Posted by dorkdog on August 20, 2000 at 18:27:12:
In Reply to: my 3 week old baby posted by Randy on August 19, 2000 at 16:37:42:
Hello,
I read your post and have a few suggestions...
I have found pet dealers (even those in specialty reptile shops) to be for the most part ignorant when it comes to snakes, especially indigos. I had a guy at a pretty high-scale reptile shop tell me that my indigo was a color variation of a black rat snake! He told me that indigos were for the most part extinct and that my snake could not be an indigo!
But seriously, I've read your posts regarding bumps on your snake's skin, and rather than speculate and be wrong(possibly leading you to a countertreatment rather than a treatment) I lurked. But now that you are considering a more agressive approach to feeding without consulting a vet, I have to step in and say 'whoah!'
Force feeding is very stressful (and dangerous) and in my opinion should be used as a last resort after every other avenue has failed! I don't think you have exhausted all of your resources if you have not sought out the opinion of a qualified vet.
Please do yourself, and your snake, a BIG favor and get him seen by a professional. I have, in several instances, and in every case a speedy and complete recovery was effected. Perhaps someone on the forum can recommend a good vet with reptile experience.
Good luck,
Dorkdog