Ball Python died....

my baby ball python just died and i have no idea why. ive had it for a little over a month and everything in his setup was perfect. temp hides water, etc.
he had mites so i was dealing with the problem by giving him baths and using reptile spray from natural chemistry. i took him out yesterday to hold him and he kept rotating his head around in circles and rolling around. it was very strange to me so i put him back in his tank. i come in today to find him dead. any explanations? this is my first snake and im pretty bummed out.

Was he twisting or doing a corkscrew motion with his body?

It could have been IBD. I hear that IBD can come from mites, and there is no cure for this disease.

Sorry to hear. :(

mine had passed away yesterday, and it was doing that corkscrew motion.. whats an IBD?

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Originally Posted by mikev204

Sorry to hear. :(

mine had passed away yesterday, and it was doing that corkscrew motion.. whats an IBD?

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Inclusion Body Disease. It can spread throughout your collection and kill an entire collection, but this disease only effects boids.

Hi,

I hate to be the one to mention it but there are a couple of possible reasons for neurological symptoms like those you describe. :(

IBD is the most commonly mentioned cause but I strongly suspect it is not one of the most common causes.

It's natural (or at least expected ) in the spider morph.

It's a known symptom of overheating.

It can be caused by parasites. Some kind of nematode if memory serves.

It can also be caused by the chemicals used to treat for mites. :(


dr del

So sorry for your loss... :(

Definitely sounds like IBD. Especially with the twisting motions you mentioned. So hey, it wasn't your fault. You did everything you could. If you want to give it another shot, clean everything like mad and get another one, when you're ready. Just a bad stroke of luck.

so your saying that most spider ball's are more prone to getting some sort of neurological disorder?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

I hate to be the one to mention it but there are a couple of possible reasons for neurological symptoms like those you describe. :(

IBD is the most commonly mentioned cause but I strongly suspect it is not one of the most common causes.

It's natural (or at least expected ) in the spider morph.

It's a known symptom of overheating.

It can be caused by parasites. Some kind of nematode if memory serves.

It can also be caused by the chemicals used to treat for mites. :(


dr del

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It is something that is passed genetically in the spider morphs. Some have it severe and some have it to the point where it is barely noticeable to the untrained eye. They call it a wobble or corkscrew. But it doesn't cause death in them it just affects they way they slither or feed or what have you. I mean it could cause death if it was that severe that the snake couldn't eat properly or something I guess.

What were you using to control your temps? and what kind of set-up are you using?
I agree with Dr. Del. While IBD is always a possibility. The only way to find out for sure is to have a qualified vet perform a necropsy to check for internal causes, and an IBD test must be specifically requested.
I would venture to say that an uncontrolled heat source, more often than not, is the culprit. The temperatures get too high and the snake basically has a heat stroke...

I'm sorry for your loss... :(


Rob

Hatchlings will spin and twist in the final throes of death. I wouldn't jump to IBD or spider spinning. I would speculate that if it had mites, it was wild caught and probably the stress weakened it's immunity to the parasites it had, causing them to overwhelm the snake.

It's a sad time for you, I know. Just make sure next time to buy from a respected shop or breeder. Buy only captive bred snakes and you will be better off.

Rick