Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My neighbor called me today about some unusual symptoms on her calabar burrowing python.

Two days before the problem began, her reptile room had a heating problem, and reached 99 degrees general air temp (plus enlcosure heating). She checked the collection, fixed their heat, soaked everyone, and slowly brought them all back to normal. At this time, the calabar, although warm, was acting fine.

Two days later, temp normal, she picked up her calabar (which normally curls into a tight ball) only to find it 50% limp. At first, she thought the snake was dead, but it was moving slightly. There was what appeared as a caking of soil in its mouth and on one side (although it is fed out of enclosure and wasn't fed reciently). She thought she might be dehydrated and just not have soaked itself, but a bath did nothing. The snake couldn't even keep its head above the water. Oddly, she was able to open its mouth without effort (for the first time- calabars are strong snakes!) She rinsed the "soil" out only to find that it was clumping and whitish, with blood underneath and all thoughout her gums on that side.

Throughout the night and today, she has got progressively weaker. At this point she feels like a toy rubber snake, and all of her gums near the teeth are bleeding. What's wrong? IBM? Symptoms from overheating? Personally I am at a loss. She's got a vet appointment with the reptile specialist, but we're not sure the snake will make it that long. The emergency clinic usually is not so good with reptiles. Any ideas???

Snake's Background and keeping:

She's had this long term captive for about 2 years, and the owner previous to her "said" they had it since she was very young. Previous to this dilema, it fed regularly on only live mice and small rats. Her setup is a 20L filled with a substrate of coconut bark 1 1/2 deep(switched from a deeper potting soil/cypress mulch mix 6 months ago), a large shallow water dish, and a nicely sized hide box. Her temperature is normally in a very humid high 80s, provided by a pad and overall room heat.

Perhaps try calling the emergency clinic. They usually have revolving shifts, and you may be lucky to have a herp savy vet on staff tonight. Even an unexperienced herp vet is often a better resource than none at all.
It is impossible to tell but it sounds like your snake has an oral infection that turned systemic. Or, it could be the other way around, and your snake is ill for some other reason, and because of this it's weak immune system allowed it's mouth to become infected. If you meant IBD (inclusion body disease) when you said IBM, it is unlikely, but not impossible. Paramyxovirus would be more likely, but again, it doesn't really matter what is the cause at the moment, as the symptoms must be treated first and the animal stabalized before indepth diagnostics can take place.

If your stuck at the moment, the best thing you can do after rinsing out the mouth is to keep it in optimal husbandry conditions (usually without the cool end for a sick herp, but in your case, with the prior heatwave I wouldn't recommend this) and pray it survives until morning. Your visit to the herp vet should be as soon as it opens appointment or not.

Good luck with your python and please let us know how things turn out
Ian

It sounds as though the dramatic change in temperature may have induced the problem in the Calabar, but it would hard to say how long the infection has been going on. Stomatitis is a symptom of respiratory infection. I believe it may have engulfed some substrate desperately trying to get to a cooler level which it could not find. It may have gotten a gum infection from the bacteria in the substrate-a vet should check the extent of the infection. Hopefully the snake will recover with treatment and supportive therapy.
Goodluck to your friend's snake. Below is a link to Reptilia with some good Calabar info:
Link