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#1737786
Reptililian Boy
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Another Ribbon Snake problem 
Ok well I have had my ribbon snake for about 3 quarters of a year now and he was a very cool snake until now. Since he’s not supposed to eat Goldfish which is his diet, I have tried to feed pinkies and he has been successful. Recently we have had a heatwave and now he has a respitory infection and a nasty aggressive attitude. He bit me and I drew blood for like 20 minutes. When I wanted a snake I asked reptic zone and EBV for advice and Ribbon/Garter Snakes were the top. Now he is eating unhealthy Goldfish, has a RI, and is rather dangerous to me...I stopped my wanting to give him to a reponsible owner a while ago, but now it might be a good choice to help him. I caught a Cali Kingsnake in a very residential area and he was clearly hungry and in a place where he probably would be killed. Many others on the Kingsnake forum told me it was ok to catch it, but unless you fed it, it should be let go. Well he’s eaten two hoppers in a few days and he looks happy and healthy. He is no problem and the most docile animal I have seen. For the wellfare of my Ribbon snake, I truly feel he would be better off with someone else. Please post your comment, and I really care about him so don’t think I’m TRYING to get rid of him for my own benefit. He doesn’t deserve that at all. I know you guys might think I’m lying but I just wanted to ask what you think. Please give tips or info on what to do... I want to go to a Reptile vet, but maybe someone else would like to take over from where I’m at. Thank you guys a load, Alec
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05/16/08 09:30pm
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#1737880
Reptililian Boy
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Message To: Reptililian Boy In reference to Message Id: 1737786
Another Ribbon Snake problem
Sorry I kinda freaked out. Well I have a spare 10 gallon and I need a secure top so I’ll go buy one and I’ll try and solve his RI. Higher humidity and what else? On the pinkies, they cost so much, could he eat a rat pinkie? Approx how long do they last as food? My kingsnake can eat hoppers and they last for a week, hopefully the same? I’m just so stressed over him that I jumped to conclusions so try and bare with me. He is still vicious and mean but maybe it’s like hormonal (speed spelling). If he continues this behavior than he might have to go since I am scared as $%&* over that. It feels like sand paper but it went deep!! He missed a rather large vein but I’m ok. EBV shgould be able to help me. Sorry again I flipped out...
Alec
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05/16/08 10:41pm
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#1737921
Scaly
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Message To: Reptililian Boy In reference to Message Id: 1737880
 Another Ribbon Snake problem
Alec, if you think your bite from that tiny little ribbon hurt , what do you think a bite from a wild caught king will feel like? How big is this king? You need to take your ribbon to the vet. Are you for sure he has r.i.? They usually wont eat with r.i., is he making a popping clicking noise when he breathes, or is there any mucous coming from his nostrils? You need to bump up his temps that helps sometimes. You don’t have to feed him pinkies every time, you can feed the ribbon a pinkie once a month, and go with worms(mine loves night crawlers from the bail shop) or you can feed him guppies(no thiamine), you can also dust the worms or fish with calcium powder every other feeding instead of feeding pinkies. The thiamine in goldfish causes vitamin deficiency, calcium helps their body to absorb the vitamin b better. Please don’t just let a sick snake go, he will die. I see you live in cal. look up swhs.com that is the Southwestern Herpetologist Society, there are many chapters in cal, I belong to the Al Robbins chapter, they might take your snake, and nurse him back to health. Also, I hope you have that king snake in a total different room as the ribbon, respiratory infections are very contagious.
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05/16/08 11:38pm
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#1738242
Reptililian Boy
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Message To: Scaly In reference to Message Id: 1737921
Another Ribbon Snake problem
I wouldn’t let him go...why does everbody think that? To be clear, I would probably have a someone from EBV try and take him. It didn’t hurt...if you read my post I said I barely felt it...Yes he has an RI because I have had snake before where he died right after it. Actually, he died from the Reptibark in his throat; should I use Care Fresh from now on? Also, my Ribbon won’t eat worms for some reason, any other foods? He dosen’t eat dead fish either so dusting them is impossible. Sorry I’ll move the kingsnake...Thanks a bunch, Alec
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05/17/08 01:15pm
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#1739112
Reptililian Boy
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Message To: Reptililian Boy In reference to Message Id: 1738242
Another Ribbon Snake problem
I’m kinda doubting that he has an RI now because before it sounded like it, but now it’s kinda gone an when they breath, it’s kinda like a burst of air right? Thanks, Alec
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05/18/08 01:35pm
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#1739817
Scaly
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Message To: Reptililian Boy In reference to Message Id: 1739112
 Another Ribbon Snake problem
Yes, I did read your post, it does not say you barely felt it, you said it felt like sandpaper, bled for 20 minutes, barely missed a large vein etc. you also said how dangerous and vicious he was to you now. You did make it sound like you were afraid of him now. He has a ridged jaw, no actual big teeth, that king will have quite a wallop if he bites you. R.I. sounds like a popping, clicking, sometimes like a squeaking noise when they exhale. One of my corns just got over r.i., he also didn’t eat for 3 months because of it, it cost me over $300. to have him treated, I didn’t waist any time taking him to the vet, and it still took quite a while for him to fully recover. You can also just add the calcium powder to his water. Good luck
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05/19/08 03:07am
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#1741116
Matt Chandler
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Message To: Scaly In reference to Message Id: 1739817
Another Ribbon Snake problem
What is RI? What does it have to do with the popping , clicking noise when they breath. I caught my garter making that noise and when I got him he had one blocked nostril, but what ever it was came off with the shed. When he breathes his head rises and falls in very small movements, but he eats like a pig, eating anyting from dead and live fish to rats. Do you think anything is wrong here Scaley?
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05/20/08 09:21am
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#1741668
Reptililian Boy
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Message To: Matt Chandler In reference to Message Id: 1741116
Another Ribbon Snake problem
Thanks, I guess I thought that at the time...well he seems ok, but he is still VERY active and is almost difficult to handle...I tried that today and it kinda wiggled around violently (not that rough), but he seems better. He breathes well, but once in awile he’ll kinda push out the air loud enough for me to hear. I haven’t heard him do that since the weekend so hopefully it was a false alarm. It’s hard to imagine my Kingsnake biting me but I guess it’s not impossible! I’ll try calcium powder when the weekend comes...he isn’t really eating right now, but he is pretty stuffed from last weeks schedule. Thanks again Scaly, Alec
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05/20/08 07:54pm
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#1741876
Gottee guy
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Message To: Reptililian Boy In reference to Message Id: 1741668
Another Ribbon Snake problem
RI means respritory infection, infection in the lungs,aveoli and trachea that make it harder than normal to breathe. they make sounds like clicking,popping and whatnot that is pretty obvious if they have it. it can be from bad living conditions like way too much moisture or simply alot of dust.
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05/20/08 10:40pm
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#1742147
Matt Chandler
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Message To: Gottee guy In reference to Message Id: 1741876
Another Ribbon Snake problem
Thanks Guy. He doesnt make the noise like he used to, but he did that sudden burst of air like amphibian is talking about and he did have that blocked nostril til he shed. Whatever it was would not wash out, I tried scraping it out as gentle as I can and no success. It seemed like it was water and scratch proof. Check your snakes nostrils
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05/21/08 09:10am
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#1742805
Reptililian Boy
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Message To: Matt Chandler In reference to Message Id: 1742147
Another Ribbon Snake problem
Do you mean Reptilian Boy? I hate it...anyway, some bad news. The smaller 10 gallon cage I out him in to help get rid of the semi RI has gotten hisnose busted:either from rubbing or he hit something. Jeez I feel bad for him right now. He seems so not himself lately. What should I do? Sudden aggression, a small RI (I think), and now he is unhappy in a 10 gallon? I brought him to EBV one day to check and see what species he/she was (Petco said it was a Canadian Garter), and he was in a real small plastic bin. Big enough for him to stretch from one end to the other. Everyone their said he was healthy, good-looking, and unique. They said he was fine in the bin exept for the no holes part ( iwould open it every 10 minutes) and I was shocked! Keeping him in that would be inhumane I thought. Anyway, he is in the 10 g. now and again he’s very unhappy...maybe he’s stressed? Any ideas on what to do? By the way I live in the same chapter as you (Al Robbins). Thanks again, Alec
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05/21/08 10:14pm
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#1743536
Gottee guy
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Message To: Reptililian Boy In reference to Message Id: 1742805
Another Ribbon Snake problem
put lots of hides in there and aspen bedding. i find that aspen is the least stressful substrate and they love to burrow in it. also put vines and fake plants + rocks and stones stacked up so they also provide shelter but not easily able to fall. make sure it can go into the water bowl and it’s always clean.put lots of fake plants in there so he will be able to explore and not have bare open cage with nothing to do but rub his nose against the glass.
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05/22/08 07:45pm
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#1744346
Reptililian Boy
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Message To: Gottee guy In reference to Message Id: 1743536
Another Ribbon Snake problem
I cnanged him inot the spare 30 gallon I have so I’ll buy some more stuff for that. The blood on his nose was gone and he is shedding so maybe that combined with the stress problem in an extreme case is what is going on. Thanks, Alec
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05/23/08 06:05pm
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