Lamprophis fuscus with broken back...

Lamprophis fuscus with broken back...

Postby Jamster » Mon Oct 29, 2012 3:11 pm

Hey guys,

I have been working for a friend of mine for a few years now in the line of conservation. We reecently did a search and rescue efffort in an area to be bulldozed and built up. We got +- 40 snakes in 2 weeks, all common stuff.

Now the bulldozers have arrived and many more snakes are popping out from underground. Specifically the Yellow bellied house snakes(Lamprophis fuscus), and they are monsters! Three dead, all about 50-60cms...

Now we have got the first live one. His back is broken 2/3rds of the way down, not badly but it is noticeable. He is close to 50cms and about as thick as my pinky. He seems to be in no discomfort and is active. Yesterday I brought him home and set him up in a 40cm x 20cm container with moist vermiculite and a sheet of slate rock as a hide which he curls up under. He has also got some heat from a small area of heating pad under the tub. I checked on him this morning before university and he has regained some movement in his tail and is quite the vocalist with nice loud hisses and jerky movements. Am going to get some sphaugum moss this week for him and try with a newborn pink next week. He will be re released with the other snakes after the developement has taken place, that is if he regains full mobility in the lower half of his body.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated and I will post pics during this week :)
1.0-reticulated python (Ripcord)
1.1-burmese pythons
5.5-brown house snakes
1.0-taiwanese ratsnake
3.8-BCI
1.1-corn snakes
1.2-rhombic skaapstekers
1.0-yellow rat snake
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Re: Lamprophis fuscus with broken back...

Postby Bushviper » Mon Oct 29, 2012 7:52 pm

I have never heard of a fuscus that ate a pink. I hope you are preserving the dead specimens!
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Re: Lamprophis fuscus with broken back...

Postby Fooble » Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:12 am

I would rather offer a gecko Pachydactulys sp or an Afrogecko.
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Re: Lamprophis fuscus with broken back...

Postby Jamster » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:12 pm

Viperhunter here on sareps gets them straight on to pinks to the best of my knowlegde but I am going to try a few food items. They do eat the dwarf shrews that the share termite mounds with. Iam going to try Lygos, Pachys, small red sided skinks, maybe a couple common stream or river frogs and lastly a tiny pink.

As promised some pics...took him out to clean the tub a bit and change water..

IMG_20121031_095408.jpg


IMG_20121031_095454.jpg


IMG_20121031_095454.jpg
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1.0-reticulated python (Ripcord)
1.1-burmese pythons
5.5-brown house snakes
1.0-taiwanese ratsnake
3.8-BCI
1.1-corn snakes
1.2-rhombic skaapstekers
1.0-yellow rat snake
User avatar
Jamster
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 1215
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 4:52 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth

Re: Lamprophis fuscus with broken back...

Postby Jamster » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:14 pm

Here is the break, subtle but definately broken..

IMG_20121031_095616.jpg


He is doing well so far, so I am happy :)
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1.0-reticulated python (Ripcord)
1.1-burmese pythons
5.5-brown house snakes
1.0-taiwanese ratsnake
3.8-BCI
1.1-corn snakes
1.2-rhombic skaapstekers
1.0-yellow rat snake
User avatar
Jamster
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 1215
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 4:52 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth

Re: Lamprophis fuscus with broken back...

Postby Fooble » Wed Oct 31, 2012 2:46 pm

The pinks he reffered to were from African pigmy mice, these are about half the size of day old pinks. I'd be surprised if it took anything but Lygodactylus would be a good bet.
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Re: Lamprophis fuscus with broken back...

Postby Jamster » Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:56 am

Thanx fooble ;)
1.0-reticulated python (Ripcord)
1.1-burmese pythons
5.5-brown house snakes
1.0-taiwanese ratsnake
3.8-BCI
1.1-corn snakes
1.2-rhombic skaapstekers
1.0-yellow rat snake
User avatar
Jamster
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 1215
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 4:52 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth

Re: Lamprophis fuscus with broken back...

Postby Bushviper » Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:04 pm

That break does not look bad to me. I have seen far worse and the snakes have recovered easily. I am sure this one will do well if you release him.
It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

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Re: Lamprophis fuscus with broken back...

Postby Jamster » Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:17 pm

Thats just it. The animals will be released AFTER the developement. The main thing Im worried about is that they are a burrowing species mainly in termite mounds. He can wriggle the front half the the body but cannot utilise the rear half. He will be released regardless when the time comes.
1.0-reticulated python (Ripcord)
1.1-burmese pythons
5.5-brown house snakes
1.0-taiwanese ratsnake
3.8-BCI
1.1-corn snakes
1.2-rhombic skaapstekers
1.0-yellow rat snake
User avatar
Jamster
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 1215
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 4:52 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth


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