My No Good Horrible Very Bad Day!

[MoJo]

Yesterday I had the day off as I am lucky enough to have all federal and state holidays off. Unfortunately my day started off needing to take my daughter to the doctor since she had been running a fever all weekend. Sure enough she has strep but hey at least that is treatable and she will be feeling better soon. Later that morning while cleaning the kitchen we noticed one of our outdoor cats limping and sure enough his front paw is swollen. This cat has the worst luck. He is always getting sick but there is no keeping him inside. He just tolerates us and lives for the wild animals that he catches on a regular basis. So off to the vet I go.. and yes Dusty has a fever and an infection in his paw. Oh joy, giving pills to a cat and a kid twice a day....

Then I settle down to finish my snake chores when I realize that the night before I had not properly closed the lid on one of my female ocellatus' cage and she is nowhere. I am so angry at myself. That lid is a very tight fitting lid and I know that occasionally it feels like it is on but it really isn't. Well I guess I was tired since my daughter had been up most of the previous night and I messed up.

I have never posted before when I have done something incredibly dumb, like this, since I have seen many people get flogged but I definitely deserve it if I get it. I must say though that the people on this board are very nice and that is probably why I am posting here. The superstitious part of me hopes that since I am "coming clean" maybe she will show up. So far no luck. Out house is big and we are pack rats so I have little hope. I also fear she followed the radiators and is in the walls or worse burnt. I have snake traps out but I have never heard of success with them...

So remember always double check your lids!

Joanna

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

Oh no. the really pretty female? i sure hope she turns of unscathed

[tikichick]

You sure did have a no good horrible bad day! :(

I hope your daughter and kitty get well soon and your snake gets hungry and you find her sitting on top of her cage ;)

[Stefan-A]

Sorry to hear about your no good horrible very bad day. :( Some days it seems like nothing goes right.

[Snaky]

Man ,your day sucked! Hope your daughter will get well soon and your cat isn't to much of a trouble ( hate it when I have to give mine pills, it's a struggle of life and death ).

Hope you'll find your snake again. You can only try the usual ways and hope it works, or find it by accident. Good luck!

[Sid]

Joanna, so sorry to hear all the bad news. Hope your daughter and the cat are back on their feet real soon and that you find the missing snake.

[drache]

oh Joanna
what a sucky day
your daughter and cat will eventually get well, but losing that snake is a major bummer
don't beat yourself up though - that sort of thing has happened to a number of us
we all have lapses - possibly even James, who is as close to perfect as a human being can hope be
I do hope the snakeling turns up for you

[MoJo]

Thank you everyone! I knew that you guys would be supportive. My daughter and the cat were better within 24 hours. I knew that. What truly upset me the most was the snake and because it was clearly my negligence. But Paul (hubby) just called and she is FOUND! The cats were hovering and he looked and there she was! He said on quick glance she looked fine but he was none too happy since she musked the heck out of him as he was getting ready to leave the house! I have to make sure she has no burns since she was under the radiator. I am at work so this will have to wait until tonight.

Thanks again for the support and the good luck! I think I need to be superstitious more often!

Joanna

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

thats great news :) thats how ive found many of my snakes my cat corners them

Thank you everyone! I knew that you guys would be supportive. My daughter and the cat were better within 24 hours. I knew that. What truly upset me the most was the snake and because it was clearly my negligence. But Paul (hubby) just called and she is FOUND! The cats were hovering and he looked and there she was! He said on quick glance she looked fine but he was none too happy since she musked the heck out of him as he was getting ready to leave the house! I have to make sure she has no burns since she was under the radiator. I am at work so this will have to wait until tonight.

Thanks again for the support and the good luck! I think I need to be superstitious more often!

Joanna

[drache]

whew!
I'm so glad she turned up
today's a much better day, right?

[GarterGuy]

Good to hear that everything from your bad day actually worked out ok. I think all of us here have been guilty of doing something stupid, so don't be afraid of admitting it. Very happy this bad day has a happy ending.

[MoJo]

today's a much better day, right?

The funniest part of that is that last night one of my corns that I bought as an adult began laying eggs! I had an inkling that she might but it had been over 2 weeks since her last shed so I was beginning to think I was wrong. I had not bred her and as far as I know she has not been bred since 06! Well this morning I found 20 eggs half of which might be viable.

So what started out as a no good terrible week is turning out wonderfully. Now I just have to make it through my dentist appt this afternoon! :rolleyes:

[Snaky]

Just great that everything works out like that! :)

[adamanteus]

I'm so pleased to hear that your week has turned around in such a remarkable manner! I got to read this whole thread in one go.... bit of a roller-coaster ride!
I understand your reluctance to 'come clean', but you will never get flogged on this forum for making a simple mistake that any one of could make at any moment, but it does look as though your superstition paid off, doesn't it?

[adamanteus]

We all have lapses - possibly even James, who is as close to perfect as a human being can hope to be.

See, this is the kind of accurate, informative and even-handed post we need on this forum. You could all learn much from this.:D:rolleyes:

[tikichick]

YAY! I'm so happy she's found! And corn eggs to boot! :)

[Lori P]

Oh YES I'm so glad to read you found her!!!! See, all that good karma on this forum paid off. LOL

I do hope kitty and daughter get well soon, too. I'm sure you've seen this before, but it's always a good reminder on how to pill your cat:


How To Give A Cat A Pill


If you have ever tried to give a cat a pill, you know how difficult it is. The following instructions are fool proof!



1. Pick up the cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.


2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from under chair. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.


3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.


4. Take a new pill from foil wrap. Cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.


5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse in from garden.


6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between the knees. Holding front and rear paws, ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold cat's head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.


7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make a note to buy a new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines from hearth and set aside for gluing later.


8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with it's head just visible from beneath spouse's armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force cat's mouth open with pencil and blow down straw.


9. Check label to make sure that pill is not harmful to humans. Drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply band-aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.


10.Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with spoon, flick pill down throat with elastic band.


11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for last tetanus shot. Throw t-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.


12. Call the fire department to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.


13. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining room table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from garage. Force cat's mouth open with small trowel. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour 1/2 pint of water down throat to wash pill down.


14. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room. Sit quietly while doctor stitches finger and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Stop by furniture store on the way home to order a new table.


15. Arrange for vet to make housecalls.

[Stefan-A]

:D A true classic.

[adamanteus]

That's excellent, Lori.... and so true!:D

[MoJo]

Well we are all crying we were laughing so hard! I have seen another version of that jokes that included how to give a dog a pill: Put the pill in a piece of meat!

Back to my lost and found snake Tiger. She does not appear to have any burns but unfortunately somewhere on her travels she managed to get a good sized wound and she has an area of exposed muscle the skin has been completely torn off. I put bacitracin on it and will try and keep it as clean as possible. I hope it can heal up. The wound is about 2 x 4 mm. :(

If anybody has any other suggestions for her it would be appreciated.

Joanna

[Lori P]

I haven't had any experience with wounds (yet) but would think keep her nice and warm, very quiet, and watch for infection. I'm sure others here will have good advice for you. Good luck!! :-)

[drache]

I think the bacitracin will do the trick, since it doesn't sound like a deep wound
as long as it doesn't get infected, it'll heal on it's own

the cat-pill thing is so right on
we resorted to triple fish flavoured liquid medicine with the cat we had that was like that
our current cats will take huge pills as long as they're flavoured with salmon

[MoJo]

Well thanks again everyone. I am thrilled she is back and will continue the neosporin/bacitracin and keep you all up to date.

Thanks for all the good "mojo"


Joanna

[GarterGuy]

LOL.....that's priceless Lori.....and true. I love cats, but I HATE pilling cats!

[adamanteus]

Joanna, the key here is hygiene. The wound sounds pretty trivial, and snakes are good healers. Just keep her very clean and continue with the neosporin. I'm sure everything will be just fine. Have you tried feeding her yet? Has she taken a drink?

[MoJo]

I have not witnessed her drinking and I did not feed her yet. I thought I would give her a few days to settle in then try a fuzzie. She usually eats weanlings but she refused the day she got out and I don't want her stretching that much until her wound has healed. She is a big girl so can stand to go without for a little bit. She has always been a good eater.

She is also on newsprint paper (no ink) so it is easy to keep her tank clean.

Thanks again,
Joanna

[Sid]

Good advice already on caring for your snakes wound. Keep us posted on the progress.

[adamanteus]

Yeah, keep us posted, Joanna. Before and after pictures of the wound are always useful (and encouraging) for other members too. So if you can get photos....

[MoJo]

I started a new thread in the urgent care section so that if someone does a search for wound they will see the wound as it progresses.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/urgent-care/2450-tigers-wound-up-close-personal.html#post40332