FaunaClassifieds - View Single Post - Vitamin supplements and forcefeeding snakes
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Old 08-07-2018, 10:42 PM   #4
Helenthereef
Here are some more tips on this topic - garnered from suggestions and advice given to me by other Fauna members (thanks again all! )

When tube-feeding snakes:
Just before you insert the tube (catheter) into the snake, make sure the tubing is filled with the liquid all the way to the tip (ready to drip)- you want to avoid putting air bubbles into the snake, that won't help them digest.

Its best for the snake to be lying flat when you tube-feed, with a towel they can lay on. That way drips are easy to clean up, but be sure to keep their body level with their head elevated as you put them back into their own enclosure.

Never force the tubing: a snake will resist, of course, & occasionally their teeth can catch on the tubing, but otherwise the tubing should slide in easily; be gentle & when you feel the tubing stop, don't push any more (you're at the top of the stomach, where you need to be)...just dispense the liquid food fairly quickly, slide the tubing back out and let the snake rest. Some will open their mouth to try to regurgitate, because pulling the tube out just feels weird...massage their neck gently, & they usually relax & keep it all down.

Foods to try apart from egg:
Gerbers (baby food) "2nd foods- Chicken & gravy" - very easy for a snake to digest & doesn't have sugar in it: it's nothing but ground chicken, water, & corn starch. To tube feed, you have to add enough water so it goes thru the tubing easily. You can add a drop of olive oil in the liquid too, to make it "slippery", and add dissolved vitamins, minerals or meds as needed.

What NOT to feed to snakes:
Nutrical is a high calorie supplement paste designed for dogs/cat. The main ingredient is corn syrup, so it's relatively high in carbs compared to fats and proteins: not appropriate for a snake.
For the same reason don't use any old baby food - a lot if it is very high in carbs. Make sure you stick to the Chicken and Gravy described above.

Other supplements:
After a long course of antibiotics it may be necessary to replace gut bacteria to kick start digestion. Nutribac powder can be added to the food mix. There doesn't seem to be a critical dose, it's really meant to be added as a dry "dust" to food items. If adding to liquid food, it tends to "cake" and needs some vigorous whisking to get to dissolve. I added about 1/4 teaspoon to my 50 ml egg mix. https://beanfarm.com/products/nutrib...nt=24905368073
Ingredients list - Maltodextrin, Bacilus subtilis, Aspergillus oryze, Bacillis amyloliquefaciens, Enterococcus facieum, Lactobacillus casei, L.acidophilus

A lack of calcium can cause muscle weakness and other issues, liquid calcium supplement can be added to the water bowl or to the liquid food mix (see link in first post).