Injured Eye T.radix Female

[guidofatherof5]

As we returned from church this morning Gabby spotted this very nice dark phase T.radix (Plains garter) female. I have been looking for a nice dark phase female. I have a couple nice males but have lacked a female until now.
The only problem is she has a injured/infected eye. I'm really not sure what is going on with this eye.
I'm going to give he a good soak in a shed box and see if some of this is a retained shed. In the second photo I pointed out what appears to be retained shed.
She musked me and is doing a lot of tongue flicking but isn't as active as I though she should be. She's in quarantine until something can be done about this eye. I certainly don't want an infection spread to the rest of my babies. I hope someday to have her in a breeding project.
Any input would be great.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/injured_eye.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/injured_eye1.jpg

[Invisible Snake]

If it is a retained eye cap shed, this link might help..

Alternative eyecap removal - Reptile Forums (http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snakes/363141-alternative-eyecap-removal.html)

[guidofatherof5]

Thanks for the link. Looks like that is a U.K. product.
Still trying to find a U.S. equivalent.

[EasternGirl]

Definitely looks like a retained eye cap...I think if you can get that off of there...she should recover. It looks like you could probably take your fingernail and get it under the part that extends beyond the eyeball...without hurting the eye. Try the shed box first like you said...to loosen things up a bit. Please keep us posted! Btw...my father is an eye doctor...if it looks infected after getting the eye cap off...I would say that your vet should have some eye drops for infection that could be used...if not, call me and I will find out if my father has anything that could be safely used on animals and mail you some.

[guidofatherof5]

Definitely looks like a retained eye cap...I think if you can get that off of there...she should recover. It looks like you could probably take your fingernail and get it under the part that extends beyond the eyeball...without hurting the eye. Try the shed box first like you said...to loosen things up a bit. Please keep us posted! Btw...my father is an eye doctor...if it looks infected after getting the eye cap off...I would say that your vet should have some eye drops for infection that could be used...if not, call me and I will find out if my father has anything that could be safely used on animals and mail you some.

I have Gentamicin drops on hand.

[katach]

Looks like she has part of her nose shed still there too. Hopefully you can get that off in a shed box.

[BUSHSNAKE]

i dought thats a retained eye cap...looks like a secondary infection, she needs a vet check

Happy Fathers Day Steve

[Selkielass]

Try 'refresh' lubricating tears from the over the counter pharmacy section- they are not às gel like as that. Pictured but are a similar product
Honey is also extremely effective for rehydrating dessicated tissues without deepening damage.

[ProXimuS]

I'm not sure if its just retained shed or not, but around the outside of the eye looks kind of "crusty" like maybe the eye has been draining. Which would lead me to think possible infection.

[guidofatherof5]

I'm not sure if its just retained shed or not, but around the outside of the eye looks kind of "crusty" like maybe the eye has been draining. Which would lead me to think possible infection.

Good observation Emily. You are right and wrong as I'm about to post what is really going on. The mystery had been solved.

[guidofatherof5]

I just went down to the snake room to prepare a quarantine tank for this snake. When I was done with that I went to get her.
After picking her up I saw she had shed and the eye was back to almost normal. The eye itself appears normal but I see she is missing 2 postocular scales.
I'm not sure but I believe it is an injury not developmental. I do have a concern about her docileness and lack of wariness with being handled though.
The first photo is the eye after the shed. The second is a different snake to show the missing scales. Third photo is of the shed eye area.
She's in quarantine and I will be doing an evaluation on her over the next few days.
I'll also post a full body shot soon as she's a beautiful snake.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/injured_eye2.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/injured_eye_compare.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/injured_eye3.jpg

[ProXimuS]

Wow that looks a little strange. Really glad to hear it was just shed though. Hope to keep hearing good things about her :)


She kind of reminds me of the Terminator:cool:

5657 Hasta la vista, baby;)

[guidofatherof5]

I think I will name her Sarah C. What do you think Emily?
Just couldn't call her Terminator or Cyborg.:D

[Light of Dae]

Looks like she maybe had an injury that had swelled up n probably killed the scales from lack of blood supply underneath the blister of subcutaneous fluid. That would be my guess as to why those scales came off like that. Reminds me of when I get blisters that I don't pop or drain in time and the skin dries out n becomes a callus, but if the skins peels ... well that is exactly what it looks like to me lol

[guidofatherof5]

The scales were missing before the shed and I think you are right it is some kind of injury.
Looks like damage to the supraocular, frontal and preocular scales.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/injured_eye4.jpg

[ProXimuS]

I think I will name her Sarah C. What do you think Emily?
Just couldn't call her Terminator or Cyborg.:D



I like it ;)

[katach]

I was thinking Scarface. She is very pretty. Let us know how she is doing. Hopefully she will perk up soon.

[chris-uk]

Yarrrr. Canna ye ger her an eyepatch me hearty?

[Selkielass]

So glad things cleared up a bit after a shed.
So I guess she isn't dark phase then? Pretty nonetheless.
Who is the character who speaks of having the scales removed from their eyes and their sight restored? Biblical or Shakespearian perhaps?

ETA: Saul, book of acts originally, but much reused. Thanks Google.
Sara C. Suits her better.

[EasternGirl]

Glad she got that off! Her eye looks so much better...even with the missing scales. She really is a lovely snake! Good thing you found her and took her in to care for her before she ended up blind or very sick from an infection.

[guidofatherof5]

Thanks Marnie but something tells me she would have been just fine without my help.
I'm glad Gabby saw her and I could give her a little shelter, water and food.
She did eat last night and was out exploring this morning.

[ProXimuS]

I was thinking Scarface. She is very pretty. Let us know how she is doing. Hopefully she will perk up soon.

I'm likin scarface too....Just throwing it out there;)

Your call Steve:p

[ProXimuS]

Random thought: Do scales grow back after an injury?

[guidofatherof5]

I have never seen a scale grow back. I think it just becomes a skin scar area.

[kibakiba]

I'm pretty sure if the whole scale isn't removed, it could grow back but only a tiny little bit. Hades had a mising scale on his bottom lip, it looked like it had been cut in half... He's got the scale there now.

[chris-uk]

Random thought: Do scales grow back after an injury?

I'm sure this has come up before, and the answer was no. Andcit may have been Richard that pointed out that field studies used to use scale removal to mark snakes that had been caught.

[guidofatherof5]

Good point Chris.

[Steveo]

It may have been developmental and she may have never had those scales. Hard to say.

[nitrogen15]

Pretty gal. I'm wondering if all of her sheds will look like that, considering the scar.