Reptile & Amphibian Forums

On Sunday, we got a ball python......he was fine Sunday night and and
Monday, but this morning he was acting weird. He was moving his head
around like crazy which is not how he was moving the other days and also
when we picked him up siliva came dripping out of his mouth. I called
where we got him from and the guy said it sounded like a respitory
problem(I called about 10am or so) he said to keep him warm and leave
him be that it could be from the night time temp going down to low more
less going from hot to cold or vise versa. He gave me the number of a
vet he deals with and I called as soon as I got off the phone since he
really looked funny and moving his head around like crazy and I told the
guy that.....anywaysbut the vet was out. I went to lay down and when I
came back and looked at him, he was dead (11:30am or so)

My question is, could this respitory problem have come on so quick like
that? What else could it be? Was there something we should have done or
not done? I feel so awful, he seemed to be fine both days and we had
him out a bit and seemed to be fine....I just can't believe that this
happened and that it happened so fast Any help would be greatly
appreatiated
Thank You
Jami

Im sorry to hear the sad news.when my ball pytjon had a respitory infection I didnt have the money to take him right away to the vet so it took me like 4 day the most to take him to the vet.Now hes doing good.But my bp didnt die overnight.

It might have been a viral infection, I hope you kept him quarantined from any other snakes you have. I'm going through something like this myself.
-----
Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

Jami,
I'm sorry to hear about your loss. It's never easy losing an animal, even after only two days.

Let me tell you that you had no part in this snake dying. If you bought it from a pet shop or from a shady vendor at a reptile show, this was more than likely an imported snake. They basically bring mothers in from the wild, hatch the eggs, return the mothers, then throw thousands and thousands of snakes together and export them to people who will buy them, mainly the U.S. Alas, another innocent person succomed to the wrath of imported crap.

I don't want to make an example of you or anything because thousands of people make the same mistake every week. I'm a firm believer of only buying captive-born animals for this exact reason. Not only do imports decrease the value of healthy captive-born animals (I think it's sad when ball python breeders can only get $25 for a CB animal because you can buy imports for $8), but it also deters potential reptile keepers because their first attempt at keeping ends up in a situation like yours did.

I understand that importation is required for new blood and that most of the incredible morphs that we're seeing today originated as imports. However, it's a sad world when 40% of all ball pythons purchased are imported (saw that number somewhere, don't quote me on it).

The problems with the snake are limitless. For starters, internal parasites are almost a given. It probably also had a respiratory infection as you were told. Without a quality vet visit this snake would never have survived and seeing that it died that quickly, you could have taken it to the vet directly after buying it and I doubt it would have survived. The medicine would never kill the parasites or infection that quickly.

Please don't let this experience deter you from keeping a ball python. I can promise you that ball pythons are very healthy and hearty animals. The next time around, look up a reputable breeder, spend a bit extra, and the results will be much better.

Again, sorry to hear about your experience and I wish you better luck in the future.
Jason @ Jason's Jungle

this is my story my female ball pyhton got sick cornell thinks from 2 high a temp from what the previous owner kept them at however there was never any discharge or mucus of any kind. she just postured abit and wistled when she was stressed.this has been going on for two weeks or so and she is still on antibiotics. and yes they did a lung wash and the results are negetive.so i would say that the ball that you got was sick before you came along and dont be so hard on yourself

Take the body in to the vet for a necropsy. Not only do you need to know, in case you have other herps, or bring any in to your home in the future, but the dealer you bought him from needs to know.

I am sorry for your loss. I have to agree with the others here. No, you did not kill your snake.
-----
GratefulFred

>>On Sunday, we got a ball python......he was fine Sunday night and and
>>Monday, but this morning he was acting weird. He was moving his head
>>around like crazy which is not how he was moving the other days and also
>>when we picked him up siliva came dripping out of his mouth. I called
>>where we got him from and the guy said it sounded like a respitory
>>problem(I called about 10am or so) he said to keep him warm and leave
>>him be that it could be from the night time temp going down to low more
>>less going from hot to cold or vise versa. He gave me the number of a
>>vet he deals with and I called as soon as I got off the phone since he
>>really looked funny and moving his head around like crazy and I told the
>>guy that.....anywaysbut the vet was out. I went to lay down and when I
>>came back and looked at him, he was dead (11:30am or so)
>>
>>My question is, could this respitory problem have come on so quick like
>>that? What else could it be? Was there something we should have done or
>>not done? I feel so awful, he seemed to be fine both days and we had
>>him out a bit and seemed to be fine....I just can't believe that this
>>happened and that it happened so fast Any help would be greatly
>>appreatiated
>> Thank You
>> Jami
>>
-----
0.1.1 Senegal Parrot
0.0.1 Red Eared Slider
0.0.1 California Kingsnake
0.0.1 Royal (Ball) Python
0.1.0 Bearded Dragon
0.1.0 Timor Monitor
0.0.1 Nigerian Tailess Whipscorpion
1.0.0 Cat

call the guy you got it from and get a refund or another snake? looks like he should have given you some kind of health gaurantee of at least 7-14 days.
-----
2.1.1 collared lizards (prissy, banana, crayon, halloween
0.1 giant african millipede (castle freak)
0.0.1 savannah monitor (gorgo)
2.0 jumbo rats (excaliber, coma white)