Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a California Kingsnake that for the last month has been rather limp. When you pick her up she feels weak and dangles rather than firm and doesn't seem to have the ability to hang onto me. She's about 7 years old, eats 3 adult mice every two weeks, and defecates and sheds regularly. She weighs about 2 lbs. and is about 4 1/2 feet long. She always has fresh water, big tank, cool/warm side of the tank, etc. Any ideas as to what may be wrong with her?
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Deborah McAllister

I am not sure what you mean by "limp"? How limp?

Is there a chance she had a spinal injury?

Also check her stools to see if they are runny or smelly! Could be she has some parasites or something else that is causing her not to be stiff.

One other thing. Without seeing the snake in person it is hard to tell what you are describing is normal or not. Some Cal kings tend to slow down when they get older and are not as "stressed" when holding them. Is it possible she is just reached that age where she is more relaxed?
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www.Bluerosy.com

Unfortunately limp like she has no bones. If I pick her up while she's in a coil, she will just flop around like a rubber snake, which I don't let happen. But, it is hard to hold her and support all of her without part of her body just falling. For example, when I put her into her feeding cage, I would just aim her head in there and she would go in there slowly. Now, I aim her head in there, let about 1/4 of her go in there, then gravity gets the better of her and she falls in. Her poops look and smell the same as they always have. She couldn't have had any injury. She runs around her tank like nothings wrong, eats, sleeps, goes back/forth from the warmth to the cool. I feed her frozen/thawed, I don't know how she would get a parasite. She doesn't go outside and is separated from the other animals/reptiles. She's in shed right now so I hope that goes well for her.
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Deborah McAllister

she will just flop around like a rubber snake

Well there is something definetly very wrong with your snake. I would get it to a vet. Butit is strange you say it eats and digest and eliminates fine. So it is either a spinal injury or possibly a desease effecting the spinal cord.
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www.Bluerosy.com

Thank you for responding. She has an appointment for Monday.
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Deborah McAllister