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View Full Version : Found injured garter snake in road! Help!?



Fluffpuffgerbil
04-23-2011, 05:53 PM
Hello. I just joined this forum because about four hours ago I found, while heading to take care of my neihbor's cat, a garter snake lying on the road. I didn't know if she was dead or not when I saw her because she didn't run from me or my bike and just sat there. I was going to move her body out of the road until I saw her tail moving back and forth a bit.
She had blood and what looked like skin, coming out of her mouth :( So I picked her up, careful not to hurt her, and after doing what I had to do with my job, headed home with her. When I got there, I used a wet paper towel to clean the blood from her mouth the best I could. She's not bleeding that much this moment and I have her in a ten or fifteen gal cage(not sure which one, we got it for free) with paper towels, a rock I cleaned with hot water, and a small lid with water in it.
She obviously has damage to one eye and her mouth is obviously not very comfy looking... She's actualy realigned it, but her tounge is not flickering like it should be and she does this thing where she spins around really fast like an aligator death roll, but she was only doing that when I brought her outside for a moment. She stopped when I came back inside with her.

So, is there anything I can do for her? I have this one medicine for reptiles called Reptaid that's supposed to help with problems and I don't know if she needs any heat pads/lamps or whatever. I plan on just keeping her until she is better, moving around, and eating.
Speaking of eating, when and what should I introduce her to food? I was just thinking to find an earthworm, cut a small piece of it off and offer it to her.
Please help! And Thanks for reading.
Oh and just to say, I've named her Izumi. :3
Here's some pictures of her face:
You cann tell her eye is obviously damaged in this one:
Izumi1.png picture by Blue_Eyed_PammySue - Photobucket (http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b250/Blue_Eyed_PammySue/?action=view&current=Izumi1.png)
Fullbody pic: izumi2.png picture by Blue_Eyed_PammySue - Photobucket (http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b250/Blue_Eyed_PammySue/?action=view&current=izumi2.png)
Other side of face(undamaged eye):
izumi3.png picture by Blue_Eyed_PammySue - Photobucket (http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b250/Blue_Eyed_PammySue/?action=view&current=izumi3.png)

guidofatherof5
04-24-2011, 08:08 AM
Glad your on the forum.
Thanks for taking the time to be concerned for Izumi.
Sounds/looks like some kind of head trauma.
A Vet. visit would be best if you have someone in your area that will see and has knowledge in snakes. Even with a visit I'm not sure what could be done at this point.
Keep her warm. Give her access to water and a hide.
Tongue flicking would be a good sign.
The spinning/rolling is a bad sign.
I think time will tell whether she makes it or not.
Prayers coming your way for Izumi.
Keep us posted.
Once again, thanks for intervening on behalf of Izumi. You did good.;)

mustang
04-24-2011, 08:15 AM
thanks for careing and welcome!!!
the skin out of mouth may be stomatis

mustang
04-24-2011, 08:19 AM
she might loos an eye...read this thread
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/urgent-care/6079-eye-problem-new-puget-advice-please.html

infernalis
04-24-2011, 10:34 AM
Best wishes for a positive outcome.. and thanks for caring.

Fluffpuffgerbil
04-24-2011, 12:08 PM
Thanks for the replies! She's still alive for now, but she started bleeding again it looks like... i don't have any more heat lamps/heat pads to give her, but I could probably try heating up a soft sock with rice in it for her.... I'm not sure how good our herp vet is... they seem to be trying to suck money out of us... She's still rolling around a bit...I assume she does have a head injury and her eye probably will not recover. I have yet to see that tongue of her's either,.

aSnakeLovinBabe
04-24-2011, 03:00 PM
the death roll thing is not a good sign. Snakes don't do that when they are just mildly injured, they do that when they are on their way out. She is probably dying.... I would euthanize her if I were you. I am sorry to be so blunt... but such is life. Sorry you had to come here on such bad terms! I hope that you will stay and come to love garter snakes :)

Fluffpuffgerbil
04-24-2011, 03:40 PM
Yep, she didn't make it. :( Thanks for all your replies and help. I'm sure she is happier now, though. I would like to have another garter at some point, but right now we have too many pets as it is. XD Thanks again. :3 I'm at least glad she didn't have to die on the road, no one thinking even twice about helping her.

reptile65
04-24-2011, 03:45 PM
Sorry to hear she didn't make it. :( Thanks for doing the best you could to help her.

Fluffpuffgerbil
04-24-2011, 04:29 PM
Yeah, I wish she could have lived a little longer. I'm glad Izumi isn't in pain amymore though. Thanks for all the information again.

guidofatherof5
04-24-2011, 05:09 PM
Yep, she didn't make it. :( Thanks for all your replies and help. I'm sure she is happier now, though. I would like to have another garter at some point, but right now we have too many pets as it is. XD Thanks again. :3 I'm at least glad she didn't have to die on the road, no one thinking even twice about helping her.

You did the right thing.;)
She was cared for before her death.

RedSidedSPR
04-24-2011, 05:12 PM
All you could do.

mustang
04-24-2011, 06:02 PM
thanks for helping her.

Didymus20X6
04-24-2011, 06:56 PM
Sorry to hear about this poor little guy.

zirliz
04-25-2011, 04:51 PM
poor snake :(

glad someone cared for him /her though

Izumi is a pretty name