Anaphylactic Shock?

[Ed Chisholm]

Thanks for your help with this. I am learning as I go here. The Hide/Tree was purchased when I purchased the half log hide from a reputable dealer of snakes, including balls. They never told me that the two hides should match 100%. She really seems to "enjoy" the tree one, spending a lot of time accross the branches, and under it in the hide.

[frankykeno]

Some of them really don't care Ed quite honestly but some ball pythons can get very picky about their hides and will not thermoregulate properly because they have to leave "their favorite hide". Having identical hides basically tricks these picky types into moving hide to hide since they are all the very same. As I said though, some ball pythons could care less as long as it's comfy, dark and enclosing them securely so in the end it's up to you to know your own snake's preferences that way.

[Ed Chisholm]

Wow, again thanks. Yes, I would place her firmly in the "Pampered Pet" catagory. She appears to be very happy and not stressed (until recent discussed episode with vet). She comes out to the glass when we enter the room, is out of her hides quite a bit. when we handle her she never balls up, and seems quite content to crawl around and over us. She is actually me 9 yera old daughter's snake, and she absolutely loves her. I will try to figute out how to get a picture posted.

[Freakie_frog]

I have to agree with Jo. There is no reason to deworm a snake annually. There is not reason to do it the first time with out first doing a fecal float. Anaphylaxis is a reptile is almost unheard of I curious how exactly your vet knew that's what it was. The fact that it was brought on by a common de-wormer is even more troubling. What did your vet give as a de-worming agent and did they mention any long term effects on organs due to the anaphylaxis.

[blackcrystal22]

Wow, again thanks. Yes, I would place her firmly in the "Pampered Pet" catagory. She appears to be very happy and not stressed (until recent discussed episode with vet). She comes out to the glass when we enter the room, is out of her hides quite a bit. when we handle her she never balls up, and seems quite content to crawl around and over us. She is actually me 9 yera old daughter's snake, and she absolutely loves her. I will try to figute out how to get a picture posted.

Unfortunately, though this doesn't seem like stress to us, this is very stressful behavior of a ball python. You should hardly ever see your snake outside it's hide, it should almost always be in his hide, hiding and sleeping. If your animal is not eating, it could be stressed out, and the activity you see is a search for a better hiding spot.

If the 'tree' hide your talking about looks like this: https://www.pet-supply-store.co.uk/p...599043-150.jpg
it is a bad hiding place for a ball python, with little security and is almost always not tight enough for the animal.

Also, make the temperature under the substrate 95F, if it's 100, it's possible the snake will burrow down and burn himself.

Buy a new hide, don't expand the base of the hide. Get something like this:
http://www.reptilebasics.com/Large-H...x-p-16376.html
That size is very good for an adult, and fits my largest adult very well.

Exactly how large is your snake?

[Ed Chisholm]

She is 38 inches long now. I uploaded a picture of the enclosure, it is at http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...er_in_cage.jpg
If you view the picture you will see that the first hide (1/2 log) is exactly like the one you say is bad. The second "tree hide" has a much smaller opening and is much tighter (she seems to prefer this one), but it is now too small and the thing basically just sits on top of her when she gets under it. She stays in the hide(s) all day, and comes out at night when it is dark in her room, that is when we can find her on the branch or in the tree.

[Ed Chisholm]

My vet did not mention any long term damage, simply I do not think he knows. He reported to me that he gives the same medicine to all the snakes he cares for and has never had a reaction like this. Her head was very swollen for the initial couple of hours, looking just like a pit viper of some sort. She stayed hidden in her hides for the first 10 days or so following the vet episode, but now seems to be returning to her "normal" behavior (that I observed prior to the episode). lst night she looked "hungry" for the first time in a while.

[frankykeno]

She is 38 inches long now. I uploaded a picture of the enclosure, it is at http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...er_in_cage.jpg
If you view the picture you will see that the first hide (1/2 log) is exactly like the one you say is bad. The second "tree hide" has a much smaller opening and is much tighter (she seems to prefer this one), but it is now too small and the thing basically just sits on top of her when she gets under it. She stays in the hide(s) all day, and comes out at night when it is dark in her room, that is when we can find her on the branch or in the tree.

Ah well if she's only out cruising around at night then she's likely just fine. I think the concern was that she's doing the stressed searching behaviours that you'd see if she didn't have appropriate places to hide in.

My vet did not mention any long term damage, simply I do not think he knows. He reported to me that he gives the same medicine to all the snakes he cares for and has never had a reaction like this. Her head was very swollen for the initial couple of hours, looking just like a pit viper of some sort. She stayed hidden in her hides for the first 10 days or so following the vet episode, but now seems to be returning to her "normal" behavior (that I observed prior to the episode). lst night she looked "hungry" for the first time in a while.

Ed, just due to the stress of all this and any concerns with how it might have affected her I'd be careful on her first couple of feeds. Personally if I had a snake that just went through all this I'd likely offer her a quite small meal for a couple of weeks, watch that she took it easily, didn't regurge it and then work her back to her normal sized prey. I tend to be overly cautious I know but I'd rather offer a couple of smaller meals then deal with a stress or health induced regurge.

We do have a list here of recommended exotics vets. I don't know where you live but perhaps you might find another vet listed there. Another option is to contact the closest good zoo to you that has a decent reptile collection and ask them for the name of the vet that provides their health care.

P.S. Just noted you are in Fort Worth and I don't believe we have a vet listed for there yet.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=56792

[Ed Chisholm]

Joanna, Thanks for the web address list, you are right, there are none listed close to me. I love San Antonio, but I do not think she would like a 5 hour each way trip to see the doc. Since she is looking like she might be interested in eating again I will try one of the smaller weanling rats I have. Wish me luck.

[DeepSouthSerpents]

Yea I personally would always get a 2nd opinion from another vet, I know it can be expensive going to a bunch of different vets but I would say find one that you are most comfortable with and that you can afford. It would be like you going to a doctor complaining of dizziness, vomiting, losing vision, etc and they recommend eye surgery. And afterwards you go to another doctor who does further tests and determines you have a massive tumor sitting on your brain stem and it needs to be removed before you slip into a coma (true story)... If you had simply trusted the first doctor's opinion you would more than likely not be on earth. I'm by no means trying to equate the seriousness of human illness with a snake, even though we all love our pets. It's just an example.
But seriously let's face it, there are some incompetent vets out there that obviously have their degree but for whatever reason are so used to treating other types of animals that they either do not have exotic experience or do not hold exotics in as high esteem as a dog, cat, etc. I've been to 3 vets in the past year or so for my snakes. Some are extremely knowledgeable but are very expensive and do not have good people skills.. Some treat a wide range of animals and therefore think that baytril is the universal answer to every pet's ailment (I'm not knocking baytril, it's just sometimes more specific medication for a certain condition is needed). And lastly there are the very friendly vets who treat your pet well, understand how special they are to you, and give you the most value for your dollar and do not try to recommend unnecessary procedures just to swindle you. I was fortunate enough to find one of these.
Ok so besides my rambling, as far as the type of wood I've always heard that the oils in cedar can lead to respiratory infections? Someone correct me if that's wrong And good luck with your snake.