New ball python problem

[DaCrunchyCrabby]

So I’ve been a phantom on this forum for a while now (never created an account or needed to post anything) But I need some help here, I’ve recently acquired a new ball python I’ve had her for just about a month (she’s still in her previous owners setup until her new enclosures built) previous owner has told me that she hadn’t eaten In a few months (hasn’t eaten for me yet either) but other than that she seemed healthy alert and has been fairly active. Recently she’s been doing something strange, she’ll just rest her head upside down against the screen mesh for anywhere from a few minutes to a couple hours, and tonight she had what looks like Diarrhea (I’ve never seen this before) I’ll be booking her a vet appointment in the mourning. Does anyone know what these signs might possibly be? And anything I can do to help her until she gets into a vet?
Her setup is pretty simple at the moment paper towel substrate, a few hides and a water dish she can soak in. The heat bulb she came with has been finicky so I’ll be getting her a new one tomorrow, I have also got a UVB 5.0 tube light, she also gets misted down once a day.

The forum says I don’t have permission to post images I’m not exactly sure how to change that?

[Erie_herps]

Can you add a picture of the snake through the gallery? It might have a neuro morph like spider. What is the ambient temperature in the room? Is the heat bulb on a thermostat? It could also be from overheating or improper temperatures. For the diarrhea a herp specialized vet appointment is a must. Do you have any other reptiles? If so she should be quarantined away from them (if she isn't already). What things have you tried feeding? A 4-month fast isn't too concerning but it could be a sign of underlying problems.

[Bogertophis]

And do try to take a fresh stool sample to the vet visit.

[Luvyna]

Agreed with both of the posts above and the diarrhea could be a sign of parasites - you need to take the stool to the vet within 24 hours while it's still fresh to have it checked. It's best to store it in the fridge double-bagged if you aren't able to take it to the vet right away.

[Armiyana]

Agreeing on the possible parasites.
If there is a problem with your temps, it could also be an issue with the snake not properly digesting and can explain the head resting behavior.

I do disagree on it sounding like spider. It sounds more like she's trying to bask in the area where she's sensing warmth and the only option is to try resting on the mesh. OP even mentioned having an issue with the heat lamp and the UVB will release a small amount of heat, as much as they may prefer dark, the need for warmth may be outweighing things. The other option is that parasites CAN cause neurological issues.
As far as a neurological issue from overheating, stargazing is something they can't really help and much more noticeable than something like headpressing and will lead to the corkscrewing as well. I don't feel confident in a snake being overheated and still trying to reach the source of the heat unless it IS such a small enclosure that they really want OUT.
From my own experience with spiders and wobble this acting this way isn't nearly as common because they cannot properly balance ups and downs and would begin to corkscrew when they reach the top of the enclosure. I've seen multiple non-spiders behave this way when put into a new enclosure or even location in the house with new scents as well.

EDIT: Also are you sure it is properly sexed? Males this time of year can go off feed for a while. It wouldn't hurt to double check because improper sexing can happen fairly regularly

[DaCrunchyCrabby]

I’m sorry I forgot to mention “she’s” a Normal Morph not sure who produced her but she was bought as a baby at an expo in 2010, she’s in a different room from all my other animals and that room is a bit colder the rooms temp is around 70-72 I have gotten a better bulb for her now. I’m thinking she may have been too cold possibly as since upgrading her bulb I haven’t noticed any of this behaviour for the last couple hours. I plan on getting her sexed aswell because for her age and size at the moment I think if she was a female she should be a lot bigger. The only time I can get into the vet is the middle of next week.

[Malum Argenteum]

I agree that there's likely some heath problem that a vet should diagnose, but one extraneous variable that plays into feeding problems is providing UVB for those species that don't need it (and even sometimes in those that do need it). Captive UVB contributes to feeding issues in a range of species, and so troubleshooting might include removing the UVB to see if there is change in the situation.

If the snake is using the UVB as a heat source, well that's a complete no-go. Animals that are forced to accept something detrimental because it goes along with something they're seeking will often choose to harm themselves.