Blocked glottis on snake -any advice urgently welcome

Originally Posted by Robert Walker

Side question: are you warming them in hot water, microwaving them a little or are they simply taking them at room temps?

I thaw them in lukewarm water so they are at, or slightly above, room temp (But you have to realise that my room temps are pretty high - often above 80-oF).

(I don't have a microwave - did try it once, and made a HELL of a mass of a rat )

Originally Posted by Robert Walker

Different question: It appears there is some kind of cloth towel in his cage, does that remain in there normally? Do you feed your snakes with the towel in there?

No, the towel was just in there to help with the shed. They live on newspaper, and I feed them in bare floor tubs.

Originally Posted by Helenthereef

made a HELL of a mass of a rat )

Sooooo true. Basically boils their insides, usually blows out their stomach and makes their tails crackle, pop and curl.

You only need to do that once or twice before you realize, "Dang, that wasn't a good idea".

Originally Posted by Helenthereef

No, the towel was just in there to help with the shed. They live on newspaper, and I feed them in bare floor tubs.

Okay, just thought I would ask. I had a Burmese python m-a-n-y moons ago ingest a beach towel from it's cage that got rabbit scent on it.

I know, I know... a learning curve back in the day.

Originally Posted by bcr229

At this point I'd cross my fingers and try the Baytril. If you can get Fortaz/Ceftazidime, that antibiotic in combo with Baytril is very effective on bacterial RI's, if that's what he's got going on.

Melinda, any advice on dosage? he weighs about 3 Kg, and chances are I'd have to give it orally. Thanks

Originally Posted by Robert Walker

Okay, just thought I would ask. I had a Burmese python m-a-n-y moons ago ingest a beach towel from it's cage that got rabbit scent on it.

I know, I know... a learning curve back in the day.

I hope this will turn out to be a future funny story too....

Originally Posted by Helenthereef

Melinda, any advice on dosage? he weighs about 3 Kg, and chances are I'd have to give it orally. Thanks

Unfortunately no as I've always injected it and the vet made up the syringes for me. It does have to be kept frozen until administered.

Originally Posted by bcr229

Unfortunately no as I've always injected it and the vet made up the syringes for me. It does have to be kept frozen until administered.

OK, thanks. I have used Baytril before as a precaution when they had some regurge problems during a heatwave, and I had to crush up tablets and pipette a solution down their throats (they are very used to being handled, and relatively placid, but it was still a saga...).

the strand of mucus would make me suspect an RI which I just find slightly odd since I know they are native there so your temps should be fine but perhaps he has an underlying infection of some sort and it just manifested this way?

He's been resting quietly now for 2 days since the gaping and hissing, so this morning I took him out and made him move around, and he seems fine - except for limited vision because his eyes are still foggy. I opened his mouth and had a quick look inside and while his glottis wasn't visibly open, there was no more mucous or any sign of bubbles etc. He's obviously breathing because, you know, not dead

I'm keeping him in isolation and today will speak to the vet, and see if I can get some antibiotics on hand in case he starts exhibiting symptoms again. However, pushing a pipette of antibiotics down his throat at this point seems like an additional stress I'd like to avoid.

Has anyone ever tried, or even heard of, fogging with disinfectant or steaming with Vapour Rub/ Eucalyptus? I swear there are advocates of this out there on the interwebs, but I don't want to experiment blindly....

I might try feeding him a very small meal (so as not to block his mouth for very long) in a day or so.