Fell In love with a backyard snake.. looking for advice!

[Ryachanira]

Don't see anything unusual on the belly scales. I tried the flopping guppy trick but he still had no interest. They are in his water bowl now. Maybe flopping fish are less enticing when you can't see very well. Will try worms again tomorrow.

I know he may be dying - I have been trying to prep for that since we brought him in to the house a week ago. It is still hard though, I am already so attached!

I figure, at worst I gave him love and care and comfort for a week or more. At best, I can give him that for several years to come! We will see what happens; I will continue to keep you guys posted.

Cute cuddly baby:

[mustang]

That sounds like he was septic Robert. Possibly gangrene.

what are those problems...i just assumed some organ broke...the last 3rd of his body before the vent was skinny (the belly scales were sucked upwards making the shape of a rainbow) and that area was green from the inside

[guidofatherof5]

I have a blind Checkered. I feed him in a small round container. With 4 or 5 flopping guppies in a little water, blind or not he catches his dinner.
Give it a try.
Good luck.

[ConcinusMan]

He looks to be in pretty good shape. I mean, he's not emaciated or even thin. He looks to have at least several weeks without food, before there is a need to "write him off". Heck, I've had perfectly healthy snakes go a very long time without food, and get much thinner than he is, and then bounce back again. He looks fine so there's hope for the short term.

Try this:

Make sure his "day" begins and ends at the same time every day for one thing. Give him a night time drop of about 10 degrees if you can manage. Then, increase his day length by a few minutes each day, and make sure his day gives him the opportunity to warm up to about 85 F. Humidity is also important. Keep it 50-70 percent, but at the same time, keep his substrate dry and on the cool end, provide a hide that is somewhat damp inside in case he's feeling a bit dry. In any case, keep his bottom dry but provide a damp place in case that is what he wants.

Try feeding at different times of the day and different light levels. Some snakes are stimulated to eat only at certain times of the day. Shortly after a cool night, followed by a morning warm-up is usually a good time to try feeding. If that doesn't work, let him have a nice warm day, and try feeding in the evening before bed time, when things start to cool off.

I highly recommend a somewhat natural light spectrum for any diurnal snake. I use reptisun 18 inch florescent bulbs in addition to basking warming incandescent bulbs. Even if a bulb doesn't warm them like an incandescent would, a natural spectrum "grow light" florescent for reptiles or plants helps to stimulate activity and appetite in diurnal reptiles. Garters tend to get listless or "depressed" if they don't get "natural" daytime spectrum of light.

The only exception would be a blind or albino snake. Never expose an albino to intense light or UV rays. "blind" snakes may not be blind totally and certain light spectrum or intensity can stress them out. Any snake should have the option to hide and not be exposed to the light, if he so chooses.

[Ryachanira]

Quick update: he still hasn't eaten (as far as I am aware, I am pretty sure all worms are accounted for in the trash, heh). I have tried feeding in his small box and in his cage, fish and worms, live and cut, morning and night, different lighting... but still no luck. Oh well. He is at least more active again, and I have seen him drink several times so that is good. He LOVES the fake plants on the side of the cage, he is crawling up those constantly. He continues to open his mouth up really huge and just leave it like that for a couple seconds, still not sure what that means (although it is pretty cute). The vet thought that maybe due to his head injury it is helping him breath/smell better?

I don't have his day/night cycle regulated just yet, we are looking for a good timer. right now I just turn on his day light when I wake up and turn on his night light around when it gets dark, or as close to it as possible. Here are the two lights I have:

60 watt "sun glo" for day: Exo Terra - Products : Sun Glo Neodymium

50 watt "night glo" for night:Exo Terra - Products : Night Glo

I use these 24 hrs; daytime temps in cage are usually right around 80, nighttime 70 (on the lighted side). The humidity is harder; I spray it several times a day but it drops to 30 quickly. I may try a different substrate later.

Should I add another light such as these florescents? Exo Terra - Products : Compact Fluorescent Bulbs I don't want him to get snake depression...