Jungle Carpet Python Help

[Ben Biscy]

Isn't it ironic how the most expensive specimen we picked up is the one with the problems? lol, go figure.

The little guy is sleeping now, coiled up in his hide. I can't see his eyes, and i don't want to stress him out anymore (minimal to no activity until feeding day, we'll see what happens). I think that the best bet here is if the animal does not eat in two weeks, and/or if the condition worsens I'll euthenize it myself. I don't have grand breeding plans, but i'm one to believe that bad genes SHOULD be eliminated. If he does feed, and just has a stress wobble, he should still make a very nice display animal (i don't handle my animals as often as most).

Also, I got this guy from the herp show in Columbia. These guys had VERY nice animals, I also bought two kenyans from them (which JUST shed are are doing GREAT!). I personally do not thing it's ibd either, as I did some reading and comparing, and the symptoms don't quite match.

Thanks again everyone!

[asplundii]

Hey Ben,

I brought up the eyes because, as a number of people have mentioned, this does look a bit like an extremem case of the Jag neuro issue. It is hard to tell from the pics if your animal is a heavy patterend Jag though. The eyes help with an ID because Jags, for the most, have a silver/blue/pale eye compared to the dark eye of a normal. No need to bother the animal now to find out but next time it is out maybe take a gander.

[Colin Vestrand]

i don't think it looks like a 'jag related neuro issue' personally... if i had to guess i'd say it's some sort of damage brought on by illness and/or dehydration or, because it's young, it may have just been born with some chromosomal damage.

i once had a carpet that got a mite infestation, followed by RI. the antibiotics were too much for him... the RI cleared up, but then he started acting exactly like what you're seeing here. he was fine until you touch him... then he'd do what yours does. it was sad because it was my first carpet... a true 'pet' snake.

pick up the last third of his body? is it limp and loose compared to his tightly constricted upper 2/3? if so, then you have your answer.

i'm not a vet, this is just my opinion... for what it's worth.

bottom line, i'd be getting my money back!

[asplundii]

i don't think it looks like a 'jag related neuro issue' personally...

I was not saying it was necessarily a Jag neuro issue, just throwing out a possibility. I have never seen a true, worst case scenario train wreck Jag but from the few twitchy Jags I have seen and then extrapolating against the twitchy spiders I have seen vs. the train wreck spiders I have seen... This could be what a worst case Jag looks like... Maybe... But then again maybe not.

If we knew if this was/was not a Jag though we could potentially shelf that whole line of thought. If it is a normal (i.e possible sib) then the idea of it being the neuro issue would be astronomically small.

[DavidG]

I think everything has already been said. If you do take it to a vet, which I recommend, tell him there is a chance of it having IBD. Even though, we don't think so, there is not a vet on board. If he has other reptiles in the facility it's not worth risking them.

[OuijaBoid]

You said he's in QT but in one of your first posts you stated that he's in your snake room? I would relocate him to another part of the house....just my .02...Ive seen this in an animal that was directly sprayed with mite spray in the past...back in the early 90's with something called "california spray"....Give him a nice luke warm soak...

[Blizzarddude]

Hope you get this cleared up bud, hoping its something related to stress. As Ive said, it appears to be stress related due to the fact that he is fine until bothered.

Good luck!
- Bd

[snakelady]

The poor little guy!
Also, that sucks...hearing about the jag problems. I love jags! crap!

[Colin Vestrand]

The poor little guy!
Also, that sucks...hearing about the jag problems. I love jags! crap!

don't let it scare you off... it's no worse than the problems you see with spiders. it's kind of an overstated issue in my opinion... they're still wonderful snakes and the vast majority don't have any recognizable differences to the average herper.

[Enser54]

Call up the breeder.. however if it does eat and it is just a little crazy in the head I would still keep him.