Rescuing a Blind Rainbow Snake with Snake Fungal Disease: A Story of Hope 🐍

Follow the emotional journey of an unprecedented wildlife rescue in South Carolina. We found a sick and nearly blind Rainbow Snake, a rare and elusive species, suffering from the deadly Snake Fungal Disease (SFD). This video documents our difficult decision to intervene and the incredible help we received from the herpetology community and a dedicated reptile veterinarian.

SFD has been affecting snakes on the East Coast since 2006, and every case helps biologists better understand and track its spread. This snake, found on the pristine Edisto River bank, gave us a unique opportunity to study the disease's impact firsthand.

The vet, who graciously offered his expertise and care for free, confirmed that the snake is now eating and gaining weight. While its vision may be permanently affected, this rescue is a powerful story of hope and conservation.

This is a special video from our herping series. Subscribe for more wildlife adventures and hit the bell for updates on this amazing Rainbow Snake!

A huge thank you to the Facebook group South Carolina Snakes: Identification & Education and the anonymous reptile veterinarian for all their help!

Check out Zachary of @LifesWildAdventures for his excellent video of a healthy Rainbow Snake:    • A LEGENDARY Snake! - We found a Rainbow Sn...  

See more of our rare snake finds in this playlist:    • Very Rare Snakes: Herping snakes  

Rainbow Snake Chapters

0:00 Finding a Rainbow Snake in South Carolina

0:33 Does a Sick Snake Smell Bad?

1:22 Do Rainbow Snakes Live in Rivers?

1:36 Is This Snake Fungal Disease?

2:16 An Emotional Decision

3:00 The Snake is Blind

4:00 The Decision to Leave the Snake Alone (for now)

5:39 A Special Reptile Vet Can Help!

5:46 My Old-School Snake Bag

6:32 How to Bag a Snake

7:21 Snake Vet Asks to Remain Anonymous

7:40 What is Snake Fungal Disease?

7:56 Rainbow Snake Information is Rare

9:01 The Cost of Testing for SFD

9:15 How to Care for a Snake with SFD

9:39 SFD Destroyed the Snake’s Eyes

#RainbowSnake
#SnakeFungalDisease
#SFD
#Herping
#WildlifeRescue
#SouthCarolinaSnakes
#conservation
#ochoverdewildlife