Another rescue... another problem.

Hey guys! So because I am just too addicted for my own good, I was surfing around craigslist (of course) when I saw and ad for a female ball python. I contacted the girl and asked if she could give me some info. She said she had been probed and that it was guaranteed a female, according to her about eight years old and roughly four feet long. Yeah right, right?

So I got there and the guy shows me the snake and her enclosure. Not only does she have a heat rock, but she also has an overhead bulb, but instead of having a heat bulb its just a normal flourescent bulb. She is in fact about four feet long, very big girl. I agreed to take her after looking her over. No signs of mites, no sign of RI, no sign of belly rot, or of mouth rot. What she does have are some serious eye caps.

I took her to Arizona Reptile Center to have her probed and weighed, turns out she is in fact a girl and just shy of 2400 grams. They agreed the eye caps are a long running issue, probably four or five sheds worth of stuck on eye caps. I now have her home... I am wondering how long I should weight before giving her a really good soak and then trying to gently get the eye caps off.

The guys at ARC gave it a go, tried to remove them with a q-tip and some warm water, which she actually tolerated really well. I don't want to stress her out too badly, yet I know they need to come off. I am not even sure if she can see through them, they are very cloudy. Any input would be great. :)

I'd say for her sake, after 2 retained eye caps it's time to see the vet...

I will probably get a lot of disagreement on this, but I use a piece of scotch tape. I VERY gently press it onto the eye cap, and slowly pull it away. I do this multiple times until the cap peels off or until I feel the snake has had enough. I also have some antibiotic ointment I got from my exotic vet to put on the eyes to prevent infection. Make sure to wash your hands very carefully when messing around with the eyes.

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Originally Posted by Peoples

I'd say for her sake, after 2 retained eye caps it's time to see the vet...

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Yeah, the vet is probably best. You could also get a test done for parasites and protozoans while you're there.

Give her a comfy place with some good humidity and she might try and be able to remove them on her own when she settles. Try and find out when was the last time she shed? After a few days rest and they're still stuck then I would try and have them removed again. If not wait until her next shed and up the humidity.

Oh and Craigslist is the devil :taz:!!! But you can find some good deals on there sometimes. Which also keeps me checking it every so often :).

Well she has some shed on her now, some on her neck, so I am betting her last shed was not that long ago lol. She let me rub her neck a little, she was even really well behaved when the guys at ARC tried with the q-tip. The caps came up towards the edge with the q-tip but were still stuck toward the center of the eye. I could try putting her in a nice tub with higher humidity and maybe a warm washcloth, see if she rubs some off that way, but there really are a few sheds worth of them.

Honestly aside from the eyecaps she looks really good. A nice big girl. I just don't want to end up hurting her by trying to get those eye caps off, I know it can be a really touchy subject for a lot of people lol.

Craigslist is the devil. I couldn't help myself though. When it said 40 for a 4 ft female ball with her enclosure... I had to at least see her. But see when I see them, then I want to take them all home. Either A: Because they are gorgeous and I want to bring them home or B: Because they need some TLC and a better home than the one they came from. This gal just happened to be both lol.

I know what you mean,.. I think the easiest and least stressful would be to set her up and let her try on her own. The other stuck shed she has on her body may encourage it, I'm sure it's uncomfortable for her and she wants it off.

I know what you mean. We just replied to an add on craigslist for an 11 year old female with a 90 gallon tank that they only want 45 dollars worth in the picture we looked at she has no issues but of course if we get her its right to the vet then into 60 day quaritine. I'm hoping she's completely healthy though I'm worried because that put a heat rock in her tank :( hope well be able to give her a better home.