baby ball python sick

[gauravsri]

Hi,

I bought a baby ball "Kaa" from a pet store a couple of weeks back. I'm keeping it in a 10g aquarium and i just found that it has lots of mites. I read "Ball Python Manual" and "Whats wrong with my snake" and according to the book gave it a soap (anti bacterial) water bath. It got rid of some ticks only. The pet store refuses to believe that the mites were there in Kaa.

I have ordered "Provent-a-mite" and in the meantime am using "Prozac - insect guard" on the lid of the aquarium as told by pet store.

But now going through the web, i am wondering if there might be some endoparasites in Kaa and moreover and also scared of IBD. What is rattling and stargazing in boids (symptom of IBD)?

This is my first snake and I'm scared that something might happen to it.

Please help me and Kaa!!!

[tHeGiNo]

First and foremost, if you suspect he may have IBD quarantine him IMMEDIATELY. Wash hands thoroughly after touching this snake. There are many signs of an unhealthy snake, which may of course be IBD. Some key signs are loss of appetite, mouthrot, respiratory infection,regurgitating meals, contorted body positions, things of the sort. I do not believe there is ANY direct symptoms that you can see, as the only symptoms are neurological; The IBD virus multiplies in the brain, latter symptoms are then shown and you will be lucky if your snake lives another 4 months. This is IF your snake has IBD. As far as mites go, take everything out of the enclosure and clean it THOROUGHLY. Boil whatever possible. Get NIX or provent-a-mite and use as instructed. I would also recommend a vet check if you suspect IBD! Make sure however to notify your vet that your snake might have IBD so they can take the necessary procedures to distance your snake from any other boids which may be in the facility.

[HeatherRose]

If it IS just mites, soaking the snake alone won't fix the whole problem....you'd need to remove everything from the enclosure and use the provent-a-mite on everything in the enclosure, the snake, and the enclosure itself.

I'm sorry I don't really know anything about your other probs, but I hope this helps atleast with the mites :D

[gauravsri]

actually, it ate a small fuzzy mice last tuesday and there was no regurgitation but it hasnt defecated for 2 weeks now.. I wanted to have the feces tested by the vet.. How often does the ball defecate?

I'm scared of Kaa catching IBD so just want to make sure my Kaa doesn't have it.. I don't trust the pet store though..

I already cleaned the whole cage but mites can always come back from neighbourhood.. Is "Prozac - insect guard" effective against mite..

Thanks in advance..

[Pixie]

I've never heard of the product Prozac as a mite treatment, I would check more before using it much just in case. It amazes me the mite remedies I hear given my some stores, some are very dangerous to the animals.

As for IBD, there is not much you can do... The chances that your snake has it are fairly slim so I wouldn't worry too much unless your snake is showing strange symptoms that aren't related to the mite problem. I remember when I got my first snake, I was paranoid that it had all the diseases in my book! With time, you will come to know what is normal and what is not.

As for how often balls go potty, it depends on each snake but BPs have slower metabolisms than colubrids so it's normal that your snake only goes every few weeks. Mine defecate every 4 to 6 weeks and always have been like this.

Pixie