What's wrong with my ball python?

Question

I'm not sure if it's a boy or a girl, but I tend to say 'he', so don't be put off by the pronoun usage.

Anyway. He won't eat (it's been about three or four weeks), he repeatedly will just randomly open his mouth and hold it open for a little while, and when he moved, I will occasionally hear a crackle or cracking noise. There is no evidence of mouth rot (I can see when he opens his mouth), and he's active when I handle him. Flicking his tongue and keeping hold of my hand; in fact, he seems upset when I put him back in his tank after handling. In either case, his feces is normal and he shows no sign of getting ready to shed. What's going on..?

Answer 1

Hey buddy your ball has a respiratory infection also known as an RI. If you dont have money to take him to the vet I understand. What you need to do id raise the temp in his cage to 92 to 94 degrees and remove the water bowl. This will dry out the air and and dry out the infection. I have been through this before and will not change over night. It can take 4 to 6 weeks to heal. He may or may not eat during this recovery. I bet you money he came from a pet store(petco, petsmart,pet supermarket) or something close. If so he is captive hatched and comes from Africa. This is a very common problem in wild ball's. My first one had the same problem. The balls get too cold when there shipped to the US and being to cold is what gave the balls a RI. To fix the problem is cheap but takes time, going to a vet will cost you hundreds to get the right antibiotics. Let me know if there is anything else you need help with.

Answer 2

Snakes don't necessarily have to eat every week. The will not kill the mouse if they aren't going to eat it. I know from experience that Ball pythons are very picky eaters, and they can sometimes go months without eating. Don't worry too much. Zig Zag might simply not be hungry. Check the cage and see if he pooped out the last mouse he ate. If not, he's not going to eat until it comes out. Also, you said you've only had him for 3 weeks, which is the average time for them to get used to a new place. How big are your pythons? How big is the terrarium? This might affect Zig Zag, as the cage might be too small for the both of them. You don't need to separate the snakes just because one ate and the other one didn't. Just make sure the cage is large enough for the both of them to be comfortable (enough: water, basking, hiding, climbing, ... for each one of them) And about what the other people said about bringing it to the vet: don't do it. You'll be waisting your money. Brink Zig Zag to the vet if it regurgitates the food or doesn't eat for a while longer. Zig Zag might also be shedding. Snakes do not eat before they shed. Look at its eyes, and if they're kindda glossy, it's going to shed. In that case, increase the humidity in the cage by spraying water. Another good trick is to soak it in warm water for a little bit. Hope this helped! ;-D

Answer 3

if a ball python is moving around with cracking noises and has its mouth open. It is one of two things mouth rot. You have ruled that out. Or a respiratory infection. What is happening with him is the clasic signes of a respiratory infection. So you need to take him to the vet and get him sexed and tested for a respiratory infection.

You need to get him sexed because it is normal for male ball pythons to not eat during the winter. So if you have a male it is normal that he is not eating. But the infection doesn't help so get him sexed and tested for a respiratory infection.

Answer 4

Sounds like the coming of a respitory infection. Run your cage temperatures at their optimum levels for both days and nights. A trained vet is the only one that can properly treat RI and prescribe the correct anti-biotics for your snake.

Answer 5

See a vet NOW. Gaping and a popping noise are usually signs of a respiratory infection. They can be treated, but if left untreated are fatal. Good luck!

Answer 6

well mites have nothing to do with not eating, how big was his last meal? snakes often will go a few weeks without eating, they have a VERY slow metabolism, but still, seeing that he is active and not being lathargic then you neednt' worry about it but i am having the same problem with a nile monitor, and they have the same dietary needs so it may be the same event, it is called a respatory infection..he needs to see a vet. scince he is a snake you can wait until you can afford it, but dont wait too long this is seriouse. i hope i helped.



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Answer 7

also ball pythons during the breeding season will sometimes go months without eating as well... my friends ball python at once in the end of november and didnt eat again until 2 weeks ago.. it was about 2 full months... they just do that for some reason and he (the snake) didnt look to be losing any weight and he acted normal otherwise...



so dont be alarmed unless your snake is looking like its losing weight or there are behavioral changes

Answer 8

your snake just has gotten bored of what ever you are feeding him i would (if it is a dead mouse) put it in chicken broth and he will eat again. and mites have nothing to do with it

Answer 9

did you change his food recently, ball pythons can be very picky about what they each.



i read somewhere where some ball pythons will go months without each because of a change in diet.