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Hi
Last night my 9 yr old albino CA king had what looked like a stroke. He was roaming his 55 gallon tank and seemed bit hyper but I knew he could not be hungry as he had two large mice (day apart) couple days ago.

He than had what looked like a stroke and began to have seizures to the point that he lay there with his mouth open like he was going to pass away and was even on his back.
No vet was open at the time.

This am he is back to normal and looks fine. I was sure he would be dead this am but he looks okay and even saw him drink water.

The tank temps are good with warm area and cooler area and no sprays used in the house and nothing toxic in snake room.

Has anyone ever had this happen?

I know 9 is not old for a CA king .

Thanks

It would be impossible to guess, at what could have happened. It could be anything from gas, to parasites, to maybe substrate passing thru it's intestines. Who knows? I have seen lot's of strange unexplainable things with my snakes over the years. My experience is that animals that display extreme behavior like that usually don't survive, but that's not written in stone. He may have gotten completely over whatever it was. There's just now way to know without testing, and ruling out various factors. Hopefully he's ok now, good luck!
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Disclaimer: I do keep several snakes in pairs, and some in groups. However I realize that things can go wrong, and I have to keep a close eye on those groups, to be sure they are not being adversely affected by these living conditions. Also if one happens to eat it's cagemate, it is 100% my fault, and I know the risks in advance!

What's wrong with using CAUTION?!?!?!
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
~ Jorge Sierra www.SierraSnakes.com

I agree, just no telling. It initially sounded to me EXACTLY what a snake does just before it regurgitates. To the OP, did you notice any nasty rotted smell or check under all the substrate for a possible regurge? Often when it is buried the odor isn't nearly as noticeable as if it were on the surface.
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

"I agree, just no telling. It initially sounded to me EXACTLY what a snake does just before it regurgitates. To the OP, did you notice any nasty rotted smell or check under all the substrate for a possible regurge? Often when it is buried the odor isn't nearly as noticeable as if it were on the surface."

He did not regurgitate but did defecate (he had two laege mice couple days prior a day or two apart which is normal for him).

I changed the substrate today which is a thin layer of dry eco-earth and all was fine.

He seems fine now but jury is still out if his vision is like it was .
The exotic vet in area said exotic mammals are his thing not snakes (Key west) but again as of now he looks fine just not sure about his vision and if that is gone , I see no reason why he can't live a good life in his tank .

Thank you

"It would be impossible to guess, at what could have happened. It could be anything from gas, to parasites, to maybe substrate passing thru it's intestines. Who knows? I have seen lot's of strange unexplainable things with my snakes over the years. My experience is that animals that display extreme behavior like that usually don't survive, but that's not written in stone. He may have gotten completely over whatever it was. There's just now way to know without testing, and ruling out various factors. Hopefully he's ok now, good luck!"

I think that will change the substrate now to newspaper and get butcher paper this weekend but never saw him ingest substrate but now after reading your post won't use it.

Gas might be a possibilty but know he is parasite free. The only unusual thing in last week was a wild parrot flew in the house when I opened the door but it was nowhere near snake room so can't fathom some bird type of disease.

"My experience is that animals that display extreme behavior like that usually don't survive, but that's not written in stone."

That is what I assumed but again for now other than his sight doesn't seem as good he seems fine.

Thank you

Any chemicals used anywhere near his cage? Does not take much of the right ones to mess them up. If you used bleach to clean maybe and did not rinse enough? I have also seen snakes act something like that when they were WAY overheated. Just throwing possible things out there. Glad to hear he is doing better though and I agree on maybe going to newspaper for a while so you can better see what is going on, and no for certain that he will not ingest anything harmful. Just be sure to change it often as urine and newspaper dont mix well.

Joe

"Any chemicals used anywhere near his cage? Does not take much of the right ones to mess them up. If you used bleach to clean maybe and did not rinse enough? I have also seen snakes act something like that when they were WAY overheated. Just throwing possible things out there. Glad to hear he is doing better though and I agree on maybe going to newspaper for a while so you can better see what is going on, and no for certain that he will not ingest anything harmful. Just be sure to change it often as urine and newspaper dont mix well."

Joe

No chemicals used and the snake room door is closed 24/7 as house A/C is 71 and snake room is 74 .

He has heat pad on half of tank and under his hide area and cool side is 74 with hide areas there also.

I use very hot water to clean his stuff so no chlorine and my other 3 snakes are fine.

"I have also seen snakes act something like that when they were WAY overheated"

Funny you say that as have a friend who has a house border of Glades and she see's plenty of diff types of snakes on rainy days or cooler days but rarely ever sunny hot days.

Thank you