Sick, fat, smelly garter snake, advice??

[ZeroVampyr]

Hey, I've been looking around on the internet to see if I could find any information that might help to explain what might be wrong with one of our garter snakes.

We've had them for a while and they are very well cared for, but lately one of them has gotten extremely fat and has become lethargic and smelly.

We thought at first that the snake might be pregnant as one of our other snakes has babies a couple of months back, but this seems a lot different. The snake is fat all the way down to about a couple of inches of the end of its tail, where it looks "normal" size there after.

The snake is crusty where it shouldn't be and the shedding process is taking a lot longer than it would normally be expected.

The snake is more "dosile" and lethargic than usual and the smell is noticeably bad.

Our snake, is most likely sick, we think, but with what, we're not sure.

I've taken a few pictures and wondered if anyone here might have an idea as to what might be wrong with it. We love these guys and don't want them to die on us and intend to see proper veterinary care for the one that looks sickly ASAP.

Here are some pictures we've taken today:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/ZeroVampyr/PA131869.jpg?t=1255470663

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/ZeroVampyr/PA131870.jpg?t=1255470715

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/ZeroVampyr/PA131871.jpg?t=1255470740

Thank you in advance.

xx

[adamanteus]

Looks like an impaction in the gut/cloaca. Best to get to the vet ASAP, but in the meantime try getting the snake to swim in a luke warm bath, the swimming motion might encourage some faecal matter to be passed. It might also clear any dried matter from around the cloaca that might be hindering the passage of waste.

[gregmonsta]

That snake is seriously overweight or impacted - a blockage in the intestinal tract. The bad smell will be from the rotting food in her system and the lethargy a result of septicemia caused by the problem. This snake needs vet attention asap!

Edit - good advice from James ;)

[adamanteus]

That snake is seriously overweight


Actually, I think this snake (apart from the obvious swelling/bloating) is rather underweight. If you look at the tail and the neck area... see what I mean?

[gregmonsta]

Actually, I think this snake (apart from the obvious swelling/bloating) is rather underweight. If you look at the tail and the neck area... see what I mean?

:rolleyes: I do now, brain not fully engaged ... the swelling of the abdomen had me shocked. It looks just like a badly overweight corn I saw a while back. :o My bad, I'm still recovering from my marathon journey.

[guidofatherof5]

A reptile Vet. ASAP is needed. Your snake is in our prayers. Please keep us advised on her condition.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

That looks really bad. Definitely appears to be a SERIOUS blockage of some sort and it probably smells because of infection. It looks like it has built up for quite a while. The snake is definitely not overweight, it's underweight most likely simply because it is unable to eat/digest food. I would get this snake RUSHED to the vet or you are going to lose her:(! I hope things work out for you! Keep us updated. And welcome to the forum! Sorry you had to come here on such a bad note!

[Stefan-A]

Vet or euthanasia.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Vet or euthanasia.

was going to suggest that... it looks like it's too far gone :(

[charles parenteau]

Absces ,nothing to do with it Im sorry !

[jitami]

Yikes... poor thing... please do keep us updated on her condition. I'd love to hear what the vet says if you end up taking her in. Good luck...

[ConcinusMan]

Doesn't look good at all. Too far gone I would say, but can't hurt to try.

[mustang]

go to a vet ...there may still be hope

[ZeroVampyr]

Hey guys, thank you so much for all of the quick responses, we didn't make it to the vet, she died just a little while after i'd written that post. We were gutted. We've kept snakes for a very long time and nothing like this has ever happened before and feel aweful about it. our surviving little guy is still going strong and we're keeping an eye on him, with a heavy lesson learned.

[adamanteus]

You're welcome, Lisa. Sorry it turned out that way. I hope you'll stick around our group and share your experiences/knowledge with is.

[guidofatherof5]

Lisa,
I'm very sorry to hear about your snake's passing. It's always a hard thing since that connection they make with us is so strong.
It's the lessons we learn that help us do a better job with their needs. After a long time of keeping Garters I'm still learning from them.
Once again, sorry for your loss.

[Mommy2many]

Sorry to hear of your loss. Thoughts are with you.

[GarterGeek]

Sorry for your loss. :(

[CRIKEY!]

My sincerest condolences to you and your family. :(

[mustang]

im sorry to hear that, my condolences

[ConcinusMan]

:( Sorry for the loss.

I'm sorry whenever a snake dies a (likely) preventable death in captivity.

Still puzzled over the OP's statement "Our snake, is most likely sick, we think, but with what, we're not sure." That concerns me. As if the bloated belly and signs of starvation (loose, folded skin) weren't enough? That snake was either emaciated before the impaction occurred, or has been sick a very long time and yet nobody noticed before now? Surely signs were there long before the snake starved and nearly exploded. Early enough to prevent the death.

Really? not sure? That statement, along with the choice of substrate in the enclosure makes me wonder how many other things you're not "not sure" of. Looks like corncob bedding which, in spite of what the package says, is NOT digestible and is infamous for causing impaction. You may get away with using it (not the best choice) without problems but surely you wouldn't feed them with that stuff around, would you? Did you?

[Quibble]

I came accross this page, and this section seems to correlate with what your snake had. It is about boas though, but it still may clear up some questions.

"Amoebiasis
By the time amoebiasis can be diagnosed, it is usually too late to save the individual. The rear half of an infected animal's body may swell greatly, movement becomes difficult, a hard plug may form in the colon anterior to the cloaca, anorexia develops, and the snake can only pass blood-tinged mucus. The snake generally can only drag the rear half of its body around. After diagnosis, animals usually die a few days later from gastrointestinal enteritis and liver abscesses. Infected individuals should be isolated immediately, preferably to a different room. The cage must be disinfected thoroughly. Since the pathogen, Entamoeba invadens, occurs in a cyst form, it is extremely infectious and can be transported in bedding or on the hands. Amoebiasis is the worst infectious disease of herpetological collections (Donaldson et al. 1975, Bihn and Napolitano 1980)."

Snake care (http://www.tyesssboas.com/BoaHealthCare.htm)

[confused]

My iguana died of what seems to be the same thing. We may have induced it by feeding her poorly (this was 20 years ago, we grew hibuscus and fed it veggies and cat food, the cat food was probably bad), I kind of suspected gout, but that description above me is dead on what my iguana had.

It happened pretty fast. Maybe 3 days to fully swell if I remember right. Few people take care of reptiles properly, it's tough to say or judge. Lot of bad info out there.

[ConcinusMan]

All the more reason for concern. I hope the OP has read this and understands the implications to other possible garters in the house, and any future garters. TKS quibble, for the input.