I'm At A Loss

Hi,

let me start of the story with this. On the 14th of April my ball python ate a bad rat and then he vomited. I asked people what to do and since then I have switched my supplier.
I tried to feed him two weeks after the incident but he refused to eat and has continued to refuse his meals ever since then. At first I didn't think too much of it since I know that ball pythons can go through long hunger strikes.
But as of about 4 days ago he decided not to come out of his hide anymore (not even at night) and he doesn't react to the smell of rats at all. Two days ago I sprayed some water on him because I was afraid he was dead but luckily he came out but today he looks really pale and he didn't move when I sprayed him.
I'm extremely worried and afraid to look under his hide.

The temps are a bit warmer than usual since it's about 90 degrees outside at the moment. The cold side is at 82 degrees and the warm at 90 degrees. Humidity is at 70% at the moment.

I'm really scared. Can someone please help me?
Thanks.

You need a vet ASAP, he might have aspirated fluid into his lungs vomiting out that rat.

Vet. Now.

You need to take him to the Vet.

Any time an animal gets worse instead of better, it is time to see the Vet.

It is possible that the snake didn't regurgitate due to a bad rat, but actually due to disease or internal parasites. Which would also explain why he won't eat.

If he has internal parasites, worms or Giardia / Coccidia it may be treatable. But those problems can turn deadly if not treated.
If its due to a disease, not sure what can be done.

Go ahead and look under the hide. Take him out. Look him over, are there any dark spots on him, that look like bruises? Check along the belly. Be gentle but deliberate.
Call around to find a Vet that treats snakes, make sure that Vet routinely sees reptiles and is knowledgeable about them. You can still check for parasites without poop, a good Vet will know what to do...

Please let us know how it goes. And good luck..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

You need a vet ASAP, he might have aspirated fluid into his lungs vomiting out that rat.

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That can cause a problem 1.5 months afterwards? Wouldn't it have become a problem immediately?

Here is a list of reptile experienced Vets in Germany

https://www.tier-star.de/gesundheit-...fuer-reptilien

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caali

That can cause a problem 1.5 months afterwards? Wouldn't it have become a problem immediately?

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Digestive juices can irritate the lining of the lungs and allow an infection to set in.

It is very possible that the true issue was prior to the regurgitation and remains unknown.

Either way you should see a Vet if the snake is continuing to deteriorate.

this might sound like a dumb question but...is the snake possibly in shed?

don't be afraid to look! that's your lil noodle in there. :)

He is still alive, moves and he looks fine to me expect for the fact he is a bit pale. I forgot to mention that he didn't loose weight in these past 1.5 months.

I'll keep his humidity at higher level than usual, just in case.
I have a vet I can visit (he knows my snake) and he has his clinic only 30 minutes away from my house if I take the train. Luckily the outside temperature is perfect for transporting him.
Since tomorrow is a holiday (Corpus Christi) which is why everything is closed, I'll try feeding him on Friday with a mouse and then if that won't work I'll take him to the vet.
If I'm lucky, he is just fasting.

Thanks for the help. I'll keep you updatet on his progress.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

this might sound like a dumb question but...is the snake possibly in shed?

don't be afraid to look! that's your lil noodle in there. :)

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I thought of that too because he is always like that when he is in shed.
But don't snakes only shed when they grow? How can he grow when he hasn't eaten in 1.5 months?
Or is there something I'm missing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caali

I thought of that too because he is always like that when he is in shed.
But don't snakes only shed when they grow? How can he grow when he hasn't eaten in 1.5 months?
Or is there something I'm missing.

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Yellow didn't eat from this past October until about March (though he's still finicky to this day) and he had a shed for me in early January; he lost about 100g. they absolutely can go into shed if they're not eating, but this is just my one experience.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caali

How can he grow when he hasn't eaten in 1.5 months?

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I've had a female shed twice during an 8 month hunger strike.

Are the snakes eyes opaque or blue?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

Digestive juices can irritate the lining of the lungs and allow an infection to set in.

It is very possible that the true issue was prior to the regurgitation and remains unknown.

Either way you should see a Vet if the snake is continuing to deteriorate.

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I will, for sure. He means a lot to me. I won't let him get any worse.
I was just asking cause I work as a paramedic (part time; and only as a Rettungssanitäter) and I know the issue since human and reptile lungs are not that different. But from my experience you can see the symptoms shortly afterwards (earlier than 1.5 months) but that is with humans so that might be the issue.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caali

since human and reptile lungs are not that different

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They function similarly-very true. I wouldn't say that they aren't that different. :)
http://sksundstrom.wixsite.com/madag...ng-the-Systems

If your snake is in shed and not actually pale: I wouldn't spend the money on a Vet.
If you can't decide: you could post some pics and we could give you our opinion.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

They function similarly-very true. I wouldn't say that they aren't that different. :)
http://sksundstrom.wixsite.com/madag...ng-the-Systems

If your snake is in shed and not actually pale: I wouldn't spend the money on a Vet.
If you can't decide: you could post some pics and we could give you our opinion.

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Thanks. It's a really interesting website :D

I don't want to bother him again by taking him out, so I can only give you some pics of him in his cave. By the way I've had him for a year now and I've never been able to spot a difference in his eye colour. He has green eyes and they never looked foggy or blue to me.


What he looks like now:

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...5/img_2906.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...5/img_2907.jpg



What he usually looks like:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...5/img_2307.jpg

If his eyes never looked "foggy" when in shed, it's probably because you looked at the wrong time. Snakes cloud up for a shed, their whole body, eyes
included, but before they shed, they secrete some fluid between the old & new skin that makes them almost appear like normal. (it's similar to the way
some kinds of paper look when you drop some water on it...you can sorta see thru it when it's wet...almost clear, which is why we say a snake has gone
"clear" right before they shed)

A good way to check the eyes is by using a small bright flashlight (you need a narrow beam) in a darkened room. Shine the beam across the arc of his
eye from the side...if they're "cloudy" it will be obvious. And since you are having trouble telling if your snake is sick or just in shed, this is something you should become familiar with doing, so you can accurately read the signs & know for sure what's going on.

On the ventral side of a snake in shed, you can often also see a little "halo" on the scutes, a second "edge" on each of the scales before the outer skin comes off. There are other giveaways too...I can tell visually by the texture of the skin, the way their skin folds on the neck area. But the eyes are the easiest to describe.... I have a feeling your snake is in shed, but the pictures show too little for me to be sure. It should be easy for you though.

Short update:

I decided to wait until the end of this week. If he didn't get any better, I would've taken him to the vet BUT this night he left his cold hide again and crawled around. This morning I found him in his warm hide so I decided to check if the cold side was dirty. To my (half) surprise I actually found his shed (one big piece). I'm sorry for troubling you since I know that you guys were worried about him as well but it seems that his bad mood and absolute refusal to move and come out were due to him being in shed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caali

Short update:

I decided to wait until the end of this week. If he didn't get any better, I would've taken him to the vet BUT this night he left his cold hide again and crawled around. This morning I found him in his warm hide so I decided to check if the cold side was dirty. To my (half) surprise I actually found his shed (one big piece). I'm sorry for troubling you since I know that you guys were worried about him as well but it seems that his bad mood and absolute refusal to move and come out were due to him being in shed.

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The regurgitation issue is probably unrelated. When they start to go "blue" they often will skip a few meals, they can't see as well when they start a shed phase. He may eat for you now that he has shed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caali

Short update:

I decided to wait until the end of this week. If he didn't get any better, I would've taken him to the vet BUT this night he left his cold hide again and crawled around. This morning I found him in his warm hide so I decided to check if the cold side was dirty. To my (half) surprise I actually found his shed (one big piece). I'm sorry for troubling you since I know that you guys were worried about him as well but it seems that his bad mood and absolute refusal to move and come out were due to him being in shed.

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All's good that ends well. Thanks for the update :)

My last update on this matter:

Today at 2 o'clock in the morning when I offered him a rat (like every week), he finally went for it. He is eating the rat right now :D
It's been 2 months since his last meal but he didn't lose a lot of weight (about 40g). He was probably just fasting :)
Thanks for all the help!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caali

My last update on this matter:

Today at 2 o'clock in the morning when I offered him a rat (like every week), he finally went for it. He is eating the rat right now :D
It's been 2 months since his last meal but he didn't lose a lot of weight (about 40g). He was probably just fasting :)
Thanks for all the help!

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:carrot::sweeet::fest::dance::dance::dance::pinkele::fest2::banana::bounce::jugg le:

Hot dog! Yay eating!!!

Sweeeeet!!!! :gj::D
Thanks for the update!!