Hi all,
We are baby-sitting a 4-month-ish old Grey Rat snake for a time, but she doesn't want to eat and on monday we got someone to come and take a look. He injected her with something that he says is like a boost cocktail with some anti-biotics and an appetite enhancers etc.in it. Well, she still isn't eating. We noticed a sudden increase in girth about 4cm behind her neck and I think it's an impacted digestive tract, but so close to her neck? If we put her in lukewarm water, she just lies still and when she tries to swim, she struggles, because of the buoyancy of that swollen strech, it pushes her neck under and she struggles to keep her head above water.
Oh, the reptile guy also suggested a little castor oil to remove the blockage..? Is that safe for snakes?
Also, the guy we rescued her from, tried to feed her way-too-big rat pinks (He 'graciously' provided one in a cigarette box when we went to fetch her)
and that one was almost three times her head's girth! He said she ate the last time, but the time before that she regurged. He also took her home for the sep holidays and after that she has not eaten. We also refurnished her home and gave her a hide to crawl in. She looks 100% healthy, exept for the swollen part.
O yes, and her tongue looks weird to me. My husband says it's normal, but I don't know.. It doesn't flick up and down when she flicks it ou and also looks to me like it doesn't fork..?
Does anyone have any ideas concerning her lack of appetite and swollen body?
I'm really falling in love with her and would hate to see her suffer!