my snake is sick

This might be a long shot, but you mentioned you feed him fish. What kind of fish, and where do you buy them from?

I have read a couple of things online, but it could all be a load of bull, but that feeding feeder goldfish to those small colubrid and water snakes is generally not a good idea because of something the goldfish carry.... I would have to do a search to refresh my memory.

Like I said, long shot. :(

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Ball pythons have lived for 45 years. 10-12 in captivity is extremely low.

I'm guessing a disease or nerve issue of some sort. What are the temperatures in the cage, and how are you controlling them?

Separate the two snakes immediately, you can put them in tubberware tubs, (a 32quart should be fine) and use those as enclosures.

What was the name of your breeder?

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This is a ribbon snake, not a ball. They live about 12 years on average.

With regards to feeder goldfish and rosies:

(1) both are commonly loaded with parasites

(2) both are high in thiaminase which can theoretically lead to a thiamine deficiency which is causative factor in neurological issues

(3) store bought feeder fish in general are a bad move. They are regularly dosed with medications to rid them of parasites and bacterial infections.

A 1.1 pair of ribbon snakes can be kept together providing the enclosure is of adequate size, there are ample hiding areas, there are thermoregulation zones large enough to accomodate both animals and they are separated at feeding time. It is commonly done: the rules for these snakes and balls are different.

A couple of questions:

Have you tried feeding him any earthworms?

What temps are you keeping them at?

Do you have a male/female pair? If so, have you noticed any breeding behavior?

How big of an enclosure are they in?

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

This is a ribbon snake, not a ball. They live about 12 years on average.

With regards to feeder goldfish and rosies:

(1) both are commonly loaded with parasites

(2) both are high in thiaminase which can theoretically lead to a thiamine deficiency which is causative factor in neurological issues

(3) store bought feeder fish in general are a bad move. They are regularly dosed with medications to rid them of parasites and bacterial infections.

A 1.1 pair of ribbon snakes can be kept together providing the enclosure is of adequate size, there are ample hiding areas, there are thermoregulation zones large enough to accomodate both animals and they are separated at feeding time. It is commonly done: the rules for these snakes and balls are different.

A couple of questions:

Have you tried feeding him any earthworms?

What temps are you keeping them at?

Do you have a male/female pair? If so, have you noticed any breeding behavior?

How big of an enclosure are they in?

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Ahh, thanks for filling in! I had no luck figuring out what I was talking about. ;P

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

Ahh, thanks for filling in! I had no luck figuring out what I was talking about. ;P

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Your advice was still correct..........feeder goldfish bad. :gj:

My snake is a ribbon snake which is pretty much a garter snake. I'm having trouble regulating the temp for the snake right now. I usually keep the light on for the better part of the day in one half of the cage keeping the other side cool. And in the evening I have a heat pad that is underneath the tank on the same side the light goes on. But for some reason the snake is trying all he can to get away from the light but the heat pad isn't keeping him warm enough. So what I have done is put the heat pad on and filled up a plastic bottle with real hot water and covered it with a sock and put it in the tank above where the pad is he cuddles up to this area to keep warm. I refill the bottle with hot water every few hours. I monitor his temp by feeling to make sure he is warm. And I put the light on for a little bit every now and then to be sure he stays warm. I really don't know a whole lot about how to care for snakes I try to read as much as I can so I can care for them properly. My sons father was the snake expert but he unfortunately passed away about a year and a half ago. And I didn't want to get rid of them because of my son he was really attached and obviously sensitive. I'm not sure the name of the breeder because I wasn't the one who took care of that but I can find out because we buy all the food and supplies for the snake from the same pet store who deals with the breeder. Thanks for the help.

Wow thank you so much I had no Idea those fish were bad that is what I was told to feed them. I feel so bad now. The littler snake will eat earth worms and does so regularly but the snake that is sick won't touch them. Waht else could you suggest I feed them? I refer to the snake as him or he but honestly I dont know. I brought it to the pet store to find out but they said it was to small or young to tell. The other snake is even smaller so I have no clue though I have always suspected a male female situation because they seem to be really fond of one another. The smaller snake even laid across the sick snake each time I tried to check on it. I know it sounds silly but I took it as a sign of protection. I have seperated them. The sick one is in a 10 gallon for now but the oridginal tank was a 30 gallon they had seperate huts and sticks and water dishes but they always ended up under the same little hut tangled up together. If it is some sort of parrasite from the fish is it something that the snake can recover from? I was thinking an injury of some sort because he is having trouble moving correctly by this I mean if he is crawling to the other side of the tank sometimes he flips to his back and has trouble getting back on his belly. And his head hangs to one side. I'm trying not to handle him to much but I do check on him often. Thank you so so much for the info on the feeder fish now I can stop making that mistake. Is a diet of only earth worms ok? And can they come from the pet store? or can we just get them from outside? And how would I be able to tell the sex on my own? The pet store was not helpful in that area or any area as I'm learning from all of you.

You may want to try to get hold of these folks. I think from doing a fast google that they are familar with this species and perhaps could offer you some advice. Worth a try at least.

http://www.sunshineserpents.com

Sadly you've learned rule #1 of snakekeeping....don't trust the majority of pet stores. :(

I hope you are able to get help for this snake or at least, for the sake of the other snake, find out what is going on here.

Good news hopefully!! I finally found a vet to see my snake and we will be on our way shortly. And Thanks for the link I will definitely check that out.

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Originally Posted by gulpysmom

Wow thank you so much I had no Idea those fish were bad that is what I was told to feed them. I feel so bad now. The littler snake will eat earth worms and does so regularly but the snake that is sick won't touch them. Waht else could you suggest I feed them? I refer to the snake as him or he but honestly I dont know. I brought it to the pet store to find out but they said it was to small or young to tell. The other snake is even smaller so I have no clue though I have always suspected a male female situation because they seem to be really fond of one another. The smaller snake even laid across the sick snake each time I tried to check on it. I know it sounds silly but I took it as a sign of protection. I have seperated them. The sick one is in a 10 gallon for now but the oridginal tank was a 30 gallon they had seperate huts and sticks and water dishes but they always ended up under the same little hut tangled up together. If it is some sort of parrasite from the fish is it something that the snake can recover from? I was thinking an injury of some sort because he is having trouble moving correctly by this I mean if he is crawling to the other side of the tank sometimes he flips to his back and has trouble getting back on his belly. And his head hangs to one side. I'm trying not to handle him to much but I do check on him often. Thank you so so much for the info on the feeder fish now I can stop making that mistake. Is a diet of only earth worms ok? And can they come from the pet store? or can we just get them from outside? And how would I be able to tell the sex on my own? The pet store was not helpful in that area or any area as I'm learning from all of you.

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They can also be coaxed into taking appropriately sized pinky mice. These can be scented with salmon, trout or any other type of fish.

You can cut up salmon and trout fillets and dust them with a calcium/multi-vitamin powder every third or fourth feeding. Whole silversides are acceptable.

As to earthworms - occasionally. Just be careful of "red wigglers" which have been reported at worst to be toxic to snakes, at best - distasteful. These should not make up the main part of the diet. Unlike garters, ribbons snakes sometimes cannot be coaxed into eating earthworms. If not, it's not the end of the world........

I would offer rodents and fish 99% of the time with earthworms as an occasional treat or as a means to get him to try other items.

I have a western ribbon snake that loves earthworms. I used them as a way to get him onto pinky mice. I would cut the worms up and place them in a dish with the mice. He got so worked up over the worms he gobbled up the pinky at the same time.

As to his illness, it is not uncommon for ribbons snakes and garters (thamnophis) that have been fed a diet of fish high in thiaminase to develop neurological problems. It is also not uncommon for thamnophis fed a diet of goldfish and rosys to develop internal parasites. Hopefully, this Vet you found will be able to diagnose and treat whatver is afflicting him.

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Originally Posted by gulpysmom

I monitor his temp by feeling to make sure he is warm.

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Snakes will feel cool to us. We are quite a bit warmer than these animals, especially ones like a ribbon snake that will do fine with a small hot spot in the low 80's.

I recommend going to walmart, homedepot, or even online and ordering a digital thermometer with a probe to measure his temps. The probe goes to the hot side, and the unit itself goes to the cool side.

I bet his temps are fine with just a lamp overhead. Raising them too high can be very bad for a snake. Remember, if HE wants to cool off, let him!! He is trying to thermoregulate. If he wants to warm up, he will.

I think this is likely the problem, if you are unsure of how hot it is, he is likely being cooked, even though to US (humans) it doesn't feel very warm.