Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, this is my first time using this forum but if it helps then I will always use it. Well i have a 3 year old ball python i got from a legit pet store. I had him (one time owner) since he was a baby. He is sick now, at least i think so. He hasnt eaten in 3 months.(VERY unusual) He keeps on scraping his face on his logs and rocks, he is panting, he occasionally gets in water about daily, he opens his mouth fully sometimes(never use to do that) and he hisses like he has a cold. His aquarium is 4 foot tall by 3 1/2 ft wide, he had it since i first got him. He normally would eat every other week, his temp is 70's-80's he has coconut bedding( he;s had that since i first got him).Ive tried to feed him about 7 mice in that 3 month time period of his diet. My buddy had a sick bad looking ball python that i decided to keep at my house. (on top of my snakes aquarium). His snake was bad off, it was breathing very bad, it was skinny and just looked HORRIBLE. But he died about 3-4 months ago, And i think what he had my snake now has. His snake either vomited up his internals or he threw up his food. But he died cause of that. And ever since i brought that snake to my house my snake has been acing funny. I did just check for mites but i didnt see any. I looked in his water bowl, his face, body and cage. Nothing. But can you help me please, i dont know what to do. And i really cant afford a vet. Solutions-ideas on what it could be will be greatly appreciated. Thanks-
nick
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It sounds to me like a respiratory infection.

Your temps are too low. They should be 80-90, not 70-80.
It also sounds like your friend's snake died of a respiratory infection and having it that close to your snake may have spread it.

I know you said you can't afford the vet, but that may be your only option.
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"What is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
For what happens to the beasts,
soon happens to men.
All things are connected."

-Chief Seattle (Duwamish Tribe)

First of all, a ball python does not need that size of inclosure. Get something smaller, and preferably short because ball pythons are not arboreal, so they don't like to climb. Second, your temps are bad. You want a hot spot at 90°, warm side mid to high 80's, and cool side high 70's to low 80's. If you fix that and the snake is still sick take him/her to the vet ASAP.

He probably has a resperatory infection. A good way to check is to try and notice if they have bubbles on their mouth, and if their gums are darkly colored. A way to solve it is jack up the temps (not too high, like overall 90°, and only for a little while), and keep humidity very high as well.

Some snakes go off feed during the breeding season. I apologize for posting so many replies, it just seems like when i post one, i think of something else.

I first thought that he was going off food because of the breeding season, but what you describe looks like a respiratory infection to me. You are right, he could have gotten it from your friend's sick snake,. That's why you should never bring a new snake to the room where you keep yours without a period of quarantine, ESPECIALLY if the new snake IS SICK.
Get the temps a little higher, but also, take your snake to a good reptile vet ASAP!
Keep us informed. Good Luck!
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Sed et serpens erat callidior cunctis animantibus terrae quae fecerat Dominus Deus...

Get the substrate out. Keep the snake on newspaper until the respiratory infection is healed. Jack the heat up. For a sick snake, raise the hot spot to mid-high 90's. Be sure that cool side of your enclosure is high 70's - 80 degrees. Get online and find a product called Fish Zole. You want the 250mg pills. If your snake is 1500 grams or less, give it half a pill every 7 days for three weeks. If it's closer to 2000 grams, give it a whole pill every 7 days for three weeks. If it's not too far gone, this should have it snapped back into action quickly. The heat raise alone will do wonders. I have also used Baytril injections over the years, but the Fish Zole pills always has a better outcome for me. Here's you a link to a seller, http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=Fish Zole&hl=en&rlz=1T4ADRA_enUS412US413&prmd=ivns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1259&bih=568&wrapid=tlif130488315435910&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=12375793295276733560&sa=X&ei=HPDGTc6-AdGTtwe8uLWbBA&ved=0CHQQ8wIwAg# . Good luck with your snake. Be sure to keep its water bowl extra clean during this process as well. Hope this helps!

You will also need a pill splitter. Can be found at any pharmacy. You will need a pair of tongs, or a long pair of tweezers. While holding the snake's head, gently open its mouth and slide the tongs (holding the pill) to the rear of the mouth. Release the tongs grip and gently rub the underside of the snake pushing the pill 5''-6'' down the snake's throat. That's pretty much it. Good luck!

http://www.drugs.com/metronidazole.html Just in case you'd like read up on the Fish Zole (metronidazole).

I had no idea Fish Zole was Metronidazole, also known as Metro gel. It is a treatment for rosacea. I have been spreading Fish Zole on my face....
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Lincoln, NE
Ball Pythons - 0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma (hidden gene?), 0.1 Yellowbelly
2.1 Normals
Kingsnakes - 1.0 L. m. thayeri, 0.1 L. m. thayeri X L. alterna, 1.0 L. g. californiae
Other - 0.1 Whitesided P. catenifer sayi, 1.0 H. nascicus, ?.? Chrysemys picta, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

PILLS? I have read several articles saying that any form of pill is a waste of precious time for a ball python. First off think about how slowly they digest their food? If you plan on giving anti biotics it must be an injection. And an injection in the upper half of the body into muscle tissue. The lower half of the body will cause them to be filtered out too quickly by the kidneys.
Also. Raise the temps up. small enclosure. Get like a rubbermaid. Heat that up with a heat pad. no more than 90. That is like an induced fever for the snake. Keep those temps up for at least a week..... I sometimes take away water. Too much moisture in the lungs. Humidity low for Respiratory infections. Put the water bowl in for like three hours an evening to give the snake a chance to drink.

..... and good luck