Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I bought a pair of albino burmese pythons about a month ago.When I first got them the male was great, still is.The female had a bugged out eye, and some marks on her.After telling the person I got her from about it he told me the marks could be from the news paper he was keeping her on and the eye might be from shipping, and should go away.A few days after I got them I feed them each a large mouse, they both ate right away, and I thought everything would be fine, but I noticed she had a lump of some kind, it just looked like the mouse was not down all the way, and I thought it would go away, it didn't.The marks went away as soon as she shed, so I do think it was from the news paper.Now the eye is still kind of bugged, and the lump is still there. While I have been holding her I noticed I could fell her heart beat where the lump was.Today when she ate a 8 day old rat pup she was kind of twisted funny and I got real good look at the lump and could SEE her heart beat! I mean really see it, it was making her skin wavey every time it beat.

In the last week I have had three people look at her and all of them said her heart was way to big, and after today I know it is.I have had her for 25 days now and from what I have seen and read she would of had to been born with it. The snake were born the first week of June just so you know how old they are.

What I would like to know is, how bad is this? Should I get a hold of him and ask to trade her out? Or will she be ok, and still be able to breed? Does anyone else have a burmese or any snake with a enlarged heart?

I have an appointment with my vet in two weeks for another snake I have. So I know it would be that long before he could see her.

I really hope she will be fine, she is one of the best looking albinos I have ever seen and realy want to keep her, but at the same time I don't want a snake with a bad heart.

Any advice on what I should do?

It sounds to me like you're in a real pickle. I'd have a heart to heart with yourself. If you believe that this burm is going to make a great breeder (pattern wise), I'd start checking into things like whether or not an enlarged heart is #1 degenerative and #2 can be passed onto her offspring. However, if you answer no to both questions above, I'd chalk it up to fate and think the enlarged heart was only the better for her to love you with

Sam

I have talked to the guy I got her from, and I am getting a nice price on another one to breed. I'm also getting to keep the one I have now.He is being great about this, He only has a 48hr policy, and it's been 26 days, So I'm happy with it all.

I don't know if she would pass it on, and I don't want to risk it. Yes she looks great, and would of made a fine breeder. I just think it would be better for her not to breed and just be the nicest looking burmese I have.