Weird BP behavior?

hey guys im new to the forums so excuse me for being a noob
so i got a female ball python yesterday, shes pretty big, probably almost a year old. I noticed that she opens her mouth alot, and she yawns a lot too, is that a bad thing? she also makes some weird noises with her mouth. I was thinking maybe its a pre-shed thing, since her eyes are getting pretty cloudy. what do you guys think?

here are some pics(sorry im not a great photographer)
open mouth/cloudy eyes:
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...4/DSC00895.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...4/DSC00896.jpg
pink belly maybe?
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...4/DSC00897.jpg

Those are all signs of a Respritory Infection. Does she hold her head up a lot also? I would probabaly take her to a vet. Let us know what happens.

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Originally Posted by twistedtails

Those are all signs of a Respritory Infection. Does she hold her head up a lot also? I would probabaly take her to a vet. Let us know what happens.

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Sure sounds like an RI. Time for a vet visit.

ah....i think im going to have to bring her back to the pet shop :\

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Originally Posted by vinsanity

ah....i think im going to have to bring her back to the pet shop :\

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Don't take her back to the pet shop, take it to the vet. If you return it to the pet shop, it will very likely not survive.

you can actually pull the lip down if you want, they usually don't mind and if you see an excess of liquid in the gums its RI for sure.

wow bro, don't bring her back to the damn pet shop!!! that is probably the cause of all this anyways, go to a vet and get this looked at

actually look at pic one you can see the liquid on the side of the mouth, it is RI. Listen don't bring that snake back, it will die for sure. There not going to care for it, but its your choice regardless I hope you help the little guy though.

Hi,

While I personally think you should get it treated at a vet for the good of the animal I would also be mightily miffed at the shop for selling me a sick animal. :mad:

Once I had the vet report in my hands stating what was wrong with it I would be demanding to know what the owner of the shop planned to do about it. Be polite and reasonable but don't let them fob you off or convince you it is your fault either.

You have had it a day - you definately did not cause this.

The mucus in the mouth which can be seen in the first two pics makes it unlikely the noises are caused by the upcoming shed and the open mouth seals the deal for me. But get the vet report before going into the shop so you can prove he sold a sick animal and ask the vet that to be extra sure.:gj:


dr del

I really dont think theyll kill it, i bought it from LLLreptiles, which is probably the largest reptile trader in san diego. I know for a fact that they care for their animals, they even have a 7ft black throat monitor as a store pet.

i called them today though, they gave me 3 choices:
1. try curing myself (vet and stuff)
2. exchange it for a 09 newborn and let their professional employees try to help it(thats what they said)
3. let them have it back for store credit

i think i might go with #2 :confused:

Hi,

Well that name explains a lot.

Go look them up on the BOI on faunaclassifieds and on here.

And point out to them the existence of choice 4.

They take the snake back, appologise for selling you a sick reptile and refund you in cash.

You paid them in cash less than a week ago don't accept store credit unless you want to.

Personally I would want to buy my pet from someone else so 2 holds little intrest - how do you know it isn't sick as well?

Number 1 means you get the joy of paying for a sick animal and also the treatment - better for the animal but hardly fair on you as the second victim in all this.

Choice 3 means they still get to keep your money and will probably re-sell the animal to someone else.

Get in contact with your local trading standards (or similar) office and ask what your rights are and possibly also find out if the animal welfare officers have any usefull input or experience.

Well that's what we would do in the UK - what are the options your side of the pond?


dr del

^that sounds like the right way to do it and i really appreciate your help. i think it may be a little extreme though, they were super nice both in person and on the phone. I also saw how most of their animals were kept so i dont really think i can be that mean haha

Heh,

I used to work in retail and know shops will swear blind you do not have the right to a complete cash refund or equivalent product replacement - bottom line is you do and they know it. They just don't want to do it but as soon as they realise you know your rights and will not hesitate to complain to the right people it miraculously becomes an option.

Think of your snake as a purchased computer instead and look at what their options translate to then.

1. You open it and it has a fault and you then go and pay to have it repaired two days after purchase.

2. They exchange it for a computer that will need a years worth of updates to get to the same level as the one you paid for.

3. They keep your money but allow you to buy another computer from someone who just proved they sell broken computers.

They may be nice face to face but they just did something not very nice to you and the animal.

Can I ask how much they charged for the privilege?


dr del

^wow thats a great way to put it haha i kind of get it now

they charged $34.99 for the 08 hatchlings and $29.99 for the 09 hatchlings. The sick one i got was the last 08 they had, so if i were to bring it back, it would be a new snake+$5.xx

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Originally Posted by vinsanity

it would be a new snake+$5.xx

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Uh, I don't think so... hope not!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vinsanity

I really dont think theyll kill it, i bought it from LLLreptiles, which is probably the largest reptile trader in san diego. I know for a fact that they care for their animals, they even have a 7ft black throat monitor as a store pet.

i called them today though, they gave me 3 choices:
1. try curing myself (vet and stuff)
2. exchange it for a 09 newborn and let their professional employees try to help it(thats what they said)
3. let them have it back for store credit

i think i might go with #2 :confused:

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I beg to differ. I bought a feamle bp from them and it was full of mites. They are the biggest flippers on the west coast. That means they don't care for the animals, they are literally there till they get rid of them. Take your business elsewhere next time(there are plenty of great people on this site with GREAT animals).

Dang I'm seeing a lot of mucus in some of the pics. It does sound like RI like stated in answers before. RI gets worse and worse in very little of time without treatment. I just recently had my Kingsnake get RI and once I got him to the vet the vet told me that it could have turned into pnemonia (sp?) and killed my snake. So glad I got the antibiotics. Hopefully you can take your snake to the vet.

LLLReptiles has a horrible reputation when it comes to animals. Great with dry goods, not so good with animals. I wouldn't want any of their "experts" treating any of my animals.

I would insist that since their "experts" missed a very obvious RI, that you be refunded your money and you find another animal from a different source.

You also need to act swiftly before they try to tell you that their "health guarantee" (if they have one) is voided - and try to pin the illness on YOUR care.