Has anyone used Liquid Paraffin in snakes?

[Helenthereef]

Poo party!

 

[snowgyre]

Yeah! Thanks for the updates Helen, I'm glad he was able to pass that problem!

 

[Helenthereef]

I've learned a lot from this snake... He seems to be running the gamut of problems, but I'm very happy this drama at least seems to be over.

 

[Helenthereef]

Just back from the vets. X ray is clear except for a small amount of what might be residual faeces or possibly inflammation from the constipation.

Either way we think the fish oil (plus more bathing and massage) did the trick.

I'm going to try giving him 2 more chicken hearts with fish oil capsules today to try and make the next defecation easy, and if he keeps taking hearts, graduate to hearts packed with Herp-a-Vite for a while to get some vitamins and minerals into him while sticking to soft food for a while. before trying a whole animal.

Happy day!

 

[Helenthereef]

Look, no bumps!

 

[hotlips]

Wow, you did great work on this snake. Thanks for sharing too. (I haven't been around this forum in a while.)

 

[Helenthereef]

Thanks for your comment, it's prompted me to update in case anyone's still watching...

I last posted in April, when he started eating and passed the blockage. Over the next 2 months he continued to take very small meals, and no more lumps formed. However, my male snakes bruminate for about 4 months over the southern hemisphere winter, between June and October, so he went off feed again with the others. During their winter "fast" I offer food about once a month, but I don't push it if they reject it.

I figured it was best to just let him do what comes naturally, and that not eating at all would give time for any healing to take place before I tried any larger food animals. It's now warning up again, so 5 days ago I offered food and he ate VERY eagerly, a week-old chick and a small chicken wing.

So, he's definitely back on the food train, now I'm just waiting with baited breath for confirmation that his system is working properly - checking for poo on almost an hourly basis at present!

 

[hotlips]

Well, that's sounds like he's back on the right track now, his appetite is a very good sign anyway- I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything's working again, as far as his GI tract. You deserve a break, & no one should be THAT eager for excrement! LOL

 

[hotlips]

By the way, I had NO idea that "liquid paraffin" was the same as mineral oil- so thanks for sharing the education. I once had to give mineral oil to a totally blocked up bearded dragon that I took in (the owners were just going to dump him outside on his own to die) and it worked like a charm for him as well- he expelled all the undigestible wood shavings & large cricket legs that had been blocking him up, & he got back to eating & growing again- it was just so amazing to see such a recovery- especially when I feared he was a lost cause- he was so sick & miserable- straining to defecate with nothing coming out, & a very distended mid-body, but skinny legs from lack of nutrition for so long. Again, congrats on your success with this snake. I'm sure he feels SO much better now.

 

[Helenthereef]

Thanks for that, it's always great to hear others' experiences and suggestions. My snake is certainly more mobile now - when he had the lump he just sat around looking miserable.

 

[hotlips]

I'm sure he must have felt terrible. What a relief now.

 

[Helenthereef]

So just for anyone coming along on this a bit later on....

Final finding is that capsules of fish oil intended for human consumption can be used safely and effectively in snakes.

One capsule pushed into the mouth and down the throat of a dead prey animal seemed to ease defecation in a constipated 3 Kg boa.