regurge - vet advice needed

[thirdangel]

I have recently aquired a young Timber. I fed her and she held the food down for a couple of days and then puked.

I soaked her in Nitrofurazone [but cannot say how much, if any, she drank -- she did deficate, so I presummed that she drank -- but this might not be so] and fed her again. This time she puked the very next day.

I have no way to get cultures or any such thing, so I decided to use a Flagyl/Nystatin mixture that works so well on Red Diamonds and Sidewinders when I've had similar problems in the past [usually the result of a high humidity here in the east].

I doubt humidity could really be a factor for a Timber from the Mtns. of PA. [I spent part of my mis-spent youth in the Poconos - it rains like crazy!!]

Any thoughts would be really appreciated. I am going to try to feed her again later today or tomorrow --- does anyone have something they've used with good success in this situation? Biosol? More Nitro?

Thanks in advace!

[BWSmith]

If you feel like a drive, I have a great Venomous Vet.

[Gregg M]

I honestly would leave her alone for a little bit........ Stop pumping her with so many meds at one time......... She could be regurging because of the handling......... I would also look at the temps........ But then again if she is a wild caught from PA she may need a cooling period........ She may be stressed by being kept "awake"......... Timbers are pretty tough from my experiance.......... I am no vet but I have worked with a ton of wild caught animals and what works for me is to leave them alone for a few weeks in a cage that they can not see out of....... This keeps the stress level down and usually if they do have any nasty bugs in them it will not harm them........ I do this just long enough for them to settle in, eat a meal or two, and digest........ Then Start the meds......... Then take a sample to a vet to get checked........ A vet will tell you if you need to do anything more to correct a problem.......... A vet is most important when dealing with a wild caught....... Even if a vet wont see venomous snakes you can still take a sample to one......

[reverendsterlin]

fecals can be taken in without the animal lol. That would be my first step.

[BWSmith]

If you would not take her or a sample to a vet (preferably a herp or hot vet), I would reevaluate her enclosure. LOTS of hides, a few pretty tight. Drastic temp gradient. Perhaps a 85 degree hot spot with a 70 degree cool and everything inbetween with several basking points throughout. See where she hangs out to gauge her requirements. Throughout the horridus range, there is a spectrum of environments. She may be used to temps no higher than 75 or used to a basking area of 90. Who knows?

But if it is a northern range Timber, I would brumate personally (if it has decenst body weight). Brumation to about 55 degrees for at least a month should be sufficient I should think. Of course a full brumation is desirable, after all, you can be fairly certain her gut is clear if she has not kept ameal down for at least 3 weeks.

I just had some baby Northern Range Timbers come in and they are being brumated as we speak. Since they came in only a week ago, I am not even going to attempt to feed them until I bring everything out of brumation in a couple months. The same goes for the Canebrake and EDB that just came in recently.

In the end, it is up to you. Noone else has seen the snake or experienced what you have first hand with that specimen. We can omly offer advice and experience given the vague information presented to us (i.e. no time frame or age, etc.). In the end, an experienced HERP vet is a better source of information and if need be, ask, and I will supply you the contact info for the best herp vet I have found and above all, a hot vet (you restrain of course). Best of luck to you.

[thirdangel]

Friends,

Thanks for the replies. I didn't just use the meds without some careful consideration. The feces looks rough too. I have kept rattlers for 25 years and have never had a sick Timber (though I've had some very sick other species come my way - especially desert species coming to SW Florida where I lived for so many years). With many species, they have diseases that are peculiar to their genera. I wondered if anyone had had any experiences with Timbers that can't hold down food. (Caging is optimal for this girl -- she came from Horsham, PA area.)
BW -- Where do you live? My Cell # 423-572-0342.