Bruminating Snake Smells Funny... help?

[Ryachanira]

So Silv has been in 'brumination mode' since last Tuesday. On Tuesday I took off his light and heat and left him in the house for a day (got him down to about 65) and then about a day and a half later put him in the garage. The garage temp of his cage has ranged from about 47-57, aside from a small amount of time this morning when we left the garage door open and it got down to 40.

I checked on him this morning, picked him up to take a look (he rapidly curled himself around my fingers really tightly), and I noticed he smelled really weird. Before this I have never noticed ANY smell on him, let alone a really nasty smell. I don't really know how to describe it, except 'bad'... my first thought was "rotting" but I wonder how much of that is just because I was worried about the rotting leftover food that I have heard about before. I waiting for 2 weeks from the time I last even suspected that he ate (although it actually was probably more like 3 weeks, because I don't really think he ate at that two week mark, but he might have, so just in case I waited). About one week before brumination I put him in a little container with a worm, but the worm was still whole intact when I finally got him out so I really don't think he had eaten for at least two weeks before cooling him down.

So my question is... is this normal or is there a problem? I do not think it was any sort of musking, since there was no liquid. I also noticed that when he flicks his tongue it flicks very slow, but I attributed that to his general body cooldown and slower movements. However that smell has got me a little concerned. Please let me know what I should be doing for him - whether it is leaving him alone or taking some action.

Thanks!

[Ryachanira]

Also, as a note - it is not the cage the smells, but the snake himself. I stuck my face down in there and the cage smells fine, but if I hold the snake up to my nose... yuck.

[infernalis]

has the wound gone septic??

if you have to, use a magnifying glass for a closer look, smell the top of his head, does the stink seem stronger at the top of his head?.

If the wound is starting to rot, you will need to get back to the vet ASAP

[zooplan]

They can musk without any noticeable liquid;)

The slow tongue movement is sometimes also a sign of aggression/defending

[ConcinusMan]

I would take him out of brumation immediately. Sometimes snakes will "plug up" (cloaca impaction) while brumating. If they weren't fasted long enough before the cool down, there could be rotting food and/or fecal matter inside. That will cause the snake to smell rotten every time. If that is the case, it is life threatening. Whatever the cause, it sounds like the snake is septic and needs a vet asap.

[guidofatherof5]

A wound that has an infection usually has visual sign. Swollen area, some type of discharge.
It may just be musk but it could be something more serious.
You are right to be concerned and this should be investigated further.
I hope all turns out well for Silv.
Keep us posted.

[Ryachanira]

Called and got an appt with (hopefully) a good herp vet. Got the vet from the list provided early (Reptile Vets (http://www.reptilechannel.com/reptile-health/vet-listing.aspx)).

His head wound looks fine, as far as I could tell. Vet said on the phone it could be internal necrosis or some sort of impaction issue... going to get an x-ray and also she said she would show me how to tube feed him. If there is no hope I will have to put him down. :(

[ConcinusMan]

Good luck and keeps us posted. We're all hoping that Silv will be OK.

[guidofatherof5]

Prayers going out your way. Hang in there Silv.;)

[infernalis]

Good luck and keeps us posted. We're all hoping that Silv will be OK.


Prayers going out your way. Hang in there Silv.;)

Ditto, what they said.

[HazAnga]

hope everything goes well. no one likes to loose their pets

[Mommy2many]

Fingers crossed and hoping he'll be OK!

[gregmonsta]

Fingers crossed for you.

[Ryachanira]

So went to the vet yesterday - apparently it was musk, which I felt a little silly about once she said that is what it was. It was just not what I thought of at first since he has never done that before and there was no liquid.. I did not know they could musk without liquid also! So yea, felt a bit silly, but very glad to hear that was the smell! :o I think that maybe he was musking because I hadn't held him for like a week, and he was unsure of me? Either way, he is not doing it anymore now that I am handling him a lot more again. :)

However, she didn't really like the idea of bruminating him with the head/eye wounds still in the process of healing. She said she has seen some bad outcomes from bruminating sick or injured snakes and thought he would do better to stay inside and stay warm. Since he is still not eating, this means tube feeding! I now have some sort of carnivore food mush that I push into a cat catheter tube and shove down his throat to feed him once a day for a week... hopefully he will start eating again soon!

So overall, Silv is doing well enough and I am actually pretty glad to have him back inside - I missed him!

Thanks for all of your help and concern for my baby. :) She said he was probably 4-5 months, so he is a baby indeed!

[guidofatherof5]

Good news. Glad for that report.
Keep us posted. We're all pulling for Silv.;)

[kibakiba]

Runt does that, musking without liquid coming out. I don't hold her often though, I've only held her twice this week because she was shedding and I wanted to check on her since she went opaque and went back to clear for a pretty long time, and today since she shed last night and she was missing an eyecap on her shed so I used a washcloth to get it off. Both times she didn't appreciate the help ;)

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Often when snakes musk, they defecate at the same time... making it appear that musk is liquidy, but actually, it's more like a thick nasty paste (I have unfortunately had to squeeze it out of the musk gland directly before) There is only a small amount in there, but they only need a tiny dab to make it stink to high heaven! When snakes musk they often rub it on themselves. This is so that they smell/taste awful and nothing will want to eat them! :)

Also... different types of snakes have really different smelling musks! Garters smell like... garter musk..... keelback and natrix musk smells identical to skunk... my ornate flying tree snake's musk actually is not unpleasant at all! And my king rat snakes for some reason... their cages always smell like anise... not sure why!

[guidofatherof5]

You are right about the awful taste.
Had it tailwhiped in my mouth a couple times. It was radix musk. Nasty stuff.
Is it Spring yet. I miss herping. I hate Winter.
The only good thing that comes from Winter is the Spring radix blossoms:D

[Mommy2many]

You've got a long way to go! It as just begun, my friend. Hunker down and snuggle with the 300+ radixes you have in there. Spring will come in March. Till then...

Sorry, all doom & gloom, got carried away there:D