Baby Ball Python Acting Slow and Lazy?

I know ball pythons are supposed to be lazy and stay in their caves a lot but that's not what I'm talking about. For the past couple days he's been acting very slow. He's hardly been moving at all. It's at the point where I have to open the cage and pick him up to make sure he's not dead. And even when I hold him he just sits there acting stiff as a rock. The only time he'll move is when I'm holding him in a position where he's uncomfortable and will wrap himself around my arm. I'm getting very worried about him. I've had him for a couple weeks and I know it's normal for him to not eat for the first few weeks but the last times I've tried to feed him he'd move away from the mouse and try to avoid it. This time he sits there and stares blankly only moving ever so slightly if the mouse touches his head. So is this a problem? Do I need to take him to a vet?

I'm not an expert so I'll set you up for them. What is/are your heat sources? Temps? Humidity? What kind of thermometer and hygrometer do you use and if you use an under tank heater, is it connected to a thermostat? And did you get him from a breeder? Pet store?

Oh honey, I just remembered your last BP and how she passed. Everyone please be gentle.

Thanks for the entire lack of advice. He died.

Sorry for your loss. This is the 2nd snake you lost in the last couple of months? If you dont mind me asking, where do you purchase your snakes? What is their husbandry like? Losing 1 snake ok, but you lost 2 within a couple of months. Either your buying sick snakes or their husbandry is out of whack.

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Originally Posted by Slurp

Thanks for the entire lack of advice. He died.

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Loosing an animal is sad but if you were THAT concerned why didn't you take it to a vet? No one is gonna diagnose a snake online, and an answer or 20 would not have save your snake.

You have to learn that there is a time for forum questions and a time when you should seek medical care, how do you know? Common sense, don't wait for someone to tell you to go to a vet just go when you are concerned.

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I'm very sorry to hear that your snake died, but do not blame it on us.

And do yourself a favor. Google "reptile vet", find the nearest one, save their number and if you get another BP and have this question, the answer is YES.

Sorry for your loss.

However, I dont feel there is any advice that could have saved your snake when you asked.

Maybe to avoid a situation like this again in the future when you choose to get another bp, perhaps you can now answer the questions being asked of you by other members in regards to your housing and husbandry of your bp.

And please fill us in on where you are purchasing your snakes from, perhaps your source is the problem.

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One of the first things I do when I get a new pet, regardless of the species, is to take that pet to the vet. If it is a mammal I get blood work, if it is a reptile, I carry along a poo sample. That initial visit is money well spent, regardless of how healthy your new pet looks. Before I ever got my first snake, I found a reptile vet near me who had a good reputation. I also googled my butt off about husbandry, and lurked for months on this board before I ever even made an account and joined. My friends thought that I was nuts to obsess over a pet that I didnt even have yet, but 3 years later, after getting my first snake, a caramel motley corn, I have a Ball Python, a uromastyx and an bearded dragon. Every one of them had a visit to a exotic vet within 48 hours of purchase, and yearly wellness visits since, complete with poo samples in baggies. maybe this is overkill, but I dont have a microscope, nor a centrufuge to check blood samples. Its the cost of owning a pet; and one that every pet owner should willingly do.

Sorry for your loss. Could it be also something your cleaning the tank with? Or even something in the water your giving it. Or are u feeding it live rats or mice and maybe your getting it from the same place they might have parasites. More info about what ur doing could help us help you on your next snake

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