A picture of "Failure to Thrive"

[guidofatherof5]

Anyone who has had babies garter born has felt the hopeless feeling that comes with "failure to thrive"
This little T.radix was born to Nova on 5/11/11. She has never eaten and has done little to no growing.
I have tried every food I can think of to no avail.
I think this poor little one wasn't born with the "eat" switch turned on.
As you can see she is small and wasting away.
She's developed the classic signs that accompany failure to thrive.
Like the folds of skin on her back. Notice how the dorsal stripe isn't even visible in some areas.
She is only a week or so away from dieing. After these photo were taken I started to euthanize her.
I used to force feed babies like this but was never able to save them. I don't force feed any longer.
It's a shame to see her die but I do understand they all can't make it.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//757/medium/ftt.jpg

[kibakiba]

Poor baby. That's kind of how Speckles looked, but she was eating and pooping on a pretty normal basis. It seemed like she was perfectly fine one minute, deflated and dying the next.

[EasternGirl]

Poor thing...it's good that she had you there to end her misery Steve.

[chris-uk]

Similar to our Angua before I euthanise her. I know I struggled with Angua being my first, and unfortunately this radix is far from your first Steve, the decision doesn't (and shouldn't) get easier should it?
I'll follow up later with a picture of our three checkered girls together (for the last time, Lightning goes to a new home this evening as a Christmas surprise for our friends' girls). Lightning is a porker, Eskerina is about right, and Bethan has the back problem which is causing her to grow very slowly and isn't much bigger than Angua was. It's an interesting comparison between the 3 sisters.

[PINJOHN]

always a sad sight Steve,...linking up your post with Chris's i have some siblings to his snakes with several being problem eaters, non are as far gone as the one in your picture and even seem to have a reasonable level of energy. i have res'erected a 'thing i used to do in earlier years when i used to breed a little more than today.....i put Abidec multi vitamin drops in the drinking water and while making no claims to this as a cure i have convinced my self that it keeps them going in the hope that they will reach a "I feel like eating day", it is of course possible that these little buggers are waiting till i'm not looking and taking just enough food to keep them alive, but i have never been able to catch them at it so i will stick with the Abidec and hope for the best.

[chris-uk]

Here's the photo of the "three checkered sisters" that I've just taken. They were all born on 1 August (it was the second wasn't it John?) and eat differently. You can see the significant difference in size. Bethan is just about eating, but not enough to grow very quickly.

Lightning = Pig and probably a little overweight. Will eat any food from tongs or left in the viv.
Eskerina = Fairly good eater. She eats what she needs to grow, but won't stuff her face. She's started grabbing food and taking it off to a corner to swallow it.
Bethan = Verging on FTT. She eats maybe 50% of feeds and never eats more than 1 or 2 very small pieces (we're talking less than half the size of her head, she leaves the bigger pieces completely) of salmon or pinkie organs.

3589

[guidofatherof5]

I have one just like Bethan. Mine is a bit smaller though.
I might even label her a runt. Seems to eat just enough to survive.
Sad to see them this way.

[tress29]

My eastern is small too, and has the neck control issue. I was very happy to watch him eat several times this past week. He's eating 3 or 4 good sized worm or pinky bits. He's the only one who hasn't shed, so it's good to see him enjoying some chow.

[EasternGirl]

John...can you get those vitamins in the states? If not do you think putting some Reptivite in the water might be a good idea while Seeley is going through his off-food phase? He hasn't eaten in a month. If so, how much should I put in the water dish?

[chris-uk]

I've been using liquid vitamin and calcium supplement for Bethan as she only eats infrequently and refuses anything with powder. I thought it was worthwhile when she went through her month of not eating at all, the vitamins may have bought her time to start eating again.

[PINJOHN]

John...can you get those vitamins in the states? If not do you think putting some Reptivite in the water might be a good idea while Seeley is going through his off-food phase? He hasn't eaten in a month. If so, how much should I put in the water dish?

marnie the liquid vits that i use are actually for children they are called Abidec and although they are orange flavored the snakes mind not at all, i am positive you can get them over there but they may be under another name they come with a drops dispenser in the box hope this helps i have convinced myself that this is a definite aid with bad/none feeders.

[guidofatherof5]

I'm watching this "failure to thrive" thing happening to a few babies(T.radix)
They started eating well but have stopped and are losing weight and showing no interest in any food.
They are oblivious to food fights and show no real connection to anything going on inside the enclosure.
I hate looking in and seeing what could have been a fine snake wasting away.
I know that this scenario plays itself out every season in the wild and with captive bred snakes but I still wish there was a way to save a few of these little ones.
On a bright note there are many, many successes to also be happy with.
Watching these young snake grow and mature is a good feeling.

[aquamentus_11]

The difference is that while your little ones may still die the same as they would in the wild, with you they will be warm, cared for and allowed to pass quietly having had the best lives they could in their allotted time. It's a shame that they can't pull through, but they are still very fortunate (I say this, but if it were me, that would be little consolation no matter how true it is).