RCReptiles.com

[DeathBatWinky]

Hey. Firstly, forgive me for my long post but I'm very concerned.....

My fiance just bought a ball python yesterday from a pet store. We don't know what sex it is, but the guy who owns the store says its about 2.5 years old. The snake looks like its in good condition, although there appears to still be some skin on the eyes left over from a shed, and the skin is still dry and slightly rough under the belly near the tail.

My fiance noticed tonight that the snake is making a clicking noise. We thought it was just when it was flicking its tongue, but then we noticed it was doing it even when it wasn't moving its tongue. We can't tell if its doing it when it is breathing or not. I've read that this is sometimes a sign of RI, but there are no other signs such as mucus (sp) or an excess of saliva or anything.

We're planning to take the animal to the vet in the next week to get it looked at anyways just to check on its health, but is this something that would require immediate attention?


The funny thing about the wheezing is that it comes and goes. I really want to wait a couple of days because the snake is probably really stressed at this point. He's been handled a lot, between me checking on him and my fiance playing with him, so I really want to give him some chill time before I do anything drastic. I checked on him tonight before I went out and he wasn't wheezing or clicking, so I just don't know. I'll keep his temperature constant and his humidity good for the next day or two and then check back on him.

The other thing that has me concerned is his belly. I'm still a new snake owner myself, and my own 6 month ball is yet to shed for the first time with me. But the best way I can describe this snake is that the skin on its belly looks old. It's dry, and he seems like he's either had a bad shed or incomplete shed considering the fact that there also seem to be evidence of a layer of skin over the eyes as well...I'm not sure...I would say he is getting ready to shed but he really doesn't have that blueish sheen over him. And there are a couple brown spots past his anal plate. Any ideas what that might be or if this is something else that should also be addressed? It doesn't look like a blister...so I'm not thinking scale rot...but I'm not sure. I also noticed that he tends to keep that part of his body on the surface of his water bowl at times, although there is no evidence of mites or anything like that other than what I just described.

From what I know, he was on Aspen bedding at the store where we bought him, and I have him newspaper until I get some astroturf. My thinking is that the humidity wasn't high enough in the cage, resulting in the breathing issue and skin issue. What do you guys think?

[Buck_99]

First of all, go to the vet.

I can't speak for the belly. You may want to post pictures so we can understand exactly what you're talking about.

The click does not require immediate attention. Chances are you won't be able to get the snake to click for the vet anyway. I had a clicker once, and he never clicked for the vet. The vet prescribed some medicine that we administered, just to be safe. To this day I'm not certain it was necessary. Anyway, he doesn't click anymore, or at least I don't think he does. I don't handle him as much as I used to. It's possible he still clicks, but I doubt it. Go with the vet's advice.

Make sure you are keeping the new snake quarantined from the one you already have. Do everything you can to prevent the spread of disease from one to the other.

Post pics and good luck.

[arlynos]

Welcome to the forums, and remember we give intelligent advice that should never be taken before a vet's and this is something you want want to do a vet visit like Buck said, though a cooling off period is needed before you start to handle them when you bring them home should be at least a week.

Pics would help a lot here to see about the belly, might be a bad shed because I've seen some bad sheds that make the snake look just like a shed skin kind of bad. Keep the temps up and humidity up till you can get to a vet good luck.

[DeathBatWinky]

Alright thanks for the advice guys...I'll let you know how things go and I'm going to try to get some pics up of the belly.