Administering Reptaid to

SNAKES

Snakes experience many health issues.  Reptaid can help with any kind of parasite or infection, general immune system weakness, lack of vitality or energy, or digestive system imbalance.  There are many various sizes and species of snakes, and each species has its own health issues.  Corn snakes may suffer from chronic regurgitation.  Ball pythons more commonly suffer from Upper Respiratory Infections.  All snakes of course are subject to parasite infections.  Reptaid has been very effective in helping snakes overcome all of these health problems. 

DOSING:

You can use either Reptaid or Reptaid XL for your snakes depending on individual weight.   Reptaid is dosed at .1ml per 100g animal weight. Reptaid XL  is dosed at .05ml per 500g animal weight.    It is usually administered orally either directly into the mouth or injected into a food item before feeding the snake.  Following is a dosing chart for various weights of snakes:

Reptaid dosing

Reptaid XL dosing

 1 gram = .035 ounces

TREATMENT BY AGE AND WEIGHT

1.      BABIES  ( up to 25g)

 Generally baby snakes have no need for treatment. If given proper food, moisture, lighting, and cleanliness, they will thrive naturally.   But if a young snake is not thriving like its clutch mates, Reptaid can be used carefully on the youth.  The dose per the chart above is just 1 or 2 tiny tiny drips from the needle attached to the syringe.  One drip off the end of the needle is a very small amount of Reptaid but for a snake  less than 25g this is sufficient.  The trick is to get the drops into the mouth.  One technique being used by a corn snake breeder is to hold the small snake by the tail between your knees while sitting down.  Then hold the head upright so the body is entirely vertical. Then carefully pry the mouth open with your fingernail or a credit card.   Squirt the Reptaid  mixed with some additional water into the open vertical throat.  Hold the snake in that position for about 20 seconds so the solution will get into the stomach.   Be careful not to overdose the baby. Only give Reptaid once a day, any time of day, earlier being better.    

2.      JUVENILES OR MIDSIZED  SNAKES  (25g to 250g)  

Treatment for medium sized snakes is per the chart above.  Until the animal weighs over 250g you should use regular Reptaid for treatment.  Again the idea is to get the Reptaid into the mouth. If the snake is eating, the easiest method is to inject the Reptaid into the food item.  Since Reptaid is designed to be administered  daily, and snakes do not eat on a daily basis, then adjustments have to be made.  The best suggestion is  to cut down the snakes food portion to he will eat every 3 days instead of every 7-10 days.  Then inject the food with a 3 day dose so the snake will get  a time-delayed dose of Reptaid over the 3 days that the food is digested.  Repeat this procedure for as long as necessary to overcome the health issues. 

If the snake is not eating, then the use of a stomach tube becomes necessary, as with any medication in  such situations.  If you are not experienced with using a stomach tube for a snake it is suggested that you seek help. 

 LARGER SNAKES

 Treating the larger snakes is the same as the midsized snakes except there is a limit to the suggested dose. The dose for a 10 lb snakes is .5ml but this has been shown to be effective even for a 50 lb snake.  So for the very largest snakes, like a Bermese Python which weighs 50 lbs, you cut the food portion down to a 3 day meal.  Instead of feeding him a full sized rat, just give him a small rat.  He will stay hungry and be willing to eat again in 3 days.   Each time you give him a rat, inject .5ml of Reptaid XL into the thawed or thumped rat just before feeding it to the snake.  Repeat this every 3 days and expect to see results in 1 -2 weeks.      

TREATMENT FOR PARASITES

Detection of parasites is best performed under laboratory conditions using a microscope.  Symptoms of parasitic problems include loss of appetite, lack of activity, dark coloration, diarrhea, blood in the feces or urates, very smelly feces, visible worms in the feces.  If any or all of these symptoms are present, you can treat with Reptaid being confident that if parasites are present, treatment will help solve the problem. 

Continue with Reptaid for 2-3 weeks using the smaller food portion method.    A fecal check is needed to be sure the problem is solved. And of course, as with any treatment for parasites, quarantine, disinfection of the habitat, and proper hygiene are essential to prevent reinfection. 

TREATMENT FOR BACTERIOLOGICAL INFECTION

The most common infections from bacteria which afflict snakes is the URI, upper respiratory infections.  Dosing is per the chart above.  Administration is the same as for parasites. For a severe respiratory infection, the snake will be showing foam in the mouth, holding his mouth open a lot, making definite breathing noise, and possibly coughing.    Most infections will show signs of improvement in 7 days and be completely clear in 2 weeks

COMBINING WITH DRUGS

Reptaid is not a drug. It is an herbal all natural alternative to drugs.   It is not recommended that Reptaid be administered at the same time as any drug.  If a course of drugs is underway, discontinue the drugs and just use the Reptaid. Or finish the course of drugs and then begin the use of Reptaid.  Do not use at the same time. 

PROBIOTICS

When using any antibiotic drug, it is highly recommended that a probiotic such as benebac  be used along with the drugs.  Drugs eliminate the good gut flora in the digestive tract of the reptile.  A probiotic replaces that gut flora.  But Reptaid does not kill the good gut flora with its natural antibiotic properties so a probiotic is not needed with Reptaid. However Benebac can certainly be used with Reptaid as an additional boost to the immune system during treatment.

USING REPTAID PROACTIVELY

You can use Reptaid products to keep your reptiles healthy and vibrant, rather than just as a treatment for sickness or disease. It is suggested to administer Reptaid or Reptaid XL to your reptile, per the dosing chart, for 2 or 3 days at the beginning of each month.  This has shown positive results in keeping  animals healthy and thriving