Please help: Medicating my Royal

[Intherough]

Guys,

My Royal had just been diagnosed with an RI. He has beeng given three lots of medicine to be given once a day oraly.

My first time this morning was very stressfull, i had my mother support his body while i syringed the fluid into his mouth. The vet had no probelem getting his mouth open and he seemed to remain considerably calm.
However when i do it he whips around and keeps closing his mouth around the syringe so i struggle to see where i am putting the fluid. He also seemed to reject alot of the medicine.

Any tips, hint, idea's or instuctions would be greatfully recieved.

Thanks, Jake

[RipplySquirrel]

support his body on your knees and have his head in one hand and the syringe in the other, i would first try the finger and thumb method, or well thats what i call it, of gently squeezing the sides of his mouth untill it begins to open, dont worry about getting tagged, once open enough trickle it in, dont force it in.

If this fails try a small piece of cardboard, gently insert the corner of the piece of card into the rigde in the top jaw and as the mouth opens turn it around so the snake cant close its mouth, this is more stressfull but it does work when done properly

hope this helps

kyle

[Intherough]

Thank you Ripply, good advice with the card board mate, not sure i can put him through that though. I love him dearly and hate to see him distressed!!

I did pretty much exactly what you said but i used the syringe to open his mouth wider.

I'm gonna try with a cotton bud in the morning, that's what the vet did ya see but still i need to know how i can keep him calm.

Check out this vid on youtube, YouTube - How not to medicate your snake

That kind of distress is the last thing i want for my kitoko!

He has had a bit of a shaded past where he was given live food which turned on him leaving him with a fair few scars, Probably why i fell for him lol
However he has always been a good feeder and shedder for the reptile centre i got him from.

I just don't understand why he was so calm for the vet but not for me?? What am i doing wrong?