Is something wrong with my snake???

[TurboSE]

I have a bp that is approx. 20in. long and lately he has been "spacing out"...he stares up at the light in his cage all the time. He'll elevate his head about 4-5in. and just stare off into space anywhere from 1 - 10 minutes at a time...then he'll slither around a little and do it again...

Is he sick? Is this normal? Is my snake just unintellegent, possibly borderline ********? I would assume snakes can be mentally ********...makes sense to me.

[royal]

I am realy knew to snakes in general, but that sounds exactly like
IBD.. also known as Inclusion Body Disease. Like I said, I am knew to snakes, but from some books I read (Pythons a complete pet owners manual from Barron's)---"that is a fatal disease characterized by regurgitation, followed by central nervous system (CNS) disorders".... "The snake also loses the ability to focus its eyes and exhibits a characteristic upward-staring behavior called star gazing."
The book goes on, but one more point is that "IBD can spread through your entire collection and there is no treatment and no cure. the only effective control is through the quarantine of incoming animals and the immediate humane killing and sanitary disposal of the remains."

Sorry to be the one to write this.. my only humble advice would be to see a vet and ask about IBD and CNS.

[TurboSE]

There has been no regurgitation. He feeds normally, "plays" with me normally and seems to have no vision problems. Is this a disease that is caused by something that I did wrong or is it genetic??? I hope this isn't it, I've only had him for about 6 months and he's already like a child to me....

[TurboSE]

Also, until just rrecently, my snake hid a lot...always in his hide box...recently, my father changed the way the room (containing the snake) is heated. The air now has a fan that cirulates it around the ceiling once it leaves the heater. Do you think he's just sensing the heat coming in through the screen lid of his cage???

[royal]

??? Sorry turbo, I honestly dont know... the best thing to do is look on the web for IBD and CNS, cause to tell you the truth I dont even own a snake right now :)
I am getting my cage today to set it up and will pick up my snake in two weeks. hahah, but i have done a moderate amount of research on ball pythons.
P.S.-- from what my book says it is a disease thought to be caused by a retrovirus, probably transmitted by mites.

hope this helps in any way... And I sure hope that this is not the case for your snake.. cause I only have an idea of how you would feel. prayers are with you and your snake man... good luck

[TurboSE]

Royal, I wasn't saying you were wrong, basically I was just thinking while my fingers were moving. Thanks for the help and the prayers, the snake has never had mites since I've owned it but it could have come from the pet store I bought it at...I don't know, but I really appreciate the help...Thanks...off to the vet...

[Pythonian]

My BP doe that. Not more than once a day. in fact i don't even think it is once a day. But as long as he/she is feeding/drinking correctly.. i think she'll be fine.

Mike

[eferna]

Turbose. Let me guess, did you recently get the ball python?
Mine did that in the beginning and now does not do it anymore

[Pythonian]

I've had mine for 7 months.. and she still does it. She did it 2 weeks ago.

Mike

it's not a big deal.

[Corey Woods]

Balls die extremely fast from IBD. Back in the early days to tell if Boas carried IBD they used to put a ball python in with them. If the ball died the boa was a carrier of IBD (as boas can carry the disease for years and not be affected by it). So, I would rule out IBD. I would just say that you scare your ball and it freezes when you are around.

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Corey

[TurboSE]

Well, since I posted about it, he hasn't done it...I called a girl I went to high school with that owns a pet shop and she said that her bp's do this same thing when ever there's a change in their environment, such as temperature.

[Dom]

I think he is fine .. I have seen many snakes in the past do it.. Unless he does it and looses balance or does it repeatedly or often, then i would worry ..


Royal - No to be rude .. I can't imagine what TurboSE felt like when he learned that his snake probably had IBD - I know I would of flipped out! I know it is just an opinion and think it was a great one very well researched but when it comes to medical issues I think everyone should be carefull in giving them out...

You really should not tell ppl what is the problem with their snake if u haven't seen the snake. Unless u are possitive he has what u think he has..

Skypointing in snakes can be cause by many diferent things from simple interest to a serious disease.. Especially the fact that u don't own snakes and u tell someone that there's, has one of the WORST thing a python can get .. Just my two cents ..

Please don't take this as an attack bu rather constructive critism

Dom

[royal]

Dom,
I don't take it as an attack... In fact you are more then perfectly correct, I dont own a snake and havent been around them enough to give any advice.
The reason I said what I said is because I read about IBD just yesterday(from the one books opinion). I wasn't trying to scare him but mearly(sp) trying to point out in the book what they said. Also I had mentioned that he should read up on it more.
And to Turbo, Sorry for bringing up the IBD(as this thankfully was not the case) but it is the only thing I had heard about "skypointing"... Sorry for the scare

[Corey Woods]

Since we are already talking about "star gazing" other things that will cause this is accessive heat as well as poisoning. But, as I stated above I believe your Ball is a normal healthy specimen (from what you have described).

Corey

[Dom]

No problem Royal! I think u did a great job on the research though .. You'll get some snakes someday :)

[TurboSE]

He's stopped doing it now...weird...I'd like to thank everybody for their help and support...Happy New Year to all!!!

[royal]

Soon dom soon... The snake I wanted was just born recently, and I am supposed to pick him(i want a male) up after he feeds once or twice.

[Lisa]

Our ball pythons used to do that, when we had a top opening cage. our burms still do that, and they're in a top opening cage. i used to worry about it but they didn't get any of the additional symptoms so i've stopped worrying

[TurboSE]

Thanks for all the advice...he's acting normal again thankfully...thanks again...

[tightsqueeze]

get a poop sample and take it to your reptile vet then you will know for whats wrong (if anything)


jay

[Linds]

Other causes of "stargazing" that have not been mentioned include severe mite infestation, respiratory infections, and the most common one - just simply looking ;)
As long as your snake is acting otherwise healthy and everything else appears to be normal, I wouldn't be too worried.

[Justin]

Yeh i dont think its a problem it might be i doubt it because my burm even does it and she is smart as hell