Early Birthday...I need some love and some answers

[AMPearce]

Yah, mechnut, I'm hoping it was something that I couldn't of prevented or isn't contagious to my other snakes. I've had the windows open all day and it's starting to smell alot better. I threw the tub in the dumpster that it was in, I think that helped alot but it still does smell a bit in my room.

Also, I just fed my pythons and they all ate, so if not eating was a symptom for Nefertiti then the other guys are okay in that respect.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Yah, mechnut, I'm hoping it was something that I couldn't of prevented or isn't contagious to my other snakes. I've had the windows open all day and it's starting to smell alot better. I threw the tub in the dumpster that it was in, I think that helped alot but it still does smell a bit in my room.

Also, I just fed my pythons and they all ate, so if not eating was a symptom for Nefertiti then the other guys are okay in that respect.

Chances are it wasnt contagious. Its not worth getting all worked up over. Just get some poo and take those other guys in for a check up soon to be on the safe side.

You hear horror stories of people losing entire collections due to one sick snake but how many people has that actually happened to? Very very few. More often its mites that infest entire collections.

Alot of illness can go un noticed for a very long time. RI can go on for many months or more if the snake has a strong immune system and the husbandry is correct.

Just dont get get too worried about the others just yet. They are probably fine. They are eating and breeding. If they are nice & thick, breathing fine, clear nostrils, shedding fine, clean pink mouth, then I bet everyone else is ok. That girl must have had something for a long time. Snakes are like birds that way. It takes a trained eye to notice any illness. They hide it well.

[Clever Baby Dragon]

So sorry for your loss, thats an awful thing to have happen. I hope your other snakes are okay and give you some beautiful babies soon.

To try to clear up all the nonsense about depression flying about: (actually thats not quite true, some of it is fine, but its awfully muddled at this point).

Like every other mental illness the actual mechanisms of depression are not actually very well understood. Drugs work very well in some cases, but drugs are essentially a blunt hammer. They work by altering neurotransmitter levels in your brain, however, each neurotransmitter does many different jobs in several locations, and only one or two of these are disordered in depression, the side effects from the drugs are the effects on the other transmitter sites.

The numerous therapies that are available for depression also achieve the same effect as the antidepressants, but in the opposite directions (drugs alter your neurotransmitters, thereby altering your mood and thoughts, therapy alters your mood and thoughts, which causes your brain to restructure itself, which ends the depression).

Different therapies work for different people, but we don't understand what sometimes makes one effective over the others. Therapy actually makes a better firstline treatment to depression since it has no side effects (and is usually concluded in 8 weeks or so), but for some, therapy doesn't work and drugs are either much better, or the option

That said, it can also work the other way, for some people drugs are ineffective but therapy will work wonderfully. You'll have to see what works for you, personally, try not to rule anything out of hand.

[Big Gunns]

Snakes can just die for no visible reason at all(just like people). You should be able to tell if they are sick. Although, if they are on the "verge" of sickness, it can be hard to tell. You're going to need to keep a good eye on them, and double check everything(temps..etc..) to make sure it's ok.


It's not gonna hurt anything to take them to a Qualified Vet. Again...emphasis on QUALIFIED....if you're worried about losing another one.


Here's Big Gunns solution to feeling depressed. Look in the mirror(BG's buddy) at a healthy person. Then go to a local hospital and look at the sick people. Watch the news when they interview the relatives of the recent shooting. You'll soon realize that your life is not that bad.

If all else fails. Watch comedy sitcoms all day....and read Big Gunns posts. You'd be surprised what this can do for yah.