NEW OWNER!! help.. BP weak grip / Soft body... something wrong?

[lilith14]

Loooong post ahead, I'm sorry I just wanted to be thorough.

I'm a new time BP owner... I just got a BEL BP a few days ago, who I was told is around 5-6 months old. I've made an appointment with the vet, the earlier they could do was next week, so until then...

On the night I brought her home, she had quite a tight grip to the point I was concerned I'd be hurt and curled up in a ball the first 5 minutes or so I took off the lid of the container. I took it to her being scared and one of the first things I looked for her in her was a strong grip so actually I was relieved. But she loosened up and started exploring soon. However I noticed by the end of that night that she actually has a fairly weak grip. At that point, I took it to her being gentle. I've been getting increasingly worried because over the past few days her grip seems to be getting weaker and weaker. At one point yesterday she was sliding down my arm, seemingly unable to hold on.

I started researching why this could happen and obviously started getting freaked out by the self diagnosis... IBD especially. I don't think she shows any other signs other than weakness in muscle and last night she was flopping around a bit when I first put her down on my chest trying to right herself, so I'm scared that's disorientation? But she doesn't do that on her own. I checked her again this morning and her body is really soft and skin seems a bit loose.

Otherwise, she's alert and she's curious and playful, her tongue flicks, she likes to climb both in the tank and when handled. She actively reaches for my hand when I place it close to her and doesn't ever seem stressed. She seems a bit blind, she keeps bumping her head into my hand as if she couldn't even see it, but then if I move too fast she does react immediately. Also I think maybe her eyes are a bit blind because they are clouding over, I think she is about to shed.

Set up wide: her high temp side is at 85 air temp and 95 basking temp and her cool side is between 70 and 75. The humidity is at a steady 60%.

So a couple things, she ate the second day I got her - F/t and I didn't have to tempt her, she ate it RIGHT away, I almost didn't even have time to place it in front of her face. So the guy who sold it to me... I didn't realize the seller was not a breeder until I met him, which raised some alarms (also he said he'd gone through 7 snakes in a year, but only had the 2 that were, again, advertised for sale - what the h happened to the other snakes??), but I was so taken with her I took her home. Could she have not been fed properly? And that's why she's so weak?

Also her skin is dull (and also full of hard white scales, she's a blue eyed lucy so she's all white, but could this be some sort of skin disease?) and her eyes are cloudy so maybe it's because she's about to shed?

I'm not sure what to think but I am taking her to the vet, if not for treatment then at least for a check up but I'm worried she was already sick to begin with and if I don't take steps to help her now something bad will happen, and fast.

Does any of the above seem super alarming? What other signs should I be looking for I might mistaken as normal? Any help is appreciated - thank you!!

TL;DR Baby BP is super weak and seems to have no muscle, but eats voraciously and is curious and alert, no breathing problems - could she be starving prior? could it be something more serious? What other signs should I be looking for I might mistaken as normal?

[WarriorPrincess90]

Can we see some pictures of her condition? Also, what are her temps and humidity? What are you using for heat? And what are you using to control it?

Another factor to consider, you haven't had her more than a few days from what I understand. You really should not be handling her at all for a week to let her acclimate to her new surroundings.

It's fantastic that she ate so willingly for you though! That's a great sign. Sick snakes usually won't expend the energy to eat.

[lilith14]

Ah! I didn't think of the handling part... I think other than a feed on Sunday and taking her to the vet I won't be handling her at all for a week, thank you for the advice

Ok I put some photos up of her... One is from her first day and the second is when she ate the second day. You can see the white dots on her... those are harder scales - I couldn't find anything online and asked the seller several times what they were but he said they were normal

http://s7.postimg.org/4ri6jwbgr/Full_Size_Render.jpg

http://postimg.org/image/ngzs9j47f/

Thank you!!

Edit: oh right and her temperature... the cool side is 70-75 and the hot side is 95 on the ground and 85 in the air - humidity is 60%. Also agh sorry I don't know why the second picture won't turn the right side up :?

[DVirginiana]

When you say the spots are 'harder scales' do you mean that the rest of them are abnormally soft or just that those seem harder than normal?

[lilith14]

Hm it's hard to describe, definitely that they are harder than normal. They seem to be like as if they were dry flakes of skin randomly all over her back. Her belly looks normal, it's a bit pink, but there is a small indented line down the centre of her belly near the end of the tail.

[SRMD]

Hm it's hard to describe, definitely that they are harder than normal. They seem to be like as if they were dry flakes of skin randomly all over her back. Her belly looks normal, it's a bit pink, but there is a small indented line down the centre of her belly near the end of the tail.

I would assume that is the cord that gets cut when they come into this world!

[T_Sauer]

and congrats on your new Ball Python!! I don't have experience with bel's but I'm wondering if the scales you are talking about could possible be stuck shed ... Everything else sounds normal with the beginning stages of the shed cycle to me with the exception of the "weakness" of the ball pythons grip, which could simply be due to you not having much experience with ball pythons. Either way a check up at the vet will be a good reassurance that your animal is healthy. Other than that I would wait til after she sheds and see if that clears the spots up that you are talking about

[lilith14]

Thank you everyone for all your comments so far!! It's all super useful (and puts me at ease a bit). We are being slammed with snow in the east coast right now so I hope it will clear up and I can transport her safely and warmly to the vet...

[pbyeerts]

I was a complete basket case when I bought home my sweet Ginger! New mom or dad worries about their new addition is fine. Your setup sounds really good to me. I would wait and see if anything else happens. She's eating and is active, right? Sounds good!

[lilith14]

Thank you for the kind reassurances <3 I feel a bit of a basket case myself.. When I made the mistake of reading up on and watching videos about IBD and I was just in tears. That vet trip can't come faster!!