Getting a new snake from someone on Craigslist

[idomskt]

Hi

I'm getting a new BP (Most likely a banana one) from someone who posted him on Craigslist.

What do I need to check in order to make sure that I'm getting a healthy snake?

How do I check mites, RI, other diseases and etc...?

What are signs for healthy snake?

Thank you

[Lizardlicks]

Mites are easy, wipe your hand down their body and if you come away with round black flecks, especially ones that move, there's your mites. RI can be harder depending on it's stage. You might not be able to hear a whistle or click right away. My girl started gaping and bubbling when breathing about a week after I got her, so she probably had a very mild case that ramped up after the stress of being transferred around to a new environment. Ask them why they're selling the snake (problem feeder? Pet they grew bored of? Looking to go in a different direction with breeding projects and selling a hold back?) Ask for pics of their set up if you can't go and observe it yourself. If you see bad husbandry, or unsanitary enclosures, you're at a higher risk. Observe the body condition and behavior of the snake when you can. Skinny and/or lethargic animals may be ill or just improperly cared for.

My experience with my Craigslist purchase went like this: I asked the normal questions about feeding and behavior and for pics of the snake and her set up. Set up looked fine and the seller had other snakes in the same rack that were fine. She was selling this one because it was a problem feeder, often missing meals and only eating live, and she had plenty of other snakes that would do the job. She got it from a Facebook auction last August and it has not thrived the way the other snakes in her care have, and there is no way to get a hold of the original producer (the person who runs the auction page has not responded to messages). Met in person and the snake was obviously thin, but not emaciated, and it was actively exploring and intersted in it's surroundings. I was confident in getting a problem feeder back on track, and the price point was bellow market average for the morph (lesser het clown) by about $100, so I took the risk. She ate for me two days later on first offer, no problem, but the gaping and bubbling didn't pop up until a couple days after that, at which point I'm pretty sure the "problem" wasn't with the snake, but rather a bunch of little things that got overlooked which led up to a stressed, sick animal. At this point, I took the gamble knowing there were possible problems, and I'm still confident that I can resolve them. If you're a new keeper, you probably don't want to take on the challenge of a possibly sick animal, so go with your gut. If something seems hinky, pass it up and wait for the next one.

[idomskt]

Ok, Great advises!

Now, if I see in a week that he have a RI, is it possible to heal it? Can he die from it?

Thank you

[JodanOrNoDan]

This is kind of like buying a used car or motorcycle. If you do not have experience and you have to go it alone you should probably not do it. If you have an experienced person to take with you, then it is doable.

[JodanOrNoDan]

Ok, Great advises!

Now, if I see in a week that he have a RI, is it possible to heal it? Can he die from it?

Thank you

Curing the snake of an RI is likely going to cost more than the snake, and there is the possibility of death even with treatment.

[Lizardlicks]

An RI is a respiratory infection. It's like a really bad cold to put it as simply as possible. It can be cause by many different pathogens: bacterial, viral, or fungal. Usually a healthy animal can fight off disease, but a stressed animal has a weakened immune system. Depending on the cause of the RI, it can be simple or not so simple to treat and resolve. Standard procedure for a vet is to take a mouth swab, send it for a culture, and prescribe a broad spectrum antibiotic in the meantime. They may also do a lung wash. My girl has responded somewhat to a broad spectrum antibiotic while we wait for a culture, so likely it's bacterial (a virus or fungus would not respond to an antibiotic, they need other medication).

Can it kill the snake is a question of multiple factors: what's is the infectious agent? Is it being treated by the correct medication? Is the thing that cause the issue in the first place resolved? What was the condition of the snake before hand? In most cases, resolving an RI isn't a big deal as it's a pretty common ailment in snakes, but it will require at least a couple vet visits. But just like people can still die from the flu, sometimes factors swing out of your favor.

[Vithaxton]

Don't forget to look at the snakes belly for scale rot! Almost never happens but check just in case! It's happened to me on a Craigslist trade before -.- But it's treatable!


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