Wushaoshé

Wushaoshé, also known as longliu, wushe, qingshe, wufengshe, wushaobian, wuyaoshe, heiwushe, heihuashe, shuilvshe, jianjishe, yiliuhei, belongs to the Colubridae family.

Wushaoshé is the dried body of the snake Wushaoshé, also known as longliu, wushe, qingshe, wufengshe, wushaobian, wuyaoshe, heiwushe, heihuashe, shuilvshe, jianjishe, yiliuhei. It belongs to the Colubridae family. It is mainly found in East China, South China, Southwest China, Hubei, Hunan, Shanxi, Hebei, and other places. The original animal lives in coastal plains, hills, mountains, fields, and forests. It is agile and feeds on fish, frogs, lizards, and other animals. It has a sweet taste and neutral properties. It belongs to the liver and spleen meridians. Its functions are to dispel wind, promote blood circulation, and stop spasms. It is used clinically as Wushaoshé and Jiūwūshé.

Recommended for snake enthusiasts, Wushaoshé (乌梢蛇) has a relatively large body and is non-toxic. Wushaoshé is more sensitive to changes in humidity and environment than other snakes, and prefers warmth and quietness. When breeding Wushaoshé, it is necessary to meet its needs to the greatest extent. Like other snakes, Wushaoshé also hibernates. At the end of autumn and the beginning of winter each year, when the external temperature drops to around 15°C, the snake instinctively curls up and enters a dormant state in a burrow. The entire hibernation period lasts for up to 6 months, during which it does not eat, move, excrete, or shed its skin. It mainly relies on stored fat to maintain the minimum level of survival. The snake has strong hunger resistance and can survive without eating for several months or even a year.

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1. Acute pneumonia

One of the common diseases in snakes. The symptoms are difficulty breathing, open mouth, unwillingness to eat, prolonged stay outside the nest, sudden onset, and can cause a large number of deaths when severe. It mostly occurs during the period when female snakes lay eggs or give birth, as their bodies are weak at this time and they do not drink water. In addition, the humid and hot weather makes snakes susceptible to illness. Prevention measures include providing sufficient water for female snakes during the egg-laying (or giving birth) period, ensuring good ventilation and reducing the surrounding temperature.

2. Mold disease

Common in captive snakes, especially species such as Chinese moccasins and five-step snakes. This disease often occurs in poor living environments with limited activity and high humidity. The main preventive measure is to keep the snake's habitat dry and allow the snake to have a certain range of movement. Lime can also be used regularly for damp absorption, or wrapped in paper and placed on one side of the snake's nest, with regular replacement.

Treatment: Apply 2% iodine tincture to the affected part of the snake's body twice a day. Alternatively, soak the snake in potassium permanganate solution, and it can be cured after one week. Mold disease should be detected and treated early, as the treatment effect is not ideal in the later stages.

3. Parasites

There are many types of parasitic infections in snakes, including flagellate tongue worms, roundworms, tapeworms, and ascarids. Snakes can also be infested with ticks and mites on their skin.

Treatment methods: Oral administration of veterinary diazinon solution at a dosage of per kilogram of snake's weight for 5 consecutive days can kill or expel various parasites in the body. In addition, fenbendazole, levamisole, dichlorophenol, and other drugs can be used. For ticks and mites on the skin, the snake can be placed in a nylon bag and soaked in veterinary diazinon solution for 10 minutes. After the ticks and mites die and fall off, the skin can be rinsed with water.

4. Snake stomatitis

It is almost the most common disease in snakes. Stomatitis is prone to occur in venomous snakes because taking venom can easily cause oral injuries. Improper repeated venom collection methods or careless operations can also lead to stomatitis. During hibernation, certain bacteria are prone to invade the cheek area and cause stomatitis. During the feeding season, injuries to the oral cavity can also be caused by fighting or swallowing larger prey. If the snake is artificially fed, the incidence of stomatitis is even higher. The main manifestations are swelling of the upper and lower jaws, inability to open or close the mouth, affecting food intake, sometimes redness of the oral gums and forehead (normally pale), and in severe cases, pus may overflow from some tooth sockets. Eventually, due to the spread of inflammation, the snake can no longer drink water, becomes weak, and dies.

The newly hatched Wushaoshé snake is about 10 centimeters long and does not need to be fed within a week. The young snake can rely on consuming the stored yolk in its body to meet its needs. After a week, it can be fed with easily digestible foods such as mealworms, tadpoles, and minced meat. After one month, it can be fed with small frogs, milk mice, loaches, etc. Meanwhile, the temperature in the snake farm should be maintained at around 25°C, and the relative humidity should be around 80%.

When they are adults, it is crucial to provide them with nutritious food and create an environment suitable for snake growth. Wushaoshé snakes have a wide range of food preferences, such as frogs, rodents, fish, etc. When feeding, the amount should be adjusted according to the size of the snake, generally feeding once every 3-5 days. If live food is lacking, artificial food can be provided, such as fresh meat and clean poultry and livestock slaughter by-products. However, it is best to feed once a day to avoid food decay caused by overfeeding, or competition among the snakes due to insufficient feeding, where stronger snakes consume more and weaker snakes cannot eat enough, thus affecting their growth and development. Wushaoshé snakes have a strong ability to withstand hunger, and they will not starve even if only provided with water for several months.