Female off food.

[gregmonsta]

Our younger Florida blue female has been very irregular with her feeding recently. In the past month she has maybe fed 3 times and we know she's not gravid and free of parasites.
When we got her she had some indentations on one side which showed broken/crushed ribs and, as she's grown, it seems that her spine is slightly indented too. This hasn't been a problem up till now. I wonder if it could be ... or has anyone else had feeding difficulties with a female before?
She doesn't seem to be loosing any noticeable weight either ... I've kept an eye on that ... she lost only 2 grams in two weeks so that's not a worry at the moment.

Anyway ... here's a pic of the damaged area.

[guidofatherof5]

I've got one dealing with a broken rib right now. Getting her in next week for a follow up x-ray.
Glad yours is getting some good care, now. How did she get injured?

[gregmonsta]

Myself and James were debating that a while back ... we both bought snakes from a breeder just over a year ago and his had similar injuries. Think the person involved was too skittish when it came to handling the babies and would close boxlids/viv doors on them in a panic resulting in broken ribs etc

[guidofatherof5]

Myself and James were debating that a while back ... we both bought snakes from a breeder just over a year ago and his had similar injuries. Think the person involved was too skittish when it came to handling the babies and would close boxlids/viv doors on them in a panic resulting in broken ribs etc

I'm still trying to figure out how mine got injured. I'm finding it hard to believe it was a birthing injury. It may just be the only explanation since I have nothing else to go on.

[drache]

Greg - could she be going into shed?

[gregmonsta]

We think she might be .... although it doesn't really help with the errattic feeding schedule ... she self-brumated this year, she was kept in her normal enclosure and opted to stay at the cool end for most of Jan/Feb which averaged 15-20 degrees C and ate once during this time (as a Florida native I checked the temps and decided not to go for the 5-10degree winter chill time, we did finde her in the warm hide a few times too), she shed and then returned to feeding ... she had a few periods where she would skip a couple of feeds ... then she had three feeds in a row - one before April and two in the first week of May and suddenly stopped just for the fun of it, or so it seems.
Like I said, there has been virtually no weightloss so I'm not worried at this point. I bet she's just deliberately out to confuse us.

[KITKAT]

Could there be a low level parasite problem from the winter?

I know that in mammals, pyrantel pamoate (strongid) is totally safe during pregnancy, should you decide to do a treatment.

[gregmonsta]

I wouldn't think so ... I will get a fecal smear done if her mood persists ... she has had periods of just being odd when it comes to food before.

[Snake lover 3-25]

meadow was just like that all last year annoying isn't it? ha ha it bothered me just get her pregnant! meadow's eaten like a champ since she returned from breeding!!!!

[gregmonsta]

meadow was just like that all last year annoying isn't it? ha ha it bothered me just get her pregnant! meadow's eaten like a champ since she returned from breeding!!!!

I did think about this approach