How not to feed a ball python.

Step One: Leave a live rat in the tank with the snake overnight.

*sigh* Why do people do this? (But even more so, WHY does the snake not attack the thing biting it? My corns would attack something biting them. Are BPs really just that dumb? )

My old work has a BP in right now who got so badly chewed that between two of the spinous processes of the vertebrae there is a hole INTO the coelomic cavity. She's on antibiotics and the vet did a sort of surgery today (basically suturing the adjoining ribs together to close the hole) and we're going to see what happens. My sister-in-law, also a vet-tech, is going to foster the snake if she survives the next few days.

Sorry for the wonky pics; they were taken with my cellphone.

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/438/9RgkIh.jpg


http://imageshack.com/a/img633/1640/dGUrwz.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img909/8522/NkhH3f.jpg

Poor thing. Keep us updated. I hope she makes it.

Aw, poor little thing! I hope she heals up ok.

And I'm sorry but if I were the vet, I'd have a hard time keeping a civil tongue in my head when talking to that customer.

poor little snake :( I hope she gets better and makes a good recovery.:( please keep us updated.

I can explain the snake not fighting back easily enough - their defensive behaviour is coiling in a ball unlike a corn or most other snakes.

Thank you for that, Dr. Del. I literally have NO experience with ball pythons outside of helping un-constipate one a year ago, so they confuse me quite a bit. That behaviour makes me sad though, I can just imagine "Ow! Quick, coil into a ball! OWWWW! Why does it not stop???"