I Think Dora is Star-Gazing. Help!

[DarkSmoke]

When i started having snakes as pets, I read alot about them and i once read about Star-Gazing. My ball python is a year and a half old on avarage. She was doing very well, but i didn't feed her for a month. Now like 2weaks ago i fed her a hamster. after That she was going into shedding and she started looking upwards all the time. In my mind came star-gazing. and after i read on the net that she could be looking upwards due to shedding. After she shed last weak she continues to look upwards. till now she's still doing it. its been going on for over a weak now. So im thinking this is IBD. I don't want my snake to live like this if its IBD and i read on the net that there is no cure for it? is this true? IF So what are my options? what can i do? i apriciate all the help. Thanks.

[dr del]

Hi,

Does she have her mouth slightly open when she is staring upwards?

Is there any sound when she is breathing?

Is there any sign of excess mucus in her mouth?

How long does she spend looking upwards?

Have you added any new animals to your collection recently?


dr del

[DarkSmoke]

Hi,

Does she have her mouth slightly open when she is staring upwards?

Is there any sound when she is breathing?

Is there any sign of excess mucus in her mouth?

How long does she spend looking upwards?

Have you added any new animals to your collection recently?


dr del

I Can see she has some bubles of salava on the outside of her mouth. i didn't test for the breathing nouse. she's 24/7 staring upwards in strange positions. i have added no animals to my collection.

[JamieH]

sounds like RI to me. It could kill her if not treated promptly.

What are the temps in her enclosure?
How are you monitering the temps?
hows the humidity?

I personally would take her to the vet asap.

[Ham]

Sounds like you should take her to the vet immediately...
It definitely sounds like something is wrong, if not IBD than possibly a respiratory infection...

By the way, why the heck would you feed your snake a hamster???
In general you should stick to mice or rats, your snake can get spoiled on the hamsters and not want to take other food. Plus you would be better off feeding frozen thawed rats, rather than live feedings, live rodents can seriously injure your snake if you are not careful...

Besides why a hamster???

[DarkSmoke]

sounds like RI to me. It could kill her if not treated promptly.

What are the temps in her enclosure?
How are you monitering the temps?
hows the humidity?

I personally would take her to the vet asap.

But is there any treatment? as far as i read.. there is not treatment. im currently out of money. vets charge alot of money here. so im avoid a vet bill to just tell me its untreatable. the snake is looking upwards 24/7 like that star-gazing snakes pictures i saw. its like she's stuck in those positions. doesn't hide anymore. Thats why i came here, to see if its really true that there is not treatment to this.

[Ham]

First off there is no way for you to know for sure if it is IBD, it could just be a respiratory infection and the snake is struggling to breath. There is no way for us to tell you what the exact problem is... That is why a vet visit is required.

Do you have a warm spot of 90-92F, and a cool side of 80-82F? If not the snake has probably become ill because it is too cold...

If the cage is not setup with these temperatures you should make it so immediately.

[JamieH]

Im no expert

but, from what I have read about RI (respitory infections) I would bump the temps up ( but you never said what they are to start with ) and switch substrate to paper towels or newspaper until the problem is resolved.

On another note. I agree with Ham, why did you feed your BP a hamster? (not trying to judge or be rude, just asking) becuase hamsters cost quite a bit just for feeding purposes, and if you can affford to feed your BP hamsters (on a regular feeding schedule of every 5-7 days) you should be able to take it to the vet.

[DarkSmoke]

She has a hot spot in her place. The temps i can't check them now because i lost my tempgun moving from my apartment to a new apartment. i had thermostat set at the correct tempretures and last i check the temps in the other apartment they were perfect altough its been a bit long. The thermostat is broken, but now its summer in malta and the weather is very hot here. last i asked they told me i should turn off the heatmat here in summer because of the very hot temps. the reason i fed a hamster... i feed my snake rats, i feed live its been like that for as long as she's alive, please i don't want to get in a frozen vs live argument. latley i lost my number of my rat suplier and here its not easy to find rats unlike mice so for once i fed her a hamster. but please, i don't want to go discussion on what i feed my snake. i know the risks and everything. What i want to know then, what should be my next step? vet visit?

[JamieH]

I dont want to make you feel like I want to debate everything you do for your snake. I was just asking, so I could (hopefully) give you advice about what to do next for the well-being for your snake. ( I feeed live too, but thats not the point)

Ok, so it sounds like youve been doing everything right.

One more question, did you turn the heatmat off already?

If you did, it might have dropped the temps enough that she could have gotten a infection. I would turn it back on, and bump the temos up in her enclosure ( try to find your temp gun asap, or try to get a new one) only a few degrees. and I would keep the humidity 50-55% (everything Ive read says to keep that about the same)

Like I said, I am by no means an expert. but given the information youve provided this is what I would do, until I could take her to a vet. (but please do so as soon as you have the money)