A few weeks ago I bought a young ball python, when I went to collect him/her I noticed quite a bit of stuck she on its head, the snake was not being kept in the correct conditions. Was kept on Aspen in a tiny tub and was being fed small mice. Being the soppy git that I am I bought it and took it home as I felt sorry for it. It was obviously underweight for its age and was being fed tiny prey. He/she has taken one feed in the last 4 weeks (a large mouse) I have tried rat pups but had no luck. The snakes movements have been a bit odd since I got him, he dork screws a little and hold his head at weird positions, it has been making a few clicking noises but I think that’s due to stuck shed on its nostrils and mouth. I have removed the stuck eye caps and today have managed to get off quite a bit of the shed around its mouth. My main concern is that when I open its tub (in a rack) he has his nose pointing up almost gazing into air, he has been doing this for a few days. When I take him out he puts his head in the air which his head back and just sits like that until I move him. I have tried placing him on his back to se if he corrects himself, sometimes he does and other times he stays still until I touch him then he will roll over.

I am worried that he is stargazing and may have IBD? I have moved him/her away from my other snakes (upstairs) but I am unable to get him/her to a vet. My nearest reptile vet is a hour and a half drive away and the vet is only there 2 days a week 😬. Could the stargazing just be due to the conditions he was kept in? Could it be related to the stuck shed around his mouth?