Got a call this morning

Asking if I wanted a ball python, free, they just wanted it gone. Okay, sure, I'll be over.
It took everything I had not to throttle these people.

Adult ball, not sure on the sex and right now it's not important. Ten gallon, no hides, no water (they water once a week) no heat (and in the garage I might add) and an RI so bad it's mouth was stuck open with 'cheese' it honestly looked like it had tried to eat a cotton ball or two.

Vet told me to bring it in at 2, she shoved some appointments out of the way but damn this looks nasty. I might take photos tonight but I have never gotten physically ill looking at a snake until this one.
Besides the gargantuon RI there is no stuck shed, looks to be of decent weight and no mites or other 'friendlies' I can find. If we can get it past the RI it's not goin to be a bad looking snake.
Husband is going to kill me though since we still haven't gotten our tax check.
So send good vibes.

Nice 1,no heat and being kept in the garage?thats kind of cruel,,i keep mine in my bedroom,where she can be seen,she loves to roam about lookin at me move round the room.
i hate it when people treat animals badly and dont look after them.its so cruel.fair play to ya.tell your husband it just appeared in your house by magic.

Poor thing.. people can be such ignoramuses some times. I am glad that it is in good hands now..
I don't want to be gross, but if you could, I think it'd be educational to see some pics of what's going on in its mouth. I have never seen an RI before personally.

At least its in better hands now! Explain to your husband it was literally a matter of life and death and I'm sure he'll understand. :D :rockon:

Some folks ought to be locked up somewhere without water, heat or food and see how they feel after awhile! :mad: So glad you've taken on this snake and though it does seem odd I would also think pics are a great educational tool here to show just how bad this can be. Hopefully your vet will work with you on costs to treat this snake. Often vets will give a bit of a discount if you are taking in rescues and trying to save them as good homes for unwanted "exotics" are hard to come by. Please let us know how it goes.

I'll ge a few pictures of the 'cheese' and it's poor mouth before I take it in. I'm getting ready to leave now so I'll be back around 3 if things go well. I'll post photos when I get back.

Okay, we're back.

'Cheese' got the needle and I was sent home with more. Other then the RI and dehydration Cheese (I couldn't keep calling it 'IT') seems to be in good health. The RI is bad. Vet said it's probably been bad for weeks but thinks we can work Cheese through it. I didn't have him sexed but for the sake of having a sex I will be calling Cheese a he.
We did find a few areas of stuck shed but he's going into shed as we speak so...

Okay, photos are to follow. And to be honest I couldn't stand looking at all that goop in his mouth so I wiped some out before taking them but it's still icky. So be warned.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_0357.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_0358.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_0360.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_0361.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_0362.jpg

Wow, he doesn't look too happy. That's almost disturbing

Oh good lord and that's AFTER you cleaned some of it out! Poor, poor snake! Sending all the good vibes your way I can hon. Poor thing has a long road ahead but hopefully there'll be a good outcome now that you and the vet are working together for poor Cheese.

What is the Cheese?? I thought when people speak of an RI they mean that mucuse is ozing out and looks like cheese? But that looks solid!! I am glad you got him! Poor babie! Deffanatly get hims some water!! Did they give him something to help rehydrate him?

I hope Cheese pulls through. Great name ;). I don't understand... What percentage of people have the internet at home, but these bad pet owners can't take 5 seconds to google 'ball python' and go oh crap maybe I should put a bowl of water in there, heat the tank, etc..

But looking up information is WORK! *gasp* Why should someone work for something as replacable as a snake?

Evening update; Cheese is snug in his tub in a far corner of the q room. He actually had enough 'umph' in him to check out his new digs before curling up directly over the flexwatt.

And yes, the photos were after I took out a whole bunch of that crap. You see the photo of his left side? Imagine that goop forcing his mouth open far enough it looked like he had a ping pong ball in there and protruding about half an inch beyond his head.
It was nasty.
I don't know how the people could go in and out of that garage every day and not care about his suffering. Luckily they didn't sound like they were getting any other animals.

hope he makes it through all my snake prayers go out to cheese :) and thanks for taking him in. we all know he's in good hands. looks like a road to recovery. his scales in those pics look aweful :( gl

Oh Stangs, sorry I didn't answer your question. I personally call it cheese due to the fact that it looks like messed up brie cheese. It isn't solid, it's just very thick nasty goop and I do mean NASTY. Ug. I have hand gel set up in every room now, I have been paranoid about washing up after doing anything in the q room so I suppose it's for the best.

Just an update on Cheese. Shed on the 25th, a whole perfect shed and how he managed that with his previous care is beyond me.
No more 'cheese' at the mouth, he's doing good all things considered.

Glad to hear he is doing better.:)

I have never seen a snakes mouth in that condition before.

Great News!!! :carrot: Any new pics?

great news!

After his first day with me of being dragged all over, his mouth held open and dried (and new) goop being removed and getting a shot as well as having a photo shoot I've left him alone. I want to stress him as little as possible, give him a better chance of beating this thing.
I do promise pictures in the future though.