Does my BP have IBD or the Spider Gene?? Please help!

Guys we are going way of topic here, time to get back on track

Sorry Deb!

Any updates on this noodle?


And yikes... this was originally an accidental doublepost

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Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

If your snake has mites concurrently I would guess IBD: Otherwise I suspect it is another health issue.

The simplest solution is to return it to PetSmart and sterilize your equipment. The more expensive route is to bring it to the Vet.

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30 years having Constrictors and Ive never seen IBD personally.. also several people bring Mites home one way or another, Ive never known mites and IBD to go hand in hand. There are arm long lists of things to check that cause this type of behavior before IBD is even something to consider.


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Originally Posted by zina10

...particularly a Ball Python, can be a bit challenging...

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I think this is very exaggerated!
Nonetheless, I'd like to know the outcome.



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Thanks for the insight on the use of thermostats. Unfortunately, I did not know that a thermostat was necessary to prevent the heating mat from overheating and I thought that a timer would be enough. I have ordered a thermostat and it will be arriving today. In addition to this, I have an update on the poor ball python. I brought it back to PetSmart and when I described its condition and showed the snake to the employee, she instantly recognized it and told me that the snake had been snake ever since it arrived at the store. I have also reported the possibility of the ball python having IBD so that she would take extra precautions. Unfortunately, when I asked her if the ball python would be okay, she said that it was most likely not going to be alright (possible euthanasia?). Perhaps this situation was caused on my behalf due to the absence of a thermostat (however, I still have doubts that the ball python overheated in my care).

P.S. PetSmart was able to exchange the sick snake for another and it is doing excellent right now! It is exemplifying normal ball python behavior and I am closely observing it for any ailments, etc.

I'm very sorry that your first experience as a snake owner ended in such a way. I'm really happy that you've gotten it figured out with the store and they were able to replace your animal for a happy, healthy one!

If the snake had overheated and had sustained such intense neurological problems in that way, wouldn't the belly have been burned? I've never heard of a snake getting overheated so badly without sustaining at least some physical damage. Is it possible that the snake was inbred? Or simply born sick? Directed at anyone, just kind of musing...

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Originally Posted by DPlant

Thanks for the insight on the use of thermostats. Unfortunately, I did not know that a thermostat was necessary to prevent the heating mat from overheating and I thought that a timer would be enough. I have ordered a thermostat and it will be arriving today. In addition to this, I have an update on the poor ball python. I brought it back to PetSmart and when I described its condition and showed the snake to the employee, she instantly recognized it and told me that the snake had been snake ever since it arrived at the store. I have also reported the possibility of the ball python having IBD so that she would take extra precautions. Unfortunately, when I asked her if the ball python would be okay, she said that it was most likely not going to be alright (possible euthanasia?). Perhaps this situation was caused on my behalf due to the absence of a thermostat (however, I still have doubts that the ball python overheated in my care).

P.S. PetSmart was able to exchange the sick snake for another and it is doing excellent right now! It is exemplifying normal ball python behavior and I am closely observing it for any ailments, etc.

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Unfortunately it doesn't sound like we'll ever know the answer now, but as Wolftrap suggested, I think it's far more likely this snake was sick & not the result of anything
you did or didn't do. I cannot understand how the employee was aware that this snake was "sick ever since it arrived at the store" & yet they sold it anyway ? :O That
is inexcusable! IF that snake had anything contagious (which I would personally NOT rule out!) all the others it was with were also exposed & may suffer the same fate
in time. I hope :please: that your new snake will be fine: you got off to an awfully rough start on this, & while it's good that you're getting a thermostat now too, I'm still very
uncomfortable with the way you are left in the dark as to what was wrong with the first snake. I doubt that it will be alright (honestly), & since the employee KNEW it to
be sick before it was sold, then it's HIGHLY unlikely that you did anything that contributed to it's condition. I'm sure we don't have to tell you to watch your new snake
for any symptoms similar to what the other one did... (I'm not necessarily suggesting it's IBD...it's possibly neurological damage due to someone's overly-
aggressive use of chemicals to kill mites, or some other cause...but I'd want to KNOW before I got another snake from them.)

By the way, did you check (both snakes) for mites? Do you know what they look like, etc??? Please check & keep checking.

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If the snake had overheated and had sustained such intense neurological problems in that way, wouldn't the belly have been burned?

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No, back in the days due to a failure 2 of my animals overheated at a 100/110 degrees and suffered neurological issue but were not burned, they fully recovered after several weeks.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Unfortunately it doesn't sound like we'll ever know the answer now, but as Wolftrap suggested, I think it's far more likely this snake was sick & not the result of anything
you did or didn't do. I cannot understand how the employee was aware that this snake was "sick ever since it arrived at the store" & yet they sold it anyway ? :O That
is inexcusable! IF that snake had anything contagious (which I would personally NOT rule out!) all the others it was with were also exposed & may suffer the same fate
in time. I hope :please: that your new snake will be fine: you got off to an awfully rough start on this, & while it's good that you're getting a thermostat now too, I'm still very
uncomfortable with the way you are left in the dark as to what was wrong with the first snake. I doubt that it will be alright (honestly), & since the employee KNEW it to
be sick before it was sold, then it's HIGHLY unlikely that you did anything that contributed to it's condition. I'm sure we don't have to tell you to watch your new snake
for any symptoms similar to what the other one did... (I'm not necessarily suggesting it's IBD...it's possibly neurological damage due to someone's overly-
aggressive use of chemicals to kill mites, or some other cause...but I'd want to KNOW before I got another snake from them.)

By the way, did you check (both snakes) for mites? Do you know what they look like, etc??? Please check & keep checking.

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I checked both snakes very closely and I could not see any mites. The new BP is acting very normally, however it is not eating for me as of now.

I worry about too much heat FAR MORE THAN I worry too much about cold. I aim for 80-90 degrees gradient roughly. It sometimes gets down as low as 75 on the cool side. It sometimes gets as high as 94 at the hot side (where the basking area is right under the lamp.)

If the power went out and it got down to 60, I would take precautions to keep them warm and not worry too much, as long as it wasn't sustained for too long that cold.

However, if a thermostat failed and the ambient temps got over 100 degrees, I would remove them to cool off at room temp, and I would be FREAKING OUT! Organ/brain damage due to high heat and the fact that they cannot regulate their temps by sweating and such, like us mammals can.