2010 Ranch Rescue Season

[guidofatherof5]

Very slick Steve! But you more than anyone should know garters don't lay eggs.

I'm just getting prepared for the day I can hatch some Gray Banded Kings. Because of a friends awesome donation of a male to the Ranch I now have a pair. Hoping for some baby GBK in the next year.
I'm also hoping my Hypo Bull snake will drop some eggs.
Thinking about hatching some turtles, someday. I would love to work with Snapping turtles. The one I have is a great little monster.

[guidofatherof5]

VERY cool incubator and VERY cool kids!

I love my 5 kids.
They make me proud all the time.

[guidofatherof5]

My daughter Gabby came across this little female radix this afternoon. Gabby was concerned because of an injury she has.
It's a strange looking thing. Can't say I've ever seen this before. I've helped many a snake with injuries from lawn equipment and human abuse. I've watch injuries heal from the beginning to end but I've never seen this before.
The skin at the injury sight is a dark color and very smooth to the touch. I feel muscle under it and it doesn't appear to have any fluid build-up. I treated it with some silver sulfadiazine and will keep an eye on it for awhile.
When I first saw it it reminded me of fungus but it doesn't appear to be that. It does look as if the scales and skin were rubbed off. Kind of like scraping your knee. I just don't know.
Anyone else seen anything like this before?
She's a pretty little girl and will be staying with use until we identify this injury and get her the proper treatment.

[count dewclaw]

My guess would be that she had a piece of skin "scalped" off of her. Looks like it is healing, don't know if the scales will completely grow back in such a large area. That second photo looks like the skin tag reattached in a funny position.

[ConcinusMan]

I have seen healed injuries like that one. Of course, the scales generally don't grow back and the scar area isn't as tough as the original skin and scales. The dark coloration is just melanin from the area being exposed to the sun, and the melanin of course, is a good thing.

Seems like this rescue doesn't need rescuing. it's pretty much healed and now with the melanin, is pretty well protected from UV.

[Snakers]

very nice save, one of the big female easterns had a lot of little injuries that looked like that......

[ConcinusMan]

I've seen a northwestern survive far worse. I hit with a lawn mower. It's back was broken, ribs showing, lots of skin missing, and it went limp. I figured it would die quickly so I tossed it aside.

A few years later and much bigger, I found that snake again, complete with kinked spine and scars. Little sucker made it!

[i_heart_sneakie_snakes]

I've seen a northwestern survive far worse. I hit with a lawn mower. It's back was broken, ribs showing, lots of skin missing, and it went limp. I figured it would die quickly so I tossed it aside.

That almost made me cry Literally. Poor little guy. I am glad he made it. That must have been horrible for each of you, in very different ways.

[mustang]

you sure it may be a little "scaleless"? not by injury but by genetics

[guidofatherof5]

you sure it may be a little "scaleless"? not by injury but by genetics

No, I don't think so. It has some trauma around the edge. Still, I just don't know what to think about it. Very strange looking to me.
Otherwise the snake is healthy and active.