I was offered a collection from my neighbor. Help?

[jpsteele80]

If you can take them go ahead and grab them, I'm about 200 short at the moment which saddens me but anyone that can get them back up to top notch health I say go for it and keep us posted

[SuperSleuth]

My husband is willing to reconsider the idea after I go look at them today. He'd rather me keep the equipment and 'dump' the snakes but I put my foot down and said hell no. The problem is that the neighbors talked to him last night and told him the snakes all bite and they think they are carrying diseases... But none of the other neighbors have reptiles or reptile experience so I'm sure my husband is overreacting. Honestly I'm not even sure how many diseases snakes can get, especially without dying after not eating for a year. I did go see the snakes when I moved here a few months ago and they seemed visibly okay.

I'll get pictures of everything today... But I wouldn't be able to take them until the 6th. My mother in law is deathly afraid of snakes and is staying with us for a few days and I won't have anywhere else to keep them without putting them in the same room as my boas.

If anything, I'll let you guys know and worst case scenario I'll set it up for someone here to take them. Would anyone be willing to split the collection with me in case I can't handle them all?

[FWK]

Originally Posted by SuperSleuth

My husband is willing to reconsider the idea after I go look at them today. He'd rather me keep the equipment and 'dump' the snakes but I put my foot down and said hell no. The problem is that the neighbors talked to him last night and told him the snakes all bite and they think they are carrying diseases... But none of the other neighbors have reptiles or reptile experience so I'm sure my husband is overreacting. Honestly I'm not even sure how many diseases snakes can get, especially without dying after not eating for a year. I did go see the snakes when I moved here a few months ago and they seemed visibly okay.

I'll get pictures of everything today... But I wouldn't be able to take them until the 6th. My mother in law is deathly afraid of snakes and is staying with us for a few days and I won't have anywhere else to keep them without putting them in the same room as my boas.

If anything, I'll let you guys know and worst case scenario I'll set it up for someone here to take them. Would anyone be willing to split the collection with me in case I can't handle them all?

Definitely. I'll take any of them you don't want to keep and I can make use of the equipment as well. I have a number of colubrids that are rapidly outgrowing their baby tubs and enclosures. I'm building three foot enclosures out of plywood but picking up some extra plastics enclosures would be awesome, save me a lot of time and work. And I can always use more racks. However it wouldn't be worth the drive to me for just a couple snakes and one rack. Especially if the snakes are already in a good home.

In the meantime if you are still considering taking them in use the week and a half you have before you pick them up to research common issues like mouth rot, respiratory infections, skin ailments, parasites, etc. so you know what to look for and how to treat them.

[SuperSleuth]

Yessir I just spent the last half hour looking at illnesses and diseases like IBD. I'm assuming that IBD is the one everyone worries about? I'll try to put my hands on all of them today and see if I find anything wrong with them. If I do take them then I'd probably sell the display tanks, extra racks and maybe the Herpstat. I'd have to see what else he's offering to see whether or not I'd need it or sell it. If you're interested I could also drive and meet you halfway.

[jpsteele80]

Please let me know if you want to sell that herpastat, been wanting one

[FWK]

Awesome! Let us know how they are doing. Take pictures of them if he doesn't mind. No, take pictures anyway. He doesn't have the right to mind, hes made it clear he doesn't care.

[SuperSleuth]

I'm trying to get a game plan together so I can tell my husband how I plan to get them healthy. Bring them home, soak them for a little bit, fix the humidity in their tubs, and feed them in a couple of days? I read somewhere online that gerbils are good idea for picky eaters, is that true? How often should they eat? Weekly? More? Wait before trying to force feed?

[Karighan]

Chicks also work for some picky eaters.

[FWK]

Depends a lot on their current condition but I'd be willing to bet they are dehydrated and that's the first thing I'd address. Get their tubs set up properly with a water bowl large enough for them to soak in and leave them alone for a day or two. I took in a Boa a while back that very nearly doubled in weight literally overnight just by leaving her alone so she could re-hydrate herself. Once they are properly hydrated any stuck shed will be much easier to deal with. I wouldn't worry to much with small bits of stuck shed initially but check their eyes carefully for retained eye caps and look for any stuck shed that wraps all the way around that could cause a restriction in blood flow. The first snake I took in was a Ball Python and she had been retaining eye caps for so long her eyes were damaged. They cleared up pretty well after a few good sheds but I don't think they will ever be perfect.

As for feeding again let them settle in a bit. Make sure they have good hides, Balls are naturally very shy and may refuse to eat if they do not feel safe. I would offer whatever your neighbor says he fed them in the past. Offer food just after dark, Balls are nocturnal and tend to be much more receptive at night. Turn a light on in the next room so you have just enough light to see. Pre-scenting can help a lot, while I have the rodent thawing I'll take the hemostats I feed with and dip them in the water then stick it in the tubs vent holes. Another thing I find helpful is to offer the rodents very warm to the touch. Pythons have heat sensing pits and a warm rodent really gets their attention. I just use warm tap water to warm the rodents. If they are still hesitant try braining the rodent. It's a little gross but can really pay off. Just use a sharp knife to split the rodents skull and expose brain matter. I have yet to meet a snake that could resist a brained mouse or rat. If they don't eat the first time give it a week and try again. Be patient, as long as they are not loosing weight you are alright. I feed on the same night every week. Pythons tend to like relatively large meal. A food item that is one to one and a half times as big around as the snake at its thickest point is a good rule of thumb. Adults can be fed once every two weeks. Be patent and persistent, they want to eat. They just need some things more than food, like water and security. They will come around.

[jpsteele80]

Originally Posted by SuperSleuth

I'm trying to get a game plan together so I can tell my husband how I plan to get them healthy. Bring them home, soak them for a little bit, fix the humidity in their tubs, and feed them in a couple of days? I read somewhere online that gerbils are good idea for picky eaters, is that true? How often should they eat? Weekly? More? Wait before trying to force feed?

I wouldn't be worried about how often to feed them, I would just be worried about getting them to eat at all, especially the one that hasn't eatin in almost a year, if you can get him to eat start him out slow, that digestive track hasn't had to work for a long time

[jpsteele80]

Also just to get things jump started see if you can find someone that has some ASF rats, they might be more inclined to take one of those

[SuperSleuth]

I just walked over to look at them and didn't get to. He said he still hasn't checked on them and after he did he would get back to me later this week Not the news I wanted to hear... My husband is now very leery of the deal and wants to back out.

[jpsteele80]

That would make me leary as well to go over and check on them and you can't, what is he hiding? Does he want money first and then you get to see what you get? Something doesn't sound right

[SuperSleuth]

No, he hasn't asked for the money up front. I'm sure if any were dead that they would have a smell right? When's the last time they had water?

[FWK]

Ugg really hating this dude. He's probably embarrassed with how badly he's neglected them and wants to clean up a bit before you see them.