HELP! Baby ball python extremely skinny and corkscrewing!

[KMG]

Yeah, the guy doesn't seem to be malicious but he also hasn't texted me back yet. Time will tell I suppose. I definitely know I need to check my snakes much more thoroughly now. I will absolutely be cleaning every inch of the area if this guy doesn't make it. I used to foster kittens so I definitely have experience scrubbing and disinfecting areas after having sick animals. Hopefully it won't come to that though. The snake has been moving a bit more in the past couple hours, he moved part way out of his hide and then went back in again later so that might be a good sign. He's still lethargic though. We'll see if he eats okay tomorrow night, my fingers are crossed.

When I'm going to look at a snake to possible purchase this is what I do. I go straight to the snake and get it in my hands. I then stand there and ask all my questions and talk about whatever comes up as I'm looking over the snake from head to tail. This gives me time to really examine the animal and get a feel for the person I'm dealing with. This way you are not rushed looking at it. I have never brought an animal home I didn't completely check out.

[Bogertophis]

To build on KMG's post above, here's some things I look for: (I've both bought & sold snakes over the years)
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Look at & feel for the overall muscle tone, grip strength, & balance. (corkscrewing? etc)

Overall body weight- not too thin & not over-fed.

Look for symmetry (any lumps & bumps? can be anything from an abscess to tumors)(any concave areas? -can mean broken ribs)

Kinks in the spine? (feel gently as snake slides thru your hands for any that aren't visible- all the way down to the tail tip) Not always a deal-breaker for a "pet only", but you want to know.

Stuck shed (esp. make sure eyes are clear, & check tail tip- this can indicate not only issues you'll have to take care of but may indicate how much or how little attention the previous owner paid to the snake). Look to see that the skin looks "healthy"- normal texture & no signs of infection, scale rot, fungus or burns.

Check the cloaca area for signs of prolapse, or caked on blood or feces (can indicate parasites & other illnesses).

Check the skin closely for mites or ticks.

Listen to the snake's breathing- you don't want to hear crackling, popping or whistling sounds (might be an RI) -I gently put them near my ear- but be careful if the snake is a biter

Look at the snake's tongue flicks- do the tips stick together? (can be an infection) Does the flicking seem normal or impaired? Any swelling in the throat? (under the chin) can be an infection.

Look into their mouth if at all possible- ask the seller to to do this & show you. Or at least, look at the edges of the mouth- you can often see mouth-rot without fully opening their mouth.

Compare their eyes- look for abnormalities (esp. if you're planning to breed- defects could be genetic), & look for health issues (mites like to hide around the eyes)(look for retained eye caps). I like to use a mini-flashlight to check that their pupils are reactive to light also.

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A reliable breeder should furnish the following- if not offered, ASK. (If you forget some, ask later) A reliable breeder cares about their animals as well as your continued success with them.

The date of hatch, gender if known, feeding record: last fed, & what was fed (rat or mouse, prey size, HOW offered -ie. live or f/t- drop fed, tongs? etc), frequency of meals.

How it was housed helps to know- snakes going from a tiny hatchling's "tub" into a well-meaning person's large tank will probably be a nervous wreck & refuse to eat.

Genetics -especially if it's important to you for future breeding, but also important if there are known associated defects (such as "spider" gene in BPs, etc)

Any illnesses, injuries, treatments for medical issues, esp. if any prescriptions (antibiotics) were EVER given. (This is because they're not without harmful side effects, including the potential for resistant germs, or poor digestion if probiotics weren't given afterwards to help normalize their digestion; also, they can be hard on the snake's liver & kidneys, & if a snake needed future treatment, it would help the vet to know what was given previously.)

(If I forgot anything, I'll add later- it's late)

[Snakesnipe]

Here are the pictures I have so far.





https://ibb.co/DgK2Sr5
https://ibb.co/XJG2pGm
https://ibb.co/FxNkqjR
https://ibb.co/82SLNCg

looking at your pictures that you posted the snake looks to have some injuries on its sides as well either from rubbing or from improperly trying to remove shed. I would say if you are soaking the snake you also do a betadine soak ( you can find this at Walmart) add it to the water it should look like watery tea color. as far as the feeding i don’t know how long you have had the snake but when first receiving a snake you want to allow atleast a week before you even think to feed or mess with the snake. Ball pythons can be picky eaters if they are being transitioned from live to f/t. This might take a while but the snake will eat. Also ball pythons will at times go on hunger strikes and they might not feed for a few weeks. Recommend taking snake to a vet if you are really concerned.

When purchasing a ball python as well you want to not only inspect the snake but you want really get the feel from the breeder. If you don’t get a good warm fuzzy feeling about the breeder rule of thumb don’t buy from them. I would question the genetics of the snake as well. I have pastels and super pastels and I’m not really seeing it. In future ball python purchases I would say use www.morphmarket.com. Or go to a local reptile show. I found in going to reptile shows when I started my collection. I made great connections with some experienced breeders and hobbyists that know there stuff and want to help as they are local.

[Bogertophis]

I missed seeing those areas of damage on the snake's side, & I agree that either weak Betadine (or generic povidone-iodine) or Vetericyn ointment (topical & made FOR use on snakes) could be helpful. Rather than soaking, either one should easily be applied with a Q-tip. This snake is new, & while it's benefitting from some re-hydration, you also do NOT want it to drink the medicated water, as it might do at this time if soaked with Betadine added to the water. Instead of immersing the snake, it could also be placed in a container on a wet (saturated) towel for a while- the towel gives traction & the water in the towel helps hydration without as much stress as when using water alone to "soak" the snake.

[Malum Argenteum]

In future ball python purchases I would say use www.morphmarket.com. Or go to a local reptile show.

With either of these options (well, any animal purchase, really) a lot of research on the seller is a good idea. I don't know about ball pythons specifically, but MM has more listings with incorrect IDs on other snake species than I'm comfortable recommending a novice keeper try to catch. Some are honest mistakes (that the sellers correct when informed, if they are informed) and some are clear and certain deception for profit that sellers block messages regarding. I've not seen any of this come up in seller reviews there, so buyer beware.

Reptile expos are...interesting, having been on the other side of the table for a while.

With both these options, a breeder focusing specifically or primarily on your species of choice is typically a better bet than a breeder of many diverse species (which I am, so this isn't a self-serving plug), and either of those are 100X better than a flipper (someone who buys and resells many species, most of which they are typically only faintly familiar with, and specimens that they do not know the history of first hand).

OP, I'm glad your snake seems to be doing better. Adorable little guy.

[supremenoser]

So I see the new posts about the injuries to his sides. I'll do the betadine if he lives through the night but I don't think his chances are good. He seems to be having seizures now, he coils up into a tight corkscrew like all his muscles are contracting without him doing it. Also I don't know what's causing it but suddenly his belly is all contracted up into him making him into a U shape, like he's a long bowl. I doubt he'll even eat tonight but I'll try anyways.

I got a hold of the breeder and he apologized and is going to give me a refund. He admitted to knowing the snake wasn't doing very well and said he shouldn't have sold him. I wish he would've told me that in the first place. But i guess all I can do now is try to keep him alive though I'm not very optimistic.

In the case this snake doesn't make it does anybody know what the best solution to clean and sanitize everything is? And is there an amount of time I should wait to make sure any germs have died before getting another snake? I don't know if I'm going to get another one if he doesn't make it, but I figure it's good to ask.

[KMG]

So I see the new posts about the injuries to his sides. I'll do the betadine if he lives through the night but I don't think his chances are good. He seems to be having seizures now, he coils up into a tight corkscrew like all his muscles are contracting without him doing it. Also I don't know what's causing it but suddenly his belly is all contracted up into him making him into a U shape, like he's a long bowl. I doubt he'll even eat tonight but I'll try anyways.

I got a hold of the breeder and he apologized and is going to give me a refund. He admitted to knowing the snake wasn't doing very well and said he shouldn't have sold him. I wish he would've told me that in the first place. But i guess all I can do now is try to keep him alive though I'm not very optimistic.

In the case this snake doesn't make it does anybody know what the best solution to clean and sanitize everything is? And is there an amount of time I should wait to make sure any germs have died before getting another snake? I don't know if I'm going to get another one if he doesn't make it, but I figure it's good to ask.

Well the seller doesn't sound all bad....just a novice it seems.

From what you describe it sounds like a neuro issues caused by overheating. I have seen it in snake before and it looked just as you described. I doubt the snake makes it much longer and honestly I would not try to feed it and cause any more stress to its fragile state.

Looking for a positive being it seems to be from overheating you don't have to worry as much about things left behind. I would clean everything with bleach and water as that is my main go to.

[Bogertophis]

I'm so sorry, but you've done what you could for this snake, & I'm really glad that you talked to the guy you got him from- I hope he comes through with the refund. It might be he really needed the money- but yes, it was dishonest. I doubt he's able to eat or that the "wound care" will matter, but it's easy enough if you have some Betadine on hand. You never know?

I agree that from your description, this snake isn't likely to survive. The guy you got him from actually bred this snake? or was he just "flipping" (re-selling) him? Is this the only sick snake he has? NOT that you can believe much of anything he says now- so while I'd love to believe this snake was merely overheated, I also have to say that it's potentially IBD, & if I were you (thinking about another pet) I'd assume the worst & clean as if that's what it was. The only way to confirm it would be expensive testing & you'd need to see a vet, so I doubt that's in your plans.

It's been a while since we discussed IBD on here & I've never dealt with it- there might be some newer info now- I'll get back to you or you can do some searching also, but it used to be recommended to wait months (6?) or even a year (I think?) to be sure your home is safe for a new healthy snake. Unfortunately, BPs are like the "canary in the coal mine"- they succumb rather quickly to this nasty disease. (Some boas or other snakes can carry it for a while without symptoms- maybe even share it without ever getting sick too?)

It's really hard to see a helpless creature in this kind of shape- I must say, you seem to be handling this quite well.

[Bogertophis]

More information: If you've never heard of IBD, it's not all that common but it's most every snake-keepers "nightmare" because it's contagious (among snakes) & fatal, not to mention that it can also be horrible to watch a snake with this.

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/exoti...es-of-reptiles

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...&highlight=IBD

and https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...=1#post2765465

[supremenoser]

I'm so sorry, but you've done what you could for this snake, & I'm really glad that you talked to the guy you got him from- I hope he comes through with the refund. It might be he really needed the money- but yes, it was dishonest. I doubt he's able to eat or that the "wound care" will matter, but it's easy enough if you have some Betadine on hand. You never know?

I agree that from your description, this snake isn't likely to survive. The guy you got him from actually bred this snake? or was he just "flipping" (re-selling) him? Is this the only sick snake he has? NOT that you can believe much of anything he says now- so while I'd love to believe this snake was merely overheated, I also have to say that it's potentially IBD, & if I were you (thinking about another pet) I'd assume the worst & clean as if that's what it was. The only way to confirm it would be expensive testing & you'd need to see a vet, so I doubt that's in your plans.

It's been a while since we discussed IBD on here & I've never dealt with it- there might be some newer info now- I'll get back to you or you can do some searching also, but it used to be recommended to wait months (6?) or even a year (I think?) to be sure your home is safe for a new healthy snake. Unfortunately, BPs are like the "canary in the coal mine"- they succumb rather quickly to this nasty disease. (Some boas or other snakes can carry it for a while without symptoms- maybe even share it without ever getting sick too?)

It's really hard to see a helpless creature in this kind of shape- I must say, you seem to be handling this quite well.

He bred the snake, he apparently has a ton of others he keeps too who are apparently fine so maybe it's not IBD but I'll still wait a couple months and make sure the whole area is scrubbed clean. I'll do some research on it as well.

It really sucks, especially seeing him convulse and struggle. I'm probably handling it better because I used to foster kittens and a whole lot of them were sick and ended up dying so you kinda get desensitized to it I guess. Still really sucks though, and it's really discouraging. The reason I was able to get a snake was because I ended up having to surrender the fish I had for years because I have a spine injury and can't lift water to do water changes and the local fish store didn't want to have to sell the tank so they just took the fish so I have this tank that's perfect for a snake so that made me feel better about having to give up the fish but now this. Anyways, that's the story, it's been a sad week. I'll keep holding out hope that the little guy might pull through. Thanks again for all your help, you guys have all been so beyond helpful and welcoming, i really appreciate it.