Plz help

I am pretty sure my ball python is sick. I dont know what to do. She is young only about 13 inches. We have had her a little over a month. Her underside is sunken in from below her neck to about half way down, then she gets really big. She hasnt ate since we have had her. We tried feeding her pinky mice and she has had no interest. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Have you tried any of the 'tricks' to getting her to eat? Have you tried any larger prey? What are the temps in her cage? How high is the humidity? When you pick her up do you notice that she has skin folds, mites, or that she can't grip your hand very well? When you flip her on her back, can she get back onto her belly?
If you could take some pictures of the 'sunken' in area we could probably help a lot more.

The temp and humidity are good. She acts like she has no sense or energy, listless. I will take some pics of her now. It may take me a min to figure out how to put them on here I am new here. I have no prob taking her to the vet as well but we live in a area populated by cows and horses. Dont know that I will be able to find anyone that can help her.

ok the pics are in my galleries

I would start checking around for a vet. Was it feeding before you got it? The lack of energy I would think is from the lack of food.

When a snake doesn't have food it usually shows in it's back, not in it's belly.
I've never seen a snake like that before except for some that had just laid eggs and were empty.

Thinking that's where her main lung is, do you think that maybe she is having trouble breathing?
Whatever it is, you need to get her to a vet, if she's lacking energy then theres no way she will live much longer without food.
Also, pinky mice are far too insufficient for that size of a ball python. The food you should be giving her should be the same size as the thickest point on her body. Feeding too small food items will drain her of more energy and not give her enough energy back.

A fuzzy rat/hopper mouse would do good, and you should probably try live if she isn't eating f/t.

The pet store said she was eating. But I havent seen it for myself. Through online research I am thinking it is dehydration and lack of food. I read that I can give her a 50/50 mix of electrolytes and water. Do you know anyting about that?

What I know of force feeding/rehydrating is very tough on the snake, that being said if you haven't done it before I wouldn't suggest trying it with this little one.

I would just try to find a vet because something is going on with that belly that isn't good.

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Originally Posted by loknlvly

The pet store said she was eating. But I havent seen it for myself. Through online research I am thinking it is dehydration and lack of food. I read that I can give her a 50/50 mix of electrolytes and water. Do you know anyting about that?

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Electrolytes work differently with snakes and people.
Give her a SLIGHTLY warm water soak for her dehydration. Remember that something that feels warm to you is wayy to warm for them. Just not cold but more room temperature.

That does not look like malnutrition to me.. how long have you had her?

ok better not try it then. I found a vet about 3 hours from home. Hope they can see her. I will do whatever it takes to get her better. Im already so attached.

I have her in a soak now. I have had her a little over a month. She is also having difficulty breathing, I do believe the bump is her lung

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Originally Posted by loknlvly

I have her in a soak now. I have had her a little over a month. She is also having difficulty breathing, I do believe the bump is her lung

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Her lung takes up about 1/3 of her upper body. So the bump is probably her heart.

A month shouldn't make a snake look like that.. I'm worried about IBD right now.. do you have any other snakes in your collection?

Call the vet and explain the situation and ask them if they know anything about what it could be.

She is the only one I have and the first. What is idb

Thats sounds like in need of immediate medical attention.

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Originally Posted by loknlvly

She is the only one I have and the first. What is idb

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IBD is Inclusion Body Disease, and is usually fatal in boas and pythons. The reason I think it's IBD is that one of the main signs is inability to wright themselves and lack of energy to strike at or coil prey.

You need to get that animal to any vet you can or it could die at any time.

wat kind of bedding is that?

I would never buy from a pet shop. usually they are wild cought and normally dont do very good. my advice next time buy from a breeder it will save you the headache.

i lost my first snake to ibd and that was devasting. I saw the snake die as i was calling the vet to get her in. it almost looked like she was having a spasm and started into a roll. when i picked her up that day she was listless just hung there on my finger i knew something was wrong. up until that day she was always a good eater. she had started a shed and had not eaten. now that i think back she refused to eat her last meal which i thought it was cause she was going to shed. i was lucky enough my daughter was not home to witness this as it was her snake. I cried all the way to the vet i was very attached to her. as it was stated earlier if it is ibd they can go quick.

she may have shown no interest in food because pinky mice are too small for a snake her size. also your setup looks like it could use some work. we dont know what your temps are or humidity is or if you have two identical hides and im not really sure what kind of substrate that is. there may be many reasons why shes not eating. either way it looks like the snake needs medical attention asap. although you should adjust what you can in the mean time.

good luck and keep us updated.

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Electrolytes work differently with snakes and people.

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exactly how jess?

thanks!

That poor thing! I hope you were able to get it to the vet. Please post an update when you can!


GOOD LUCK!

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Originally Posted by bigballs

she may have shown no interest in food because pinky mice are too small for a snake her size. also your setup looks like it could use some work. we dont know what your temps are or humidity is or if you have two identical hides and im not really sure what kind of substrate that is. there may be many reasons why shes not eating. either way it looks like the snake needs medical attention asap. although you should adjust what you can in the mean time.

good luck and keep us updated.




exactly how jess?

thanks!

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I don't know specifics here, but I can tell you at least what you know.
Snakes get generally most of they're hydration from their food. Electrolytes are a type of salt. The salt is easily digested in our system, but a snakes system is so complex and specific that I wouldn't know it to be safe to put salts in their system.
It could be harmless, but because we digest and absorb things so differently, I don't know what it could do and it's not worth the risk.
Just my thoughts. :cool:

Thank you all so much for your help. Unfortiantely pineapple didnt make it. We took her to a vet 2 1/2 hours from home. Hoping they could help. She did have ibd. So we had her put down. So sad. I never thought I'd cry over a snake. Thank you all again so much.


P.S. The bedding is crushed walnut shells.

Sorry for your loss :( :( :( :(:tears:

Sorry for your loss.

Did the vet positively diagnose IBD or was it a guess??? How did he diagnose it?

Did you have a necropsy done to confirm it?

If it is IBD it is a VERY serious thing especially if the store owner is still selling his animals to the public!

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Originally Posted by loknlvly

Thank you all so much for your help. Unfortiantely pineapple didnt make it. We took her to a vet 2 1/2 hours from home. Hoping they could help. She did have ibd. So we had her put down. So sad. I never thought I'd cry over a snake. Thank you all again so much.


P.S. The bedding is crushed walnut shells.

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That's sad. IBD is very rough. Where do you live? If you live in Ohio, I've got lots of healthy babies, I would be more than happy to give you one as you deserve a healthy snake!

Thank you so much for the offer for the snake. That really means alot. But we live in West Virginia, and I am kinda nervous about getting another just yet. It broke my heart.


The vet didnt do any testing on her. But I feel he really knows his stuff. He is the primary vet for a big zoo in Va. I know the pet store is still selling ball pythons. She was the only one there when we bought her. The next week we went and they had about 10. Could the snakes they are selling contract it?

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Originally Posted by LAWReptiles

That's sad. IBD is very rough. Where do you live? If you live in Ohio, I've got lots of healthy babies, I would be more than happy to give you one as you deserve a healthy snake!

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thats awsome!