Hi I'm New. I have a quick question...

Hi there all. Sorry if this is the wrong place, I'll learn the lay of the land asap. I have a question though. My daughter got a ball python from petsmart... a little over 2 weeks ago. They had just gotten it in stock so even they don't know anything about it. I set up the cage (a 20 gal glass tank with covered glass lid to retain humidity ) its running around 90 degrees on the hot side and 75 on the cooler end and 60% humidity with an evening basking light ( even though I read somewhere its not necessary. She has a large cave like hiding spot as well as a log hiding spot on the cool side of the tank near the water, away from the heat sources... but i noticed her eyes were glazed over, not the whitish-blue that indicates a coming shed, but a white starburst like pattern radiating from the middle of the eye.
I know people often misdiagnose retained eye caps, or so i have read, but it seems like this is the logical answer. Due to this she is VERY anxious and fearful... she's jumpy and afraid when anything moves near her. I have left her alone the last week, in hopes that she would settle down but I had to take her out today because she pooped and it smelled horrible! And she crawled through it. She got a soak in the tub to clean the smell off, so I figured I would try to feed her again while she is out.... no luck.

She is terrified of the mice. I have tried dangling them around, and I have attempted the trick I read online ( possibly on this forum) about heating the head of the mouse in hot hot water to help her pick up its location. I thought this would be most helpful beings she seems to be displaying some disability in vision. I was just wondering if fear and retained eye caps go hand in hand... and if there is anything I can do to help her out. I know they can go a great bit of time compared to people... without eating... but I am not sure when she is supposed to shed next (and clear up those eyes) and I certainly do not want to try and feed her with any live pray that could hurt her because she can't see it well enough to catch it.

She struck at the food a few times when we first got her, but her eye site sucks and she gave up... Any advice for a newbie?? I'm kinda lost.

(Sorry... my daughter just informed me that this was NOT a quick question hahaha) I apologize. and hand it over to the professionals.

Thank you in Advance.

~ Mama Arty

Welcome to the forum. I will try to help as much as I can. First lose the basking light. It's not helping anything . It's not needed. Second don't take him out of his cage to feed him. It will cause him or her not to eat sometimes. Or it will cost you a bite. Also get a small hide with one entrance hole. Snake like to feel the walls of there hides as it makes them feel more secure. I hope this helps.

Thank you for the response... I will wait another week and try feeding from the cage

Leave the dead mouse in there and if the snake doesn't take it within 20 to 30 mins then take it out. Don't bother trying to dangle it or anything just let the snake find it. A picture of the eyes would help figure out what the problem is. If you are new to the forum, download the Tapatalk app on your phone. It makes everything a lot easier. If they are in fact retained eye caps, keep your humidity and Temps right and they will come off next shed. One thing I should ask is how you are measuring your Temps and humidity because certain devices will give you inaccurate readings.

I should also mention that ball pythons are jumpy by nature. Especially when you have a new snake and it is in a new environment, it can seem very uneasy.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

^^^SKO said it all...
I sometimes leave the mouse at the door of the hide and its gone a hour later..Try this at night and cover the enclosure with a towel (like after 8pm). After it is been around for a while and its settled it will be more comfortable, but Nocturnals eat better at night. Also i tried to understand all that but i thought you mentioned heating up the mouses head? .. Just incase there is a misunderstanding, the whole mouse gets warmed up not just the head. Some use a mouse in a baggy and a cup of hot water, others a Blow dryer.
Leave the mouse out the day of feeding is what some do then once thawed warm it up... Dont try and thaw it and warm it fast, it can make a mess.. Between gases and all it can blow a hole.. Nasty.

Okay. I got the app. Right now I do not have the proper temp and humidity measuring devices, to be honest. Just ones set in the tank

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...810fd9eb2a.jpg

Here is a picture of her eyes. They both look this way.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

That could definitely be a retained cap, but maybe someone else on here has seen something like this. Usually a retained cap would have a dent in it or you would be able to see white around the back edges of the eyes when the eyes move. Keep your husbandry correct and when the snake sheds next time it should come off. If the snake sheds and its a perfect shed and that is still on its eyes then I would say take it to a vet.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Hm. I have never seen a retained eye cap look that way.

Not saying that this is not what it is, but normally they appear "cracked" and dented and you can see the edge trying to separate. This looks "tight" aside from the strange shattering that is concentrated only over the lens. No dents, no wrinkles..

This snake most likely doesn't see anything. That by itself is not why its not eating. They rely mostly on their heat sensing pits and "tongue tasting" the air. Most likely she is just very stressed out.

Definitely get tight fitting hides, more then one. Also make sure the tanks sides and back are covered for more security. She may not actually see whether she is secure or not, but being in such a "light" environment may stress her out. Make it more dark, cave like. In the "stickys" there is a great write up on how to make a glass tank work.

Did the eyes look like this when you bought her or is that a recent development?

They were like this. They have another with the same eye deal going on. She has some dry skin along her head and neck so I assumed she didn't shed right. I honestly don't know if she can see anything. She reacts to movement but kind of like a partially blind person who sees shadows or halos to indicate where things are.
There is no scaliness around the edge of the eyes. So maybe it's not retention. Poor thing. She has a couple hides already and moves between the two every few hours but I will definitely get the tank covered. My daughter lives like a troll so the room is pretty dark and quiet already. Luckily.
I'll try to find a vet out here in the boonies that can check her out and see what's up.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

I darkened the tank with some strategically placed towels... we are in the process of packing and moving our belongings to sell our home... so things are a little crazy here. Waiting to hear back from local reptile guys on where there is a good vet in the area.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Hi,

I've seen that eye problem before - it was caused by the spectacle getting scuffed on the unglazed insides of a terra-cotta hide I was using in a couple of my enclosures. Once I removed them they went away with the next shed never to return. ;)

Best news I've heard all day dr del! Maybe it happened while she was shipping to petsmart from the breeder.

Now to get her to eat. *sigh*

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Found a doctor who works with snakes in my area. My BP will be going in for a check up on friday. This is a first for me lol

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

I CANNOT stress enough to make sure that vet knows specifically about BP's and isn't just a jack of all trades exotics vet...

Hey I too got my bp from petsmart. She was the same way wouldn't eat for almost a month, probably had to do with the fact that they force feed her a dead mouse, but I had a visit to the vet planned when I tried a live mouse, she got it in less the 5 secs and I haven't had a problem with feeding ever since. Her eyes where the same too, and went away after the first shed, but to be safe still take to the your snake to the vet.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SKO

Leave the dead mouse in there and if the snake doesn't take it within 20 to 30 mins then take it out...I should also mention that ball pythons are jumpy by nature. Especially when you have a new snake and it is in a new environment, it can seem very uneasy.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

---

I have left mine in with snakes as long as overnight. Sometimes they will eat hours after the "big scary thing" AKA YOU has left. No worries about it. Also, this last sentence is totally correct. Ball pythons, in my opinion, can be terrible "first snakes" for new snake owners because they can be so very finicky about food, handling, humidity, shedding, etc. They really do not tolerate handling well, again, in my opinion and experience. I teach HS science and I keep a corn snake in my classroom for my kids to handle. He can be handled on and off all week and still slam a rat on Friday. My BP's do not adjust as well to handling stress and the busy environment of a classroom (or home) with kids. I am not saying it can't work... but you need to acknowledge the natural limits of the species and respect them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SLAYERab

Hey I too got my bp from petsmart. She was the same way wouldn't eat for almost a month, probably had to do with the fact that they force feed her a dead mouse, but I had a visit to the vet planned when I tried a live mouse, she got it in less the 5 secs and I haven't had a problem with feeding ever since. Her eyes where the same too, and went away after the first shed, but to be safe still take to the your snake to the vet.

---

For the record, BP's and most other snakes can easily be converted to f/t prey instead of live, and it really is safer for your snake. F/t prey do not fight back and cannot injure your snake. Some BP's are less inclined to take f/t prey at first and need live to start, but it's not hard to convert them, and feeding f/t "dead" prey should not be equated with "force feeding." All of my BP's take f/t quite readily. I've never had one I could not convert to f/t.

Now... OP, I do have one other question. You said you have a "glass lid" and by this, do you mean one of the glass aquarium lids for a fish tank? Or you have a screen lid and put glass over part of it?? Snakes are escape artists... so whichever lid you are using, make sure it is extremely secure. Don't just put books on it. They are very strong critters.

Good luck with the eye issue. It also looks to me like a scuffed eye cap, and should correct with the next shed.

I also got my snake from Pet Smart and it had been assist fed f/t pinkies but he was really undernourished when I got him (but I didn't know any better at the time). After refusing to eat I finally ofered him a live mouse fuzzy and he took it immediately. After one more live feed, I switched him to fresh killed, which I am still feeding him and he eats great and has never refused. He has gone from less than 60 grams to over 260 grams in the last five months and looks so healthy now. Good luck!

Hey all. Busy days sorry for the absence. The vet apparently is a specialist in reptiles and amphibians... I figure I will at least get a weight and such on Mrs snake. I will have to ask the vet her qualifications and experience with snakes .

The lid is an aquarium lid. I do need to put some clips. I'm thinking of using the stick on safety clips we used to use when our home was child proofed. I have taken advice here, moved her to a quite location and covered her tank and she does seem much happier. Actually coming out of her hides for some time to sit in the dark quiet of her room. I will keep you all posted

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mama_arty

Hey all. Busy days sorry for the absence. The vet apparently is a specialist in reptiles and amphibians... I figure I will at least get a weight and such on Mrs snake. I will have to ask the vet her qualifications and experience with snakes .

The lid is an aquarium lid. I do need to put some clips. I'm thinking of using the stick on safety clips we used to use when our home was child proofed. I have taken advice here, moved her to a quite location and covered her tank and she does seem much happier. Actually coming out of her hides for some time to sit in the dark quiet of her room. I will keep you all posted

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

---

the only reason I brought up the vet thing was because I've had to go to an exotics vet recently with one of my young BPs for an eye infection. The man claimed to be very knowledgeable about reptiles, and to an extent he was. My issues arose when he told me my setup was wrong (at the time the bp in question was in a sterelite tub with a UTH, paper towels for a sterile environment, 2 hides and water bowl. He said the snake needed a UVB bulb and that my temps were incorrect (90 hot side, 78 cool side).

He then prescribed baytril injections without doing any type of culture, and eye drops (snakes have eye caps...drops are useless...they require ointments that sticks to the eyes...)

Needless to say I went and found a new vet immediately afterwords. Some will say they are an exotics vet...when they only have a very basic knowledge of exotics.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by predatorkeeper87

the only reason I brought up the vet thing was because I've had to go to an exotics vet recently with one of my young BPs for an eye infection. The man claimed to be very knowledgeable about reptiles, and to an extent he was. My issues arose when he told me my setup was wrong (at the time the bp in question was in a sterelite tub with a UTH, paper towels for a sterile environment, 2 hides and water bowl. He said the snake needed a UVB bulb and that my temps were incorrect (90 hot side, 78 cool side).

He then prescribed baytril injections without doing any type of culture, and eye drops (snakes have eye caps...drops are useless...they require ointments that sticks to the eyes...)

Needless to say I went and found a new vet immediately afterwords. Some will say they are an exotics vet...when they only have a very basic knowledge of exotics.

---

I had a similar experience with my old vet for my cat. Said my cat had an eye infection, but didn't even exam the eye. Gave medicated eye drops. Then another cat they said had a uti without any urinalysis or bloodwork.
My cats have a new vet we go to now. Apparently this specialist only goes to their location twice a month.
I'll let you know how it goes. But Thank you for the heads up. I've never been to a snake doctor before lol

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Update post vet.
The veterinarian was awesome. She used to teach at UCDavis in their reptile etc department. She was very knowledgeable on BPs.

The verdict... snake is healthy, great heart rate and decent weight. Healthy pits and good coloration of mouth. Great response to being turned belly up, nice strong coiling... Nothing super concerning beyond the eyes.
She said it seems like multiple caps that have retained and she doubts the snake can see at all.

Our plan is to crank up the humidity and do daily (stress level permitting) baths and wrapping her in a wet towel she can squirm out of. Hopefully we will loosen those caps! We have a follow up scheduled for next Wednesday to see what happens.
Vet believes it's a lack of husbandry at the hands of a careless breeder but that I am this snakes best chance because if she goes back to petsmart she's likely going to starve to death.
If next Wednesday we have not seen progress, we are going to do a tube feeding and schedule an appointment at the university for a micro-surgical removal of the eye caps. So... here's to hoping humidity is our answer and I don't have to drive 3 hours!
Keep your scales crossed for us. ❤🐍


Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mama_arty

Update post vet.
The veterinarian was awesome. She used to teach at UCDavis in their reptile etc department. She was very knowledgeable on BPs.

The verdict... snake is healthy, great heart rate and decent weight. Healthy pits and good coloration of mouth. Great response to being turned belly up, nice strong coiling... Nothing super concerning beyond the eyes.
She said it seems like multiple caps that have retained and she doubts the snake can see at all.

Our plan is to crank up the humidity and do daily (stress level permitting) baths and wrapping her in a wet towel she can squirm out of. Hopefully we will loosen those caps! We have a follow up scheduled for next Wednesday to see what happens.
Vet believes it's a lack of husbandry at the hands of a careless breeder but that I am this snakes best chance because if she goes back to petsmart she's likely going to starve to death.
If next Wednesday we have not seen progress, we are going to do a tube feeding and schedule an appointment at the university for a micro-surgical removal of the eye caps. So... here's to hoping humidity is our answer and I don't have to drive 3 hours!
Keep your scales crossed for us. ❤🐍


Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

---

great to hear, and i would hold on to that vet forever! she sounds great. hopefully your noodles can get those caps off at home. thanks for the update!

I'm hoping the same. She was really a good snake today at the vet and during her wrapping. Very alert, tongue tasting the world. I just want the best for her. I'm a sucker for a neglected animal with a rough start to it's life.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Update on eye progress.... got my probe temp/humidity reader. We are maintaining an average 85 on the warm side, 76 on the cool. Humidity in the 90s with daily substrate changes to avoid bacterial growth.
It's day 2... and one of her eyes is finally fogging up a little. I think it may actually come off! Or at least be in a position to come off during her follow up on wednesday.
She was really stressed from her vet appt. Hissed at me last night so we did 24 hrs with no contact, not even talking. And she let me check on her tonight.
I'm hoping this is progress in the right direction. She's had a tough go coming from a thoughtless breeder... fingers crossed.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Fingers crossed for you, and it makes me happy to see someone care so much for their snake!!

If she's from petsmart, possible she's been there for months with terrible humidity and had bad sheds there. My local petsmart also carries BP's, and I often see some in terrible condition.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

great to hear, and i would hold on to that vet forever! she sounds great. hopefully your noodles can get those caps off at home. thanks for the update!

---

Yup, that vet is a keeper. Nice to hear of one that knows what they are doing. There are too many threads on here talking about ones that don't.

Follow up appt today. Not a lot of change in the eyes but the vet is trying to be cost efficient for me... so we are taking baby steps. She believes the snake will shed in the coming weeks. They administered some fluids transdermally due to her mouth being a little tacky... and Rx'd an eye cream to help soften the eye cap retention... 2 times a day with weekly follow up pictures to watch for any swelling that would indicate abscess. If this fails we go on to plan C. We aren't sure if maybe the stupid people who shipped her to the store tried to remove the retained cap causing cornea damage... time will tell.
So for now, daily soaks, eye cream, and keeping that extra humid climate.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...cd9849ceb3.jpg

Not the best angles and taken with flash but these are her eyes only 1 day after starting her ointment for her eyes ❤🐍

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Your vet sounds like a better vet than I've ever been able to find for any of my companions! Make sure to keep her number! lol

Mrs Snakes eyes are milky and blue. Her entire body has become kind of... dull. We are hoping she is setting up to shed. Those eye caps included!

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Yup, sounds like a shed! Keep that humidity up, we'll cross our fingers for you!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mama_arty

Mrs Snakes eyes are milky and blue. Her entire body has become kind of... dull. We are hoping she is setting up to shed. Those eye caps included!

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

---

Correct .

Just keep a lookout for the eyes clearing and the colouration returning to normal as the skin will come off a few days later ( normally 2 to 7 days later ) . When the eyes clear that's the signal to increase the daily spraying - two or three times a day is usually enough though ..

Thanks. Due to her medical issue. She's chilling in 90+ humidity with bi-daily soaks and daily bedding changes (her bedding is bath towels) ... Lol. Humidity definitely won't be an issue this round! 😁

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk