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[rabernet]

Well, I'm still the ever obsessive compulsive mom. I know you said that Kashmire is fine, Adam, but it really concerns me that he's been roaming non-stop since his huge poop on Wednesday. He refused his feed yesterday, and I took it out and will not try again until next Saturday. If anything, the mouse seemed to stress him out, as it would walk over him to get to another part of the enclosure. I could tell after about 20 minutes that Kashmire seemed aggitated by it more than anything so I just took it out.

So, today he kept getting climbing up the walls near the probes of the Accurite and getting his body around the wires, so I have now filled his tank with newspaper balls to try to calm him and so far, although he's still roaming, he's not climbing the walls now.

I know that when I first got him, you guys told me that a snake roaming all the time is a sign of a stressed snake. His temps are still constant at 92-94 on warm side and 82-84 on cool side and humidity about 45%. There have been no household changes, so I'm really perplexed why we are on 5 days now of incessant roaming.

I know I'm probably worrying about nothing, but it's my greatest fear that he's going to literally exhaust himself to death and I'm going to wake up one morning to a dead snake, and was especially freaked out when I read about Python77's recent loss for no apparent reason (I am going to be watching for necropsy results). He's not stargazing, just will not rest.

OK, I'm stressed out mommy, so I'm probably going to bed now and hope the newspaper balls will help to calm Kashmire....uh oh...he's climbing walls again now! Oh me!!!!!!

[Adam_Wysocki]

you guys told me that a snake roaming all the time is a sign of a stressed snake.

I've never heard of such a thing???

-adam

[mr~python]

i dont know rab, im not an expert myself but i dont think your being OCD.

[elevatethis]

My female ball rearranges her whole cage on a nightly basis. If your temps and all that are fine then you just have a wierd snake, nothing to worry about.

[rabernet]

Adam,


Maybe I'm losing my mind then, because I swear I remember you telling me that one time when I first started. I think in a question I asked about acclimation. I'll have to go back and look.

I "thought" you said that them constantly roaming and climbing the walls was an indication of stress and that they were looking for ways of escape due to that stress.

Ah well, what's a snake mommy to do? Relax, right? LOL

[rabernet]

Adam,


Here's what you replied to my early Acclimation and Stress post when I first got Kashmire. You had quoted this question of mine:

Does this sound like a stressed snake to you? Does this sound like he's not acclimated?

and replied with this:

In my experience ... actually, it does. Just about every single ball python in my colony remains pretty inactive all day long, even around people. A insecure, nervous ball python will spend a lot of time "cruising" looking for a way "out", even if that is the hand/arm of a caring keeper.

Hope this helps.

-adam

So, that's what I was remembering when I posted this about Kashmire seeming stressed. In your experience, is there a reason why a previously quiet juvie has suddenly become so active and refusing his feed? In my limited experience with him, this is so not my experience with his behavior. Thanks so much!

[Adam_Wysocki]

The context of what was going on with your snake fit what I said at the time. Things are much different for your animal now.

My guess is that your snake is actually healthy for the first time since you've had him ... remember, he was shipped, ate, regurged, traveled to the vets office, was medicated a couple of times, then started eating properly, got back up to good weight, and finally used his bowels in a good way for the very first time .... now he's acting like a ball python during it's first couple of days in a new cage .... sounds abouit right to me.

All that said, if you really have a concern, I urge you to see a vet ... NO ONE can tell you if your snake is either sick or healthy over the internet.

-adam

[rabernet]

Thanks Adam (see you're an early bird too!). I guess I was more concerned behavioraly. If I continue to be concerned, I will definitely take your advice and have him seen by the vet again. You haven't steered me wrong yet!


Do you think it was a good thing to put the newspaper balls back in his enclosure?

Oh, and by the way, Joanne has great instincts! She hypothocized (sp?) the same thing you just said about him not being a healthy baby when I first got him and that he's just now starting to feel good and behave the way he should have when I first got him.

[frankykeno]

Thanks Robin and it was fun to gab on the phone the other day!

I don't have the years of snake experience hon but just from past experience with sick kids, sick pets, etc. it stands to some reason that anything that is ill just doesn't really care much about it's environment much at first...it's just trying to get by. Once the illness is dealt with and life is much better, then most any living thing begins to notice it's "space" and react to that.

I've had other rescued pets that could have cared less where they were at first, they were so sick and depressed. Once they regained their health, some of them became quite the brats, testing limits, cages and so forth. Hopefully your Kash will settle down shortly as I know you are worried about him right now and as Adam so well put it, if you continue to be concerned a vet visit is always a good thing (but then I love my herp vet...she put me on the rehabber's discount whoohoooooooo! LOL).


~~Jo~~