Son's new BP looks underweight?

Son purchased a new juvenile BP three days ago. It looks to me very underweight or dehydrated and breathing is very visible. Would appreciate feedback from those experienced with BP's. Is this normal for juvenile BPs? (Edited: We have never had snakes before, FYI.)

Have taken great pains with setup to ensure safety, temps, humidity, hides, climb, water, etc are to researched specs. We're not strangers to re-habilitating neglected and/or malnourished animals back to health...3 dogs and 3 cats to date, all extremely healthy. However, this snake was NOT a rescue, was a new purchase, from pet store (against my better judgement to begin with). If this BP is as terribly underweight as I think it is, can we nurse back to health easily, or best to return and get a healthier specimen from another source?

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...x533_thumb.jpg
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...x533_thumb.jpg
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...x533_thumb.jpg

Oh wow, that does look pretty bad..but since you already have him, just get him settled on a steady diet..they spring back and gain weight very well.

oh yeah, under weight.
I would call the pet store that you purchased it from and request it's feeding records for the snake, if they have them.
Normally I'd say give it time to settle in, but try to offer it a live hopper mouse.
Good luck with it, and keep us posted :)

We had a few babies that were nearly as underweight as yours, once they finally started eating they gained weight almost over night. As long as your little buddy is eating and gaining weight you'll be fine :)
If he is eating and not gaining weight/losing weight, consult a herp vet.

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Originally Posted by thewesterngate

Oh wow, that does look pretty bad..but since you already have him, just get him settled on a steady diet..they spring back and gain weight very well.

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Thanks for the quick response! We gave him from Friday night (purchased) until today, no handling, to let him acclimate. Friday night was not too active. Sat. and last night was curious and exploring a lot, so offered 1st pinkie tonight. So far, has expressed some vague interest, but not eaten yet. We left on a paper towel in his tank, will leave overnight and see if he eats. If not, how much longer should we wait to offer again? I don't want to push him and put him "off-feed", but I don't want him to starve to death and/or become very ill, either.

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Originally Posted by llovelace

oh yeah, under weight.
I would call the pet store that you purchased it from and request it's feeding records for the snake, if they have them.
Normally I'd say give it time to settle in, but try to offer it a live hopper mouse.
Good luck with it, and keep us posted :)

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Thanks to everyone for quick replies and advice. Will continue to offer food and hope for the best. And will post back progress and/or further issues if any (hopefully not).

Do you have a little paper plate that you could use, instead of the paper towel?

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Originally Posted by GoFride

Do you have a little paper plate that you could use, instead of the paper towel?

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Good suggestion. :gj:

He/she is extremely underweight! To be perfectly honest, that mouse pink won't make much of a meal for your ball. Its far too small. I would start it off on at least a rat pink sized meal, although it would be more than capable of taking large fuzzy rats. But because of how emaciated it is I would start off with a little smaller meal (hence why I suggested rat pinks) and feed it more often. Gotta get its innards working again first before moving up to appropriate sized prey (1 to 1-1/2 times as big around as the fattest part of its body or 15% body weight). I would also suggest trying live first too. Its a LOT easier getting picky balls to eat by offering them live and pinks/fuzzies cannot hurt your ball, even if left unattended. Get it established eating first and fattened up before going to f/t. Once it has some decent weight and eats like a champ, then try f/t if you choose.

That said, you need to speak to the pet store you bought it from because there is no excuse for it being emaciated like that. That is cruelty, plain and simple.

Keep us updated and let us know how its going.

He may need something a little more active than a pinkie, a hopper of some sort, if he doesn't take the pinky.

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Originally Posted by AK907

Good suggestion. :gj:

He/she is extremely underweight! To be perfectly honest, that mouse pink won't make much of a meal for your ball. Its far too small. I would start it off on at least a rat pink sized meal, although it would be more than capable of taking large fuzzy rats. But because of how emaciated it is I would start off with a little smaller meal (hence why I suggested rat pinks) and feed it more often. Gotta get its innards working again first before moving up to appropriate sized prey (1 to 1-1/2 times as big around as the fattest part of its body or 15% body weight). I would also suggest trying live first too. Its a LOT easier getting picky balls to eat by offering them live and pinks/fuzzies cannot hurt your ball, even if left unattended. Get it established eating first and fattened up before going to f/t. Once it has some decent weight and eats like a champ, then try f/t if you choose.

That said, you need to speak to the pet store you bought it from because there is no excuse for it being emaciated like that. That is cruelty, plain and simple.

Keep us updated and let us know how its going.

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Thanks again for additional suggestions. He did not eat the pinkie offered last night. In process of tracking down some live food for him and will offer again ASAP, based on your suggestions. He is drinking well, but was REALLY hoping he'd eat last night. Also will most definitely be contacting their Corporate Office, as well as local store management. They told us he'd fed last Monday and he did defecate almost immediately after we got him into his new home Friday night and it looked, what I'm assuming from reading up, like it was pretty normal. Urates also appear normal. So hoping he will feed for us very soon. Will update again after he feeds, or if additional issues crop up. Thus far no wheezing or RI symptoms, he is very active in the evenings/nights exploring his home. Will also be getting some plants to add and maybe an extra hide, as he seems to prefer thus far sleeping/resting in a circular notch at the base of his climb. We are still not handling him yet.

I suggest giving him a few days at least before offering again and offer a live hopper mouse. That's a barely weaned mouse. A pinky won't get his attention because they tend to just sit there and wait for mom to come back. Get a digital scale and start an action notebook. Everytime he poops, eats, sheds, regurgitates if it happens, odd behavior etc. Get a weight on him ASAP. And that way you have a starting point. If he does need a vet visit then you'll have a bit of a history.


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Update 8/05 - he ate! Only got him to eat one pinkie, but it's a start and so far, so good. Also, hubby and son on the way to get another BP...9 year old 6' BP (so the guy says 6', we'll see).

Comes with it's own full setup and will QT appropriately of course, to protect both. Heading to herp show about 80miles from here on Sunday, to get some live feeders for both. I guess the BP fever has officially struck our family. lol But I'm putting my foot down at two. heh

Thanks all for your responses and help!