Rescue Senerios What to do...

With more and more people obtaining 'rescues' from craigslist and other sources I thought it would be interesting to give a senerio and see how it can be solved.

Case 1: You recieve a Ball Python from someone you met online. While with the current owner, they admit the snake hasn't eaten in some months. Upon seeing the snake you notice there are partical stuck sheds, a retained eye cap, and mites. What do you do?*


Please be detailed. Day 1 I did this... day 2 I did that. What would you tackle first? What sized meal would you give and when? Stuff like that.

*It is assumed a proper setup is awaiting at home with proper heat gradient and basics.

Mites will be taken care of as I put it into the P.A.M. pretreated tub, and I use Reptile Relief on the snake as I put it in. Let it acclimate for a week, start feeding small meals (to prevent regurge..since I don't know how long it's been fasting). If he's eating weekly w/o any prblem, take it (and/or a fecal sample) to the vet. Then work on soaking for the retained sheds.

Definitely, the shedding is the smallest of the problems here. I'd get the PAM first, and remember that it is a weekly treatment if I remember correctly. Let him/her settle into it's new home and remember the husbandry must be on the dot (Dark, tight, quiet, avoid foot traffic just in case.)

I'd stick with Sweety314's idea on feeding a smaller meal, maybe small mice and probably live just to have optimum feeding response. The eyecaps from what I've heard if they are the same as the dented eye caps fall of with a successful shed so just make sure that humidity is bumped on a notch when you start seeing signs.

Good luck and I admire your courage on rescuing. I would sure love the challenge as well.