I need a Los Angeles Vet for my ball python.

[Bogertophis]

...
I also think it's a coincidence that every time I say vet she disappears or squirms. But I still think it's funny. I was talking to her on the trip home, because snakes obviously have ears, etc, so can recognize voices, if not words, and was telling her, you're not supposed to know what the word vet is. lol I suppose I didn't look that sane carrying a plastic box with a pillow case in it and talking to it. I mostly talked to her because all the sound from streets, etc can be really stressful for a snake, so I thought something familiar when she can't see anything might comfort her a bit..........

Still hoping it'll go away and it's just a minor abscess. Better to play it safe, right?

Actually, snakes do not have "ears"- all they have are some vestigial remains of inner ear bones & their hearing is thought to be quite minimal, especially with higher frequencies- they tend to feel bass notes (& so can we if we pay attention, & especially if we're touching a hard surface that vibrates with the sound). I think it's most unlikely that your snake "hears" your voice at all, though if your voice is lower, she may feels some bass vibrations when near you- same goes for street noise. I wouldn't worry at all though about what others think when you're talking to a "plastic box with a pillow case in it" as many people have all kinds of pets these days & can relate. And better yet, if they ask, it's a chance for you to educate them about our mellow pet snakes, right?

I've known my share of snakes that don't conform to what most people think snakes will act like- that have more than the usual share of personality. I'm all for keeping an "open mind" whether that falls under the once-dreaded label of "anthropomorphism" or not. Humans never quite know as much as they think they do at the time anyway- there's always more to understand.

You did the right thing ("play it safe") by taking her to the vet & getting this issue some medical attention. We all hope (with you) that she'll be okay- think positive.