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Cazador · 12-20-2006, 12:11 AM

Hey Kitkat,
The first one seems to have a concave belly with ribs showing on both sides. It really looks undernourished, which could be due to the stress-related transfer to a new home, parasites, or even too much handling. Stress (from any of the above) can impair the digestion, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients, even if they're eating. Very young snakes often need a lot of privacy to thrive. If its ventral side is concave, as it appears, the crease is probably due to the folding of its scales. The second one seems to have a similar condition, but not as advanced.

I think the second picture could either show trauma-related scarring, as if the snake got stuck in a tight spot and tried to back out, or it could also be due to undernourishment. Is the scar new, or was it there when you bought the snake? If it's new, take a hard look at any cage accessories that might create a wedge or tight spot where your snakes could get caught. I had an adolescent that got caught between the lip of a 10 gallon aquarium and the hinge of a folding screen lid. It had a similar scar. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture, though.

If they're eating, try feeding them worms (to make them poop more frequently); get some fresh stool samples, and take them to the vet. I don't know if you're shooting the picture through the bottom of a glass table, but if these snakes are lying on their backs for a picture, then they're not in good shape. I'm sorry to say, but they don't look well.

Finally, I'm pretty sure the first one is a male, based on the length of the tail, and the second is a female (for the same reason). The erector muscle on a small, male snake enlarges with age, so it's not a good indicator for such young snakes. A male T.s. concinnus should have about 84-85 subcaudal scales (between vent and tail spike on one side... only count the ones that touch near the middle, not those that don't touch near the vent). Females will have fewer. You could try "popping" or probing them, but not if they're already stressed and undernourished. Wish I could be of more help.

12-20-2006, 12:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
Cazador Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Alaska, USA Posts: 1,608 Country:	Re: Sick concinnus babies... and sexing... Hey Kitkat, The first one seems to have a concave belly with ribs showing on both sides. It really looks undernourished, which could be due to the stress-related transfer to a new home, parasites, or even too much handling. Stress (from any of the above) can impair the digestion, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients, even if they're eating. Very young snakes often need a lot of privacy to thrive. If its ventral side is concave, as it appears, the crease is probably due to the folding of its scales. The second one seems to have a similar condition, but not as advanced. I think the second picture could either show trauma-related scarring, as if the snake got stuck in a tight spot and tried to back out, or it could also be due to undernourishment. Is the scar new, or was it there when you bought the snake? If it's new, take a hard look at any cage accessories that might create a wedge or tight spot where your snakes could get caught. I had an adolescent that got caught between the lip of a 10 gallon aquarium and the hinge of a folding screen lid. It had a similar scar. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture, though. If they're eating, try feeding them worms (to make them poop more frequently); get some fresh stool samples, and take them to the vet. I don't know if you're shooting the picture through the bottom of a glass table, but if these snakes are lying on their backs for a picture, then they're not in good shape. I'm sorry to say, but they don't look well. Finally, I'm pretty sure the first one is a male, based on the length of the tail, and the second is a female (for the same reason). The erector muscle on a small, male snake enlarges with age, so it's not a good indicator for such young snakes. A male T.s. concinnus should have about 84-85 subcaudal scales (between vent and tail spike on one side... only count the ones that touch near the middle, not those that don't touch near the vent). Females will have fewer. You could try "popping" or probing them, but not if they're already stressed and undernourished. Wish I could be of more help.