Reticulated With Care

On Monday Dec 12 I picked up a Reticulated python in a raffle. This little guy was so dehydrated and emaciated that he was what looked like beyond saving. Since I took him home I kept full records of what I noticed along with feed, deification, and soaking records.

He was so bad off that he would not even stick out his tongue, or move. I took him home and swabbed his mouth, he was so dehydrated that his lips were stuck together. As soon as I applied water and separated his lips he instantly started licking the air. I soaked him for 40 minutes that night and 20 minutes everyday since. I put him on heat as soon as I could. I tried feeding him every night for 3 days, he would not eat or even smell the mouse so to make sure he was okay I used a pinkie pump with a mixture of vitamins and meat. I used a product called Carnivore Yummies. This was very unorthodox but he was so bad off that he needed something quick.

He has been nothing but a sweet heart, we are really hoping he keeps this personality, he is a great snake. I took pictures along the way. I am so pleased with the results that I want to share them with you.

Monday Dec 12 2005-The night I received him, notice how dry and wrinkled his skin is


Tuesday Dec 13 2005-After being soaked two times now he has already made an incredible improvement.


Wednesday Dec 16 2005-I used the pinkie pump the night before to get some food in him. Notice the difference since day 1!!


Monday Dec 19 2005-you can see how he has taken well to the food and the soaking, he is not skinny.



Tuesday Dec 20 2005-He ate last night a medium size mouse!!! AND defecated a huge healthy turd!! You can see he bulge from the mouse.




I am so happy with his results that I upgraded his home to a bigger one. As time goes on I will continue with pictures and updates on him. We have are fingers crossed that he will continue to increase in health and size.

Thanks for looking

nice work, Michael. but who was raffling off the lil fella?

Pet America in Fullerton, CA. They donated him. When I am truley satisfied with his health and growth I will be sending them pics and info, along with my thoughts on them pawning off a snake in this condition to someone else. I think the little guy is happy I took him.

We have an offical name for him now: Jonesy

If any are curious about the yellow water, well it is not urine. I added a liquid vitamin to his water. I noticed that and thought eeewww!!!

It's amazing what a little knowledge and TLC will do....good for you, Michael!!! He's probably mighty lucky that you got him!

Thank you Cathy!

I love how vibrant his colors have become as he has been feeling better. He is far more alert and active, just loves being out of his cage. To think he could not even use his tongue when I first got him. He is a great little guy, so calm and docile. I was not sure if I would ever take on a retic(we already have a nasty little burm), but now I am happy I have him. He will be great for the reptile educational classes I teach.

Awesome job!
I wouldn't be surprised if it stays mellow for you. I swear retics know more about what is going on then other snakes.
I took in a thin retic with open wounds once and I swear he knew I was helping him. It was the most gentle retic I ever dealt with even when applying meds (I know that must've burned going on the open wounds) and after he got better.
Glad to see he is now in capable hands.
Keep us posted.

For those of you who were not there, Michael could have picked a number of nice healthy animals, one being the emerald tree boa that I wanted soo badly. Michael and his wife Michelle opted to rehab the retic that others would have walked away from!! Merry Christmas to your little guy and his new family!! And welcome to SCHA, we need club members like you!!

Unfortunately I must report some bad news. At 1 am I found Jonesy dead in his water dish. Earlier during the nay I noticed he had dry poop stuck to his cloaca. The humidity was a little low, which I was thinking caused him to not defecate properly. I raised his humidity and found him in his water some hours later. I was even thinking I need to get him to the vet to check him for parasites just in case. This really bums me out, I got attached to this little fella too quickly.

Maybe it is just me, but it seems that the best snakes I have ever owned were the sick ones I have got from pet stores. Which has been the reason I stopped buying pet store reptiles. I have had two others, a dumerils boa, given to me by a pet store with a broken rib, she was so sweet, but could not pass food and died. JCP, great little guy came with respiratory infection, was a baby and his immune system could not handle the sickness and the vet treatments.

Sorry for the sad news. When I have more time I will post another pic I took of him in black and white.

that sucks. Sorry to hear it, Michael

I guess I jumped the gun on his health and started posting these pictures. I think we may get a CBB, as we really enjoyed this guy. We will have to name it Jonesy 2. What I enjoyed was how intently he watch me, he seem to really get a kick out of his surroundings.