that was too young for solid food so we had to buy a bottle and special formula from the vet. It sounds like your husband is doing everything that he can so I'll keep my fingers crossed, too, even tho I'm not too fond of snakes.
