unusal body movments

[lestat]

Last night I was feeding some of my Garters and a Checkered srarted moving strangely. As it is going along it sways from side to side and its belly shows.
Moving belly up belly down. Could it be constipated as it has not eaten but shed reasantly.

[Zephyr]

Last night I was feeding some of my Garters and a Checkered srarted moving strangely. As it is going along it sways from side to side and its belly shows.
Moving belly up belly down. Could it be constipated as it has not eaten but shed reasantly.
It could have been an itch. Or mating behavior.

[lestat]

I should have said it is a young female.

[Zephyr]

I should have said it is a young female.I'd have to say it was an itch then.

[Sid]

I hope the movement is nothing, but I would check for mites just to be sure.

[adamanteus]

Are you describing a twisting, 'corkscrew' kind of movement, Peter? What has this snake been feeding on?

[lestat]

Kinda of. Salmon and Trout are the only foods it has had. Does'nt touch wotmrs.

[drache]

I found that diet insufficient for my little concinnus
same symptoms - now deceased
sorry to be the bringer of bad news

[Zephyr]

Did you dust the trout/salmon with reptocal or other supplements?

[adamanteus]

It sounds rather like the early stages of thiamin (and/or other vitamin) deficiency..... curable with an immediate change of diet.... whatever it takes you need to get a more varied/complete diet into the snake. I've seen happen many times in the past, fish alone, even 'safe' fish, isn't enough. Especially fillets.

[prattypus]

See, all the more reason to get these little buggers on to pinkies...chore that it is sometimes.

[lestat]

Thank you every one for your advice and help and i shall start straight away and change it's diet. Getting earth worms at the weekend so will give it some and give the rest of my Garters some. When i kept garters before they all ate worms but some of mine now wont touch them but will keep trying.
I have been buying fillets of Trout and Salmon and have dusted them from time to time. I thought they were ok and had not been treated or Frozen before but maybe they have so should i get from a fish monger whole Trout,Salmon. I buy Tilapia when i see it and cut it up and put it in bags and freeze it straight away.Should i do more of the trout menu i saw on Alan's site. Tonight i am going to try some of mine.
Luckily my bigger garters eat pinkies and i give them fish from time to time.

[gregmonsta]

I find reptasol very good for a vitamin boost. Water-soluble and I use 1 drop per 500ml as a constant trace amount. A full dose in their water supply would help them straight away. I raised my first ribbons like this in the 90s using only filleted boiled fish (usually haddock or cod) and this supplement. I still use it today but also feed a more suitably balanced diet of chopped trout/salmon and pinkies.
Calcimise is another good water-soluble way of providing calcium.

[Snake lover 3-25]

so is reptivite:D

[lestat]

Thanks for that and i am getting some asap. The little one ate 2 worms tonight and i will try her on some more on Monday night which i will dust.

Is it better to get whole fresh Salmon and trout instead of filleted ones.
I cut the fillets up and freeze them straight away and get out what i need when feeding.

[adamanteus]

It's certainly better nutritionally, if you can include some bone, skin, guts etc. rather than just the flesh. It's less easy to cut conveniently shaped strips, but it's worth it for the snake's health.

[drache]

Is it better to get whole fresh Salmon and trout instead of filleted ones.
I cut the fillets up and freeze them straight away and get out what i need when feeding.
I think it's better to get whole and to still cut it up and freeze it - leave some of the bone and other tissues in

[adamanteus]

I know some people worry about giving comparatively large fish bones to small snakes, and so....

Just a little tip for anyone who finds it difficult to safely give skin, bones, guts etc to their baby snakes when using larger 'store bought' fish.....
I fillet the fish and cut the flesh into bite-size portions, and then take the skin, bones and other 'waste' and blitz it all in the blender. Then stir the pieces into the skin/bone sauce. It makes lots of washing up, but it gives the snakes a good, balanced meal and saves you from throwing a lot of good food away!