possible birth defect

[infernalis]

The clutch of baby Easterns born last week are eating, all but one.

The snake seems to have no equilibrium, cannot seem to tell up from down.

He even crawls funny as if there is an issue with his neck.

No obvious deformity like many I have seen from other clutches.

He seems interested in food, but cannot seem to figure out how to open his mouth up.

Any ideas???

Thanks

[Lori P]

I know Shannon is off somewhere, but she has a garter that stays upside down... even eats upside down!! Apparently a neurological defect... but he is healthy and has no idea he's "afflicted", as this is normal to him. Anyway, maybe she can give you some advice...

But I'm thinking, if he can't get control of his mouth... that's going to be a bad problem. Maybe with a bit more time he'll get some control... I know some neurological cases improve with age. But it's up to you how long to wait and try...

[infernalis]

Thanks Lori, Every little life is important, and hopefully he will at least eat for me and get some nutrition.

However if I feel that this little one is going to suffer, and it's life would be a miserable one, then I will be forced into that choice I'd rather not make.

I do know that if he had been born in the wild, he'd be gone already:(

[anji1971]

I was thinking of Shannon, too. She may have some good suggestions.
Hope you can get this little one going, Wayne. I tend to root for the underdogs in life!;)

[Garter_Gertie]

Man, I don't envy you, Dekay. I used to breed Abyssinian cats. One reason I've no desire to breed snakies. I've had my fill of the heartache breeders goe through. The years off my life and the tears I cried (couldn't use 'shed' as I would have cracked up!).

[infernalis]

We got this thing about underdogs here too, real suckers for runts and "developmentally disabled"

I have 2 snakes now that are a few cans short of a six pack. I honestly believe the survival of these two depends on human care.

Ever watch a water snake that jumps in the air to chase water drops??

he's a little wee todd did:D

[Garter_Gertie]

TO CUTE! Wee todd did and the fact he jumps for water drops! I think he's just a super happy boy, goin' for the gusto and lovin' life!

I was so hot yesterday I stood under the downspout off the garage and let the rain fall on me. I'm not wee todd did, I don't think..., and thoroughly enjoyed it! :D

[infernalis]

Last night while feeding snakes, I took this snapshot.

It still will not eat, and his tongue never flicks, one eye looks different than the other.

It's a difficult decision, but unless a miracle happens, I'm afraid we will have no choice but to end this poor animals suffering.

http://www.danceswithreptiles.com/stuff/slither.jpg

[jitami]

How very sad... could you try force feeding him? It stays turned over, huh? I would try one force fed(or assisted) meal, but yeah, I don't know that it would change the eventual outcome. Poor little dear.

[Stefan-A]

You know my opinion.

[anji1971]

Wayne,
I hate to say it, but it doesn't look good for this one. :(
I think the birth defects are just too severe in this case. I'll have to side with Stefan here.

[infernalis]

You know my opinion.

Yep Stefan I do.

His suffering is already over. I wanted to last night, but the ladies wanted to try one more time to feed him, no success....

R.I.P little one...

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Wayne, my upside-down checkered albino did things very similar to yours after birth, but he does not appear outwardly different, his eyes look normal... and he started feeding on small live fish a day afer being born. He has taken to being a little more right-side up now, but still has issues, like you said, doesnt really know up from down and left from right. When he gets excited about feeding time he often "jumps" around. He is growing normally like his sister, but she too now displays the occasional "i am special" signs. I believe my garters are stargazers. This is a genetic defect that has already shown itself in several heavily bred species like ball pythons and corn snakes, and the albino checkered garter as we all know, is a heavily inbred snake and it does not really surprise me! Both my male and female are now dead, I am pretty sure the guy lied to me about their age, health, and being unrelated to one another. The female had health problems until the day she died. The clutch Upsy-daisy and his sister came from were all jellybeans except for them and one other who died shortly thereafter.

I think your little garter is just a genuine birth defect, considering the rest of the clutch was healthy and is feeding and showing no signs. I just had to put down a little guy before my trip, because he had not eaten, refused to drink, had a slightly odd shaped head, and was grotesquely thin only two days after being born. I used decapitation, seeing as from what I understand, freezing is painful. A snake that is expieriencing pain or is ill at the time of death will often flip upside-down when they die, while a snake that is just old or passes on in their sleep, well, you don't even know they are dead! I froze a snake once and after seeing it upside down in the freezer I won't do it again.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do, Wayne!

[Lori P]

Awww, sorry Wayne. You did the right thing tho. I think his problems were too numerous.

[Aundrea]

awwwwwww what a cute little guy. Poor thing. You did the right thing..

[zooplan]

Live is never 100% success!
Even jelly beans and stillborns are signs of the nature too that selection can´t be prevented entirely.