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Posted - 13/03/2012 : 21:27:46
Was in my local reptile shop chatting to one of the customers about forums and I mentioned that I was member of this forum well to cut a long story short she is a member of another well known uk forum which I won't mention.
She was telling me about the powerade energy drink treatment for dehydrated snakes and non feeding snakes.
So I did a search in google for the treatment she mentioned and sure enough there it is in black and white.
Now I'm very sceptical about this treatment surely this can't be good for the snake so I had a look at the active ingredients when I went shopping.
When you read the ingredients which is mostly sugar,water and acidic flavourings how can this possibly work.
Has anyone on here used it or can any shed any light on it.
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| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
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Posted - 16/03/2012 : 14:27:59
Oooo, it cures hangovers as well!
Sadly you can't get it here in the UK ...
Unless someone knows different but just been googling.
http://www.ukparentslounge.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=366914
Apparently there is an equivalent, Dioralyte, which tastes nasty (so although you can also use Pedialyte safely for a dehydrated cat or dog, Dioralyte wouldn't be an option.) I suppose it depends on how bad the hangover is as to whether a human would drink it, but maybe giving a snake a bath in it could be ok as they'd probably only take a quick sip.
Wish we could buy Pedialyte over here though, although I suppose keeping Reptoboost in the medicine cupboard would be the best idea. |
| anatess |
Posted - 16/03/2012 : 13:34:02
quote:
Originally posted by Lotabob
Never heard of it lol. Is it for cyclists.
It's designed for children actually. It's a first-aid treatment for kids getting dehydrated from diarrhea and/or vomitting. It's usually found where the baby juices are in the grocery or by the band-aids or you can just go to the pharmacy where they have all kinds of Pedialyte products (they also come in freezer pops and juice boxes). I'd go with the plain, unflavored version for the snake. Here's a picture:
The thing with sugar is that the sugars that are present in soda and yes, powerade, is sucrose which is a refined sugar that the body quickly assimilates to quickly increase blood sugar. This is not good when you are dehydrated because it causes the kidney to purge the extra sugar that was not converted into energy through urination which causes the kidney to use water to get rid of it (osmotic diuresis). Now, if you're an athlete and you're in the middle of a 100 mile cycling race, this sugar is good because it quickly provides the energy to power through the cycling. For a sick child or a sick snake for that matter, that sugar is going to get urinated out which causes more loss of precious water.
Natural sugars like those from organic fruit is fructose which provides a slow rise in blood sugar level. The rise is slow enough that the sugar is consumed by the body to provide energy for healing before hitting peak levels that would cause the kidney to get rid of the excess.
Make sense?
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| mystra |
Posted - 16/03/2012 : 13:10:00
lol i used Powerade on Betty when she was diddly and had never eaten... it didn't make her have an appetite but it did seem to make her feel better overall. She's anery and her white bits blue haha!! |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 16/03/2012 : 12:31:41
Never heard of it lol. Is it for cyclists. |
| anatess |
Posted - 16/03/2012 : 02:46:29
quote:
Originally posted by Lotabob
Its not a substitute for reptoboost or other specifically designed product, its a you've got nothing else and need to do something ASAP or possibly just watch a snake die. It is true it does contain artificial colours but lots of things do and shouldn't have any effect on your snake, sugars are bad for your teeth but in your body they are fuel and in a dehydrated snake can be beneficial.
Water is always a better way to hydrate your snake normally and perfectly adequate in a healthy snake but should you be presented with an emergency situation, no vets available, no reptoboost in the cupboard or a syringe and tube knocking about in the first aid kit (yep I have them, lol) then as a stand in it has been found to help long enough to do something more suitable.
In emergency situations get Pedialyte. They sell those at the grocery too. Well, at least in Florida. |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 14/03/2012 : 21:54:38
Its not a substitute for reptoboost or other specifically designed product, its a you've got nothing else and need to do something ASAP or possibly just watch a snake die. It is true it does contain artificial colours but lots of things do and shouldn't have any effect on your snake, sugars are bad for your teeth but in your body they are fuel and in a dehydrated snake can be beneficial.
Water is always a better way to hydrate your snake normally and perfectly adequate in a healthy snake but should you be presented with an emergency situation, no vets available, no reptoboost in the cupboard or a syringe and tube knocking about in the first aid kit (yep I have them, lol) then as a stand in it has been found to help long enough to do something more suitable. |
| anatess |
Posted - 14/03/2012 : 20:12:18
I wouldn't use powerade/gatorade on a snake. I rarely use it with the kids. It contains artificial colors for visual effect and added sugars for flavor. Things that I avoid.
I would avoid it for snakes as well.
My kids are athletes and they do rehydrate using either plain water or pure coconut water or a combination of both. If they're sick and dehydrated from vomiting, I use plain Pedialyte. Pedialyte contains very low sugar compared to powerade, no sucrose and no dyes. It also contains higher sodium and potassium than powerade.
For snakes, I would stick with plain water unless something else is prescribed by the vet. Dehydrated snakes are usually rehydrated by giving electrolytes via tube straight to his gut.
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| Lotabob |
Posted - 14/03/2012 : 13:00:13
Its a bath, you submerge them in it and some inevitably ends up been swallowed. They dont drink very often when people are around but when they drink they really slurp it up. I've only caught Duke in the act once and he drank loads, the bowl does regularly deplete more than what can be accounted for in evaporation too. It is very true that they take a lot of the waters from their prey but if a snake is eating etc its less likely to require hydration assistance than a snake that isn't eating.
Its mainly a treatment for dehydration so a dehydrated snake sat in a bowl of liquid is likely to drink, the sugars and electrolites etc in it then give it the energy boost to drink more, get eating etc. |
| markmifsud |
Posted - 14/03/2012 : 10:14:48
I wouldnt really have thought it would work, for the reason that RP do not really drink that much, just a few drops here and there, with the majority of the fluids coming from the prey. Unless your assist watering also? |
| n/a |
Posted - 13/03/2012 : 23:13:41
Ha - useful to know - for decades I've known that animal emergency always strikes when vets are closed ... but the supermarkets/drink shops will be open. |
| GMac |
Posted - 13/03/2012 : 22:41:34
is only a little bit of powerade diluted in water, does work but i always have reptoboost to hand if needbe |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 13/03/2012 : 22:41:04
Lol, blue snakes.
Its a very watered down version you water it down and it does good things in the absence of a specifically designed product such as reptoboost. For instance your snake appears to be taking a turn for the worse (snake illness seems to sneak up) its Sunday afternoon, the reptile shops are shut you have no reptoboost in the cupboard, you can always find powerade to fill the gap. |
| ppl_clectr |
Posted - 13/03/2012 : 22:36:50
Powerade and Gatorade actually contain electrolytes, and with people anyway, we recommend it mixed half with water for dehydration. LOL! Not sure the same applies to snakes. (I'm an ER nurse) |
| n/a |
Posted - 13/03/2012 : 22:01:05
Or you can end up with a crystallised snake??
I think there might be better remedies such as reptoboost.
http://www.vetark.co.uk/pages/Reptoboost.aspx |
| n/a |
Posted - 13/03/2012 : 21:35:33
quote:
Originally posted by richard v
Hi togsy,
I remember several years ago on this forum it was
discussed as a possible solution for rehydrating snakes
However it was to long for me to remember.
I remember it had something to do with the electriclytes in
The drink.
One of side effects I've heard it can dye lighter colour snakes blue |
| richard v |
Posted - 13/03/2012 : 21:33:20
Hi togsy,
I remember several years ago on this forum it was
discussed as a possible solution for rehydrating snakes
However it was to long for me to remember.
I remember it had something to do with the electriclytes in
The drink. |
