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hannah2016
Hatchling
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
 Posted - 04/03/2012 : 21:20:50
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Ok, so I noticed my royals little eye problem a week ago and have tryed some different methods. Iv tryed giving him a bath, putting a humide hide box in his viv, spraying his viv extra daily and it seems to only be getting worse. Its starting to look like its crusting/crinkling around the actual eye. Im starting to get really concerned. Heres a pic but its not the best as he just wouldnt stop moving. I thought it might be from a shes but I checked his last on and it had both eye caps intact.
Like I said it really isnt a good pic but you can see its crinkled conpared to other pics with eye close ups of him. Ill try to get some of the stuff in the sticky but other then that is there anything I can do to help him. |
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n/a
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2012 : 21:58:04
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You could also try 'Shed-Ease' and also this -
http://www.theroyalpython.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8324
Also is the shed stuck round the nasal pits - I've found that once these peel backwards, complete with plugs of skin, the eyecaps come straight off with them.
All the very best - keep us posted. |
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Edited by - n/a on 04/03/2012 22:02:48 |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 00:41:35
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Even in that less than perfect picture I don't see any tell tale signs of a retained eyecap and if you have the goggles on the last shed it cant possibly be shed related. See if you cant get a better picture, if you hold just behind the head/jaw bone you should be able to hold the head still for a few seconds (dont be surprised if he doesn't like this but its for the right reason).
It may be nothing more than a dent in the eyecap or a scratch, at worse a damaged eyecap due to catching it on something, as long as it is still intact its served its purpose. I'd stop with the humidity increasing and baths, a quick skin pinch test will tell you if its dehydration (can cause dents in the eyecap) you gently pinch the skin between two fingers, let go and it should fall straight back, if it tents its dehydration. Its not shed related, your not trying to get anything off so extra humidity spraying etc is just going to cause you other problems.
If the eyecap is damaged the layer of fluid may have drained out, this is the one if it happened to me that I would worry about. Have you noticed any fluid around the eye? Does the eyecap appear broken or split, punctured etc? I'm not sure as to the exact veterinary procedure for dealing with this but I would think you'd have to strip the viv to bare necessities, newspaper substrate hides not a lot else and probably antibiotics to ensure the eye doesnt get infected but thats just guess work and I've not heard of this happening and can find not one single thing about this on google so basing it purely on the biology of the eye.
See about that picture though as its probably nothing to worry about. |
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 13:14:31
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Well I really do hope that it's nothing to worry about.
But Surahi once shed, including eyecaps, and imagine my remorse when a couple of weeks later an eyecap came off. There was absolutely no sign of cloudiness/denting on the eye itself, either. Just a tiny wisp of skin next to the eye, that she allowed me to take hold of - and the eyecap came with it, very easily and with no distress to Surahi. I can only conclude that her 'facemask' came off minus an eyecap - nowadays I make sure I feel the bubbles of the eyecaps to make sure. I've always thought I was vigilant about eyecaps, but clearly I wasn't vigilant enough.
NOT saying that this has happened in the OP's case - just that it CAN happen.
And I once watched a vid of a snake having to have several stuck eyecaps removed. Again I don't mean to be alarmist - just, again, that it can happen.
So I thought it best to advocate trying gentle treatment.
However I do hope Bob is right, Hannah, and that there's no cause for alarm. All the very very best with him. |
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hannah2016
Hatchling
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 16:36:25
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no, i really do think theres something wrong. the whole way around the eye is starting to become crispy and shrivled. a very small part of of eye-layer is coming of from the middle outwards, but the rest of it just looks stuck. im going to try the method at the top of the page but if you wouldnt mind helping me with a few things first BATS id be very grateful. i bought some viscotears this moring. so my questions are:
1) would it be better if i waited and had someone to help me hold him down? if not then how would i go about restaining him?
2)do i wipe the gel of after iv gone around the eye in semi circles or do i just leave it on?
3)how much pressure do i put on when rubbing the semi circles? and how much should i do this for each eye?
4)will he be alright to eat wednesday once its done? im going away for a few days and iv only just got him eating, i dont want to muck up his rutine now. |
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hannah2016
Hatchling
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 16:37:18
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thanks again
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 17:23:46
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Hi, Hannah - to me that does sound like a retained eyecap - but as you'll have gathered, I'm no expert, and I do hope somebody with more experience will be along soon to advise.
Also, I'd go so far as to say it might be a good idea to contact a reptile vet about this eye and ask their opinion before taking further action. Again I'm no expert but I never heard of an eye beginning to peel from the middle as you describe - although that could well be normal. However a decent vet would be able to judge if a visit was advisable, and put your mind at rest.)
I've never used Viscotears, but have read that thread, and it does sound good. But I don't know about applying the Viscotears, and in this instance I'd personally contact a vet first. Unless someone one here can advise a bit more about retained eyecaps.
Restraining - I've had to restrain snakes sometimes, chiefly when helping with assist feeding and sheds - and it's amazing how they've trusted me! My wildest snake, Ziska, lay on my lap like a baby, and she's normally a little sod, bless her.
If he'll eat, I'd feed him, would definitely offer food to him.
I'm sorry I can't help as much as I'd like to - I really do hope someone else can, although as I say it might be a good idea to have a word with a vet - they, or their receptionist (who ought to be pretty clued up in my experience of vets' receptionists) should ask questions over the phone first and listen to your concerns before arranging an appointment.
All the very very best with him - keep us posted. x |
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hannah2016
Hatchling
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 18:06:37
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**update**
just thought id let you know that i tryed the viscotears stuff. not as hard as i thought it would be. he did strugle, as soom as i started to use the cotton wool. he didnt struggle at first, but he did after a couple of mins, i felt so sorry for the poor little guy i just put him back in his viv. ovaral im very happy i finally did it, and hopefully will be reasured that his eyes will get better. I love that snake more then you could believe - but he has never ending problems!! i spent months trying to get him to eat and now as soon as he ate a meal his eyes started playinng up. just testing me i guess. ill update you tomorrow, sonner if theres any sign of improvement. |
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 18:21:57
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Hi again - so did the eyecaps come off then?
Yes, they bring love with them - know what you mean about loving them so dearly and if you have to help them with something the bond is closer. |
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hannah2016
Hatchling
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 18:49:55
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| the post said the eye cap wont fall of straight away, more like in a few hours. im gonna leave him alone for the night and check in the morning. if it works then ill treat him and get him a new branch - he seems to love climbing! |
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 18:54:28
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| Aww bless him - hope it works and he gets his new climbing branch! |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 19:56:05
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quote:
Originally posted by hannah2016
I thought it might be from a shes but I checked his last on and it had both eye caps intact.
If this is the case and quoted from the original post it CANT be a retained eyecap or its very very unlikely to have shed in a manner that an old retained eyecap has come off leaving behind a newer retained eyecap. Its something else, and rubbing at it and putting stuff on it will not be helping at all.
With the intact last shed and current issue it sounds like damage to the actual eyecap.
First thing I would do is recheck the last shed as you have it and feel the eyecap area, there should be 2 quite stiff eyecaps, like little contact lenes. If its just a hole where the eye is then the eyecap is missing and you can then be more certain of a retained eyecap but if they are both on the shed then you can pretty much rule out a retained eyecap and stop treating for that and concentrate on what is actually wrong. |
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hannah2016
Hatchling
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2012 : 16:59:50
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| right okay, so its not retained eye caps but i have just discovered something else. could mites have been the cause? i think he might have them as iv just go him out to have a look and theres these little bugs over him. look like moving bits of dirt. iv never had them before, so are they air born? because he didnt come with them and my other snakes dont have them? i dont understand, i cleaned his viv out at the weekend and now hes got yet another problem! do i get rid of the aspen and put him on news paper? could this be the cause of the eye problem? |
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hannah2016
Hatchling
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2012 : 17:03:25
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| iv only seen like one or two of them on him when i got him out, so if i do as the care sheet says, will i be able to get rid fast? will it reduce the chance oth the other snake that i have in the same room getting them? |
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2012 : 17:34:15
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Oh no ...does sound like mites - BUT -
Are you using orchid bark and are they like little sort of jumpy fly-y things? These are little bugs that live in the damp bark and are harmless.
If not, a pic on this thread shows a royal with crusty eyes due to mites -
http://www.theroyalpython.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1320
I too have mites atm and have had very good results with the Callingtons spray -
http://www.theroyalpython.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8220
All the very very best with him and this stuff does work - I got it from Surrey Pet Supplies and today couldn't see any trace of a mite, must update thread.
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2012 : 19:33:40
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Oh  to mites but at least now you have a potential cause. Mites do target the eyes so its quite likely the damage you see is where the mites have been attacking the edges of the eyecap, you may also catch signs of mites and the little 'words with lots of ***'s in' around or even just inside the mouth, in the corners, they are looking for an easy meal so go for the vulnerable bits.
As BATS says, Callingtons is highly recommended in small outbreaks of mites. My personal plan of attack should the mites visit me is to strip out and throw out everything in the viv, give each snake a bath to ensure all mites are off them and rehome them into rubs far far away from the contaminated viv and surrounding areas. Then I can treat the affected vivarium and the area around it aggressively and if the bath has worked the snakes get to live somewhere else mite free. |
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2012 : 19:40:16
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| You've got more room in your pad than me then, Bob. |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2012 : 21:14:51
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| Nah just less snakes lol. |
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n/a
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2012 : 21:16:51
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quote:
Originally posted by hannah2016
right okay, so its not retained eye caps but i have just discovered something else. could mites have been the cause? i think he might have them as iv just go him out to have a look and theres these little bugs over him. look like moving bits of dirt. iv never had them before, so are they air born? because he didnt come with them and my other snakes dont have them? i dont understand, i cleaned his viv out at the weekend and now hes got yet another problem! do i get rid of the aspen and put him on news paper? could this be the cause of the eye problem?
Ah sorry Hannah - only just realised you're using aspen so it can't be critters in damp bark ...been a bit of a chaos day lol and I really was hoping it couldn't be mites ...heaven knows where mites come from. I have a theory you can pick the damn things up in the supermarket these days, but, once you have them ...arrgh.
Here is a link for the Callingtons - and DEATH to the mites lol.
http://www.surreypetsupplies.co.uk/callington-mite-spray-100g.html
All the very best x |
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hannah2016
Hatchling
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 16:33:29
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| unfortunatly im going away for a few days while at krufts, so i cant get my hands on any proper stuff. i got some spray as alast minuite thing from pets at home, but at lease its something. my parents (the haters of all things snakes) have said they will change water for me but thats it, so i cant do anything with him during that period of time. im going to feed him tonight (if he'll eat) and then use the spray and clean his viv properly in the morning when i have a little time. furtunatly i dont think he has that many and i bathed him yesterday (to his very much dislike) and drowned alot of them. i was even picking some dead out of his scales. while he was being bathed i got rid of everything and then hoved the viv out completly in all the little holes. i them soaked everything with disinfectnt and cleaned it all out. while doing this his one hide and water bowl where being soaked then disinfected. i dont have a tub to put him in, only very temparaly - like a couple of hours max. so ill just keep up with the baths and spray and disinfectant ect. how do i know when there all completly gone? |
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7384 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 17:17:23
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You'll need to keep re-treating, as the larvae and eggs may stil be on the go, but never fear, with persistent treatment, you'll get there. Also it's a good idea to do a search and read up on as much info as possible about mite treatment.
With me using Callingtons', I'm going by their instructions and waiting till I see nothing for a month - a good guide I think. I've been very pleased with the results so far - detected nothing for the past 2 days, so fingers crossed and hoping.
Will just take this opportunity to say I don't just recommend Callingtons' for SMALL outbreaks of mites as somehow got said in another post - a small outbreak is a potentially large outbreak unless caught in time, and the Callingtons' I hope has nipped this one in the bud but even if all of my lot got the mites I'd still use the Callingtons', and Ardap too for the kit. But less of the worst case scenarios - fingers crossed for us both and do hope you too start to see results.
Another good thing is that you've traced the cause of the eye problem, hope he starts to improve now you've zapped the critters.
Have a good time at Crufts btw. |
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Edited by - n/a on 07/03/2012 17:20:33 |
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Urgent eye problems!!
