Spider troubles - paranoia?

[MissLeMew]

So here's the story... It's going to be a bit lengthy, but I want to cover everything.

I bought my spider male in august of 2009 and he was delivered to me October 14th, 2009. In a combination of ignorance of ball python care and buying my first python from a not so great breeder, he had a rough start in his new home. He came to me dehydrated, and I was uninformed of what he had been eating, despite asking a few times (no reply to emails after sale was made). He didn't eat for the first 5 weeks I had him, he was refusing f/t, and I was rehabing him in the best way I could. Things worked themselves out, and after coming here and asking other places I offered him live and he ate for the first time with me. (I did not feed him while treating him for dehydration, I was terrified the stress on his body from trying to heal and getting better would kill him)

The following February (by this point I knew what I was doing), I noticed he hadn't really had much substantial weight gain, and after seeking advice I took a fecal sample to the only exotic vet in my area. The test came back negative for parasites, but she treated him with panacur and metronidazole(sp?) in case the sample was "tainted." He took another dose of both a few weeks later, and started to gain a bit of weight the following month, though through the months after I noticed he was still kinda skinny. Throughout this time, he was on a 4 day feeding schedule of pre-killed rat pups and weanling rats. Presently, he's eating small and medium f/t rats, every 4-5 days.

After a couple of months, I went onto a message board, yahoo answers I think, and asked about his lack of weight gain. I was told that he'd probably be a little skinny for a while yet - that he'd grow long and not wide due to the rough start he had. Thinking I was being overly paranoid I took the advice and left it at that.

Recently, those sneaky little thoughts of 'something might be wrong' have slunk back into my brain, and I'm not sure if I'm being paranoid or should actually be concerned. He's getting really picky with food(refused his last meal altogether), and I dunno if it's just me, but I still think he's too skinny despite his 1 yr old status and his feeding schedule. His wobble, which wasn't that bad as a hatchling, has gotten pretty bad, and out of fear that he might have parasites again I put him in QT away from everyone else a few weeks ago. I also took a video.



Should I consider another vet visit? Could his lack of weight gain be parasites, or is it just his body "evening out" from his rough start? Sometimes he looks like he's at a healthy weight, but after refusing his last meal and being on empty, he does look too skinny to me :/ I don't want to do anything that will make him stress... his wobble is already pretty prominent, so please any and all advice is welcome!!!!

NOTE: His hot spot is not really 84, the probe for that accurite doesn't stick and he moves it all the time. I know the water is really shallow, but I did that on purpose because he'll go and wobble in it and submerge his head upside down and I'm afraid of him drowning. And he spills it everywhere. This is a temporary set up, I'm fixing it over the next few days.

Also, this is not a thread about why you should or shouldn't own a spider because of its wobble. If you have a comment about your opinion on spiders, please, post it in one of the many threads that have already been started on the subject.