Anyone have any ideas one this one?

Hello all. I recently aquired a female from a couple that had her in thier possession for four years. She is was 389 grams when I picked her up with no source of heat! They told me she was eating one mouse every two or three weeks. They told me that they had saved her from even worse conditions, so there is no telling her actual age. I don't belive that they were purposely taking inproper care of her, I just think that they did know any better. Either way I'm very happy that she is now in my posession. She is all warmed up now and slamming rat pups like their going extinct! I degress. When I went to pick her up I was blown away by her colors! I took her to a good friend of mine who has been doing this for a very long time. He immediatly thought that she resembled Jolliff axanthic because of the greys combined with the light dorsal coloration. I agree but I also want to get some oppinions from anyone else who may have any ideas. I included a picture of a similar sized, but much younger, normal male just for a side by side comparison. Thanks.

Female in question
http://www.iherp.com/Gallery/93108/9...tZ2pA0bJrW.jpg

Norrmal male for comparison
http://www.iherp.com/Gallery/93108/8...BwIH0Dgbyt.jpg

She looks axanthic BUT malnutrition can cause their colors to dull. Give her a few months and a few sheds and see if she colors up at all. Great job giving her a good home :).

I'd be a shade of grey if I were a 4+ year old 389g ball python too. Get her healthy and take some more pictures to compare, see if she gets some color back(if she in fact lost any due to improper care). Thanks for rescuing her and best of luck getting her up to size!

I agree with the other two posters. Malnutrition can cause numerous things, including decrease in color. Get some food in her for a atleast a few months and see how she's looking then :)

get a few meals in her and wait till she sheds then repost pictures so we can see too :)

Very solid advice! I guess if people can look pale and grey from improper nutrition than snakes can too. Glad I posted this! She is feeding like crazy and seems to have a much more healthy demeaner. I will post some more pictures once she has put on some weight and shed a few times. Still hoping she's an axanthic though...

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Originally Posted by jep14

Very solid advice! I guess if people can look pale and grey from improper nutrition than snakes can too. Glad I posted this! She is feeding like crazy and seems to have a much more healthy demeaner. I will post some more pictures once she has put on some weight and shed a few times. Still hoping she's an axanthic though...

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Right now I still say let her shed but my vote is on axanthic :)

4+ years old and 389 grams? Wow, great job picking her up and giving her proper care!

Being so underfed for so long, I wonder if that level of malnutrition caused any bone or spine structural weakness.

Once you get her up to weight, I would urge caution before any breeding attempts.

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Originally Posted by jep14

They told me that they had saved her from even worse conditions, so there is no telling her actual age.

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Sigh.. I see this a lot. People "rescuing" reptiles only to put them in the same situation. It's not a rescue if you bring home a reptile and don't know how to properly care for it :mad:.... It really does go with every animal.. I had a friend who "rescued" a sick dog, but refused to pay vet bills to bring it back to health..

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Originally Posted by Slim

4+ years old and 389 grams? Wow, great job picking her up and giving her proper care!

Being so underfed for so long, I wonder if that level of malnutrition caused any bone or spine structural weakness.

Once you get her up to weight, I would urge caution before any breeding attempts.

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I agree completely. I'm not really planning on her making a "full" recovery after so long living under these conditions. Also, as you've stated there's really no telling what kind of internal damage has been done. If she does infact recover to the point that I can safely prove her out and answer my own question, than that would be amazing. Right now though, I think its best to assume that she is going to remain a pretty "pet" snake.