Re: No, they are already there waiting to be eaten.

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Posted by Walt Deptula on May 21, 2001 at 17:28:21:

In Reply to: Re: No, they are already there waiting to be eaten. posted by Matt on May 21, 2001 at 15:13:40:

: : I rescue them

: I once ordered snakes from a Chinese dealer, they all did well till they started eating, after that they all died one by one. Every single one of them was missing a gall bladder.
: Have you encountered this?

Hi Matt,

What makes you believe they were missing their gall bladders? Did you necropsy the animals in question? I have housed many imported Asian rats and discussed the issue of the "infamous missing gall bladders" with numerous vets and importers (K.Tepedelen for one) and nobody has actually ever witnessed a snake that was missing a gall bladder. I once had ten imported mandarina die within 14 days of taking delivery. I sent the animals in question to Elliot Jacobsen (U of Florida) and to the University of Tennessee Vet School for complete analysis (tissue, organ, electron microscopy, the whole nine yards). The animals all had gall bladders but had suffered irreparable organ damage due to dehydration. These animals often go long periods without water from the moment of collection until they reach an importers establishment. Essentially, many mandarina and others arrive as the living dead. Some of these afflicted animals will actually exacervate their own condition by feeding. Animals with impaired renal function only serve to advance their own demise by the intake of proteins which in this compromised state will amount to ingestion of a toxin.

Walt Deptula

Follow Ups:

Re: No, they are already there waiting to be eaten. Matt 05/21/01 (4)
- Re: No, they are already there waiting to be eaten. Walt Deptula 05/21/01 (3)
  - Re: No, they are already there waiting to be eaten. Samuel Li 05/22/01 (2)
    - just one last question Matt 05/22/01 (1)
      - Re: just one last question Samuel Li 05/23/01 (0)

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: : : : I rescue them : : I once ordered snakes from a Chinese dealer, they all did well till they started eating, after that they all died one by one. Every single one of them was missing a gall bladder. : : Have you encountered this? : Hi Matt, : What makes you believe they were missing their gall bladders? Did you necropsy the animals in question? I have housed many imported Asian rats and discussed the issue of the "infamous missing gall bladders" with numerous vets and importers (K.Tepedelen for one) and nobody has actually ever witnessed a snake that was missing a gall bladder. I once had ten imported mandarina die within 14 days of taking delivery. I sent the animals in question to Elliot Jacobsen (U of Florida) and to the University of Tennessee Vet School for complete analysis (tissue, organ, electron microscopy, the whole nine yards). The animals all had gall bladders but had suffered irreparable organ damage due to dehydration. These animals often go long periods without water from the moment of collection until they reach an importers establishment. Essentially, many mandarina and others arrive as the living dead. Some of these afflicted animals will actually exacervate their own condition by feeding. Animals with impaired renal function only serve to advance their own demise by the intake of proteins which in this compromised state will amount to ingestion of a toxin. : Walt Deptula

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