WELL I did it...I guess my snake rescue is officially on a roll! Now up to 11 (although a few of those were purchased...hey, i'm allowed!
I actually went and got these two from the pound. Ten bucks each. One is "nice" while the other is supposedly "agressive". Yeah, agressive ball python?? THe thing is STARVED, and had been trying to shed for two weeks. His eyes are totally caped and whited out. As soon as I got there they were actually in the process of feeding each one a live mouse. The smaller "good & healthy" ball gobbled his down. The "agressive & Sick" ball grabbed his, by the butt, and was sitting there getting scratched by the mouse while he was trying to constrict it, which he never did do. The guy asked me to leave, and then killed the mouse, and then fed the snake again with it. I spent two hours there today, and most of that time was waiting for this snake to finish his meal. The guy kept saying he wasn't done yet. So, I finally go back in there and the poor snake is pushing the mouse into his mouth against one of his coils, and then getting his top teeth stuck on his own lose skin. It didn't look like he could get the mouse past his head and into his esophagus. And this guy looks big enough (though skinny) to get at least a large rat down. So I told the guy to take the mouse out of his mouth (since he wouldn't let me do it).
I've got them both home now. I think they are both boys. THe smaller one is just about to shed...a little bit coming off the back of the neck, while the larger emaciated one is just flaked all over. I got them both right away into a bath.
I was listening to them both, and no sign of RI or inclusion disease, but you never know. They're far away from my other babies in another room bathing.
At the pound the big guy looked like he had a bit of an overbite, though his mouth seems to fit together normally now. It wasn't too dramatic at first, I think maybe he's just so thin and dry that it was kind of messing him up.
I'm all paranoid that he may be sick. *lol* I've seen a ball with python inclusion body disease before, and his mouth was all crooked, he was breathing through it, and he kind of looked....derpy, you know? It is after all a neurological disease. He seems fine now.
Just worried! We're going on a long planned vacation from Oct 31st -Nov 5th, and the nearest vet that does small animals or reps doesn't have an appointment available before then, so it's just us and him right now doing our best. Any advice? I just wish i knew how soon the signs for that disease show up. Like is it only the later stages where they actually LOOK like they have it..?
Oh well, either way even if he does have it he's quarantined, and at least the poor thing can shed and get a meal so you can't feel his ribs anymore!!!!
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