Dehydrated snake..

[snipstedy]

I got in this morning and she seems to be doing much better. She was out to get some heat and sort of bask looking up at the light outside of her hide. I have about a 50gl tank with a mini heat pad and 150 watt emitter so I put the soak container in the tank on top the pad so the water will stay somewhat warm she's been in for an hour. When first in, she started drinking alot( I clean her dishes daily I dont know why, if she is thirsty , she doesn't drink from them). She has been in soaking for an hour, Its not very deep and I put a small plastic hide so she can rest her head on. She absolutely hates soaking It almost seems more stressful for her than forcing liquids orally but she is going to have to get used to it for a while b/c she still has a good bit of recovery to do. Her slither is still not really smooth its like she is rusty in places(if you will). I need to get her to a point where she will eat on her own. Its been about a month since she ate aside from forcing her some ensure yesterday.

Steve,
You kept yours in for 5 hours, would you keep one in for that long even if they completely hate it? I don't know if mine can even go 2 hours?

[snipstedy]

I took her out b/c the water got cold I'm going to arrange it so that the heat pad is directly under the tub without substrate in the way. She was in for over an hour. I guess I'll let her soak once a day.

[Albert Clark]

Well just be sure not to overdo it. Remember garters for the most part are not aquatic. You don't want to end up with a blister disease. One hour is too long and once a day is too much. Remember also reptiles heal slowly and recover even slower. Good luck. Imo, twice a week is enough until you see her improving and back on feed.

[snipstedy]

Thanks for the info,
I had a newt that escaped when I was 12 but thats about it , so this is really like the first reptile I've owned. As she seems better than she was (which IMO was near death, so not saying much) she has dropped some weight. I'm glad she was a little on the thick side before this whole thing started a month ago, I just left her some tilapia 30 min ago and she is now a few inches away just staring at it(kinda glad about that, she may eat tomorrow). I know about the minnows (B1 defficiency) but is there any alternative to live food? I could try worms but when she was tiny I could never get her to eat one. I don't think T. sauritus really even eat them at all.

[snipstedy]

Its seems that soaking aside from forcing orally using a plastic syringe (which I don't want to do again even though she drank) is the only way she will drink. I've caught her with her head near the dish but hard to tell.

[d_virginiana]

Will she drink if you lift her head and dip her chin in the water? I've had several that will do that when they were ill, and I have a blind one that I regularly do that to get him to drink. It may not work but it might be worth a shot.

[Albert Clark]

Thanks for the info,
I had a newt that escaped when I was 12 but thats about it , so this is really like the first reptile I've owned. As she seems better than she was (which IMO was near death, so not saying much) she has dropped some weight. I'm glad she was a little on the thick side before this whole thing started a month ago, I just left her some tilapia 30 min ago and she is now a few inches away just staring at it(kinda glad about that, she may eat tomorrow). I know about the minnows (B1 defficiency) but is there any alternative to live food? I could try worms but when she was tiny I could never get her to eat one. I don't think T. sauritus really even eat them at all.

Yeah, idk if t.sauritus will take worms either. Dr. Alan Francis has a homemade salmon and tilapia recipe on his page if you want to experiment with that as a option. Bait stores sell smelt. Pinkies are good alternative. Don't overdo the soaks though. Good luck.

[snipstedy]

I'll have to look into that recipe thanks. She usually eats tilapia right away when she eats. I've seen recently that their system turns off the appetite when dehydrated as a protection from digestion problems due to the deydration.
I turned the emitter on as low as possible last night and this morning she was in the center of the warm side of the tank all drained out from the emitter. I'm not using the emitter till next winter. She's got belly heat and fixing to have a heat bulb.
I spray her and she drinks like she has never drank before and tries to get the water drips as it forms underneath her into the gravel. Im going to get some mini dishes and put them in her hide so when I lift her hide to spray her hopefully she will go to the dish.
I did a quick soak 10 min. warm water and couldnt tell if she drank b/c I had to put the lid on so she wouldn't climb out.I wont soak again till thurs.

[joeysgreen]

When it comes to hydration, don't force it. Offer them options (clean water available for swimming/drinking, a humid hide, misting as needed). If they are eating on their own then they are doing well. Additional water can be offered by injecting it into prey items, but the main concern is assuring that there are no additional losses (cage too dry, no water access, polyuria, diarrhea or regurgitation). If your snake is not eating, and is dehydrated, then rehydration needs to occur parentally; which needs veterinary help to do so safely and adequately.

Ian

[snipstedy]

I've supplied all the options. Now the best thing is to use the mister evrynow and then and the squirt bottle. today she is drinking a good bit from the bottle and is slowly progressing. Some good signs with normal behavior. The bottle seems the best cause I cant turn the emitter on at all because it apparantly dries the tank and her rapidly (only belly heat)She doesnt like getting wet b/c the warm water from the sprayer turns cold(same with soaking her which I'm not doing for a while).The bottle only drops on her head and she seems to like it and drink gulps for a long time.It is much warmer here anyway. Just bought some really fresh tilapia (her favorite thing to eat) but she just stares at it. I want to try worms .I have pinkies but she hardly eats them anyway.