Need help python may be sick!

[Chu'Wuti]

I suspect Jordan is stuck in a tough situation here--he really wants to do the best he can to save his snake, but he doesn't have a job or money and is pretty dependent on what dad is willing to pay (unless grandma helps). Dad sounds a lot like some of the old-timers I knew out in the country--animals were never taken to the vet, unless it was your horse that was sick--you needed the horse to get your work done, so it could be worth taking it to the vet. But not the dog or the barn cats or, many times, even the cattle. We didn't call the vet even if a cow was having trouble birthing--we pulled the calf ourselves. The attitude was pretty much "animals live, they die, if it's sick, it's weak, then maybe it oughta die. We're not 'throwing good money after bad.'"

It's not the way my dad raised me, but he explained it to me pretty well. It's all about ROI (return on investment), and if the I goes too high, the R won't be enough to make up for it, so the I is always controlled.

Mykee, I know it's not the way you think or want to hear others talking; it's not the way I think either. Unfortunately, it's a reality for many people, and Jordan may be living under that reality.

Jordan, I'm really glad that you're not throwing in the towel and that you're willing to find other ways to get the snake to a vet. I'm actually really impressed that you're working as hard as you are to get this snake back to health, because I know too many 16-year olds who wouldn't bother. You're a good kid (hope you're not offended by me calling you that--it's meant as a compliment!) and we're all backing you!

Hang in there!

[Chu'Wuti]

Just a little more to explain the thinking of some people:

there are three kinds of animals: Work animals, meat (money) animals, & pets.

Work animals included horses & some dogs (e.g., trained for herding)--they were worth paying a vet to help.

Meat/money animals--the cattle, sheep, chickens. Cattle MIGHT be worth having a vet check on--big R. Chickens weren't worth it--the R is too small.

Pets--generally, the women's house dogs, and some "ride-along" dogs--no money available for a vet--no R of a monetary nature, which was all that counted for most people. (I should say, "counts for most people," I guess)

Ride-along dogs might fall in a special category--they could be trained & thus "deserving" of vet care, or they simply could be a companion & so, on an economic basis, less "deserving," but a lot of guys would get them vet care unless they just didn't have the money to pay for it. Then, of course, they'd have to justify to their wives why they paid a vet good money for the ride-along dog when they'd refused to pay a vet for the pet . . .

'Nuff lecturing; sorry! It's just that I understand the attitude. I'm really fortunate that my grandfather & father didn't agree with that mindset, so I got raised to respect all life and to believe that if I take a living animal into my care, I am taking responsibility for its life and that its life is just is valuable as my own. There are a lot of people who don't get taught that nowadays.

[butters5620]

Well its the end of the road you guys. I arrived home at 7:30 PM with a brand new wooden cage top my dad and I had just finished building. My dad tells me "Hey call me when you get home and tell me if the top fits." Well when I got home, I went upstairs all excited to make the enclosure even better. Unfortunately, the snake had died some time after I went to school and before I got home . Ya, started to cry. I didn't know what to do or say. There was no point in burying him since we will be moving within the next couple of months. So I wrapped him up in some nice cloth from a small T-shirt I had, said some good words, and placed him in the garbage as my own little funeral. I'm still getting teary eyed typing up this this paragraph :'-(

When I found him he had a dark green spot on his belly and the clear blisters were filled with blood. The rest of is underbelly was starting to turn a light green too. You know I just put as much effort as I possibly could into getting this snake back to health and now its all for nothing. Wow, it just makes me so mad that this happened. And it makes me look bad as a snake owner and now I don't know if I should get another snake! But ya thanks a lot for all of your help. It was a stressful week for me and I know you guys did your best to help. I'll probably still visit this site every now and then so you guys should still hear from me. Well if I ever do get another snake I know where to look for help first!

-Jordan P.

[Aaron_S]

Jordan is there isn't anything that I can say that will ease your feelings. We do commend you for coming here and listening to our suggestions and doing what you can to help your snake.

The colour on the underbelly is, I suspect, the snake starting to decay on the inside or blood pooling up in some spots. Either way we won't know what happened to the snake and if you do decide to get another one some time down the road (after you move maybe) be sure to do your homework first on how to properly care for it. let this snake's death be a lesson.

[butters5620]

Well now that my python is dead my dad feels really bad. What he wants to do now is buy a burmese python. He used to raise them and has a lot of experience with them. We are trying to buy ASAP. Its surprising how fast things are going. I just barely put my snake to rest inside a dirty old garbage can and he's already buying a new one! Oh well at least I won't be on my own and there will be a bunch more experience involved. I'm pretty excited but at the same time nervous. Heck I've learned a lot though!!! I will probably start a new thread once everything is back on track and finalized

[Aaron_S]

Why don't you both wait? You and your dad faltered with one of the basic pythons. Now you're moving upto one of the largest snakes? Burmese pythons aren't ball pythons. I don't believe your dad is really that knowledgable. Burmese pythons are notorious for being forgiving of bad husbandry. Maybe that's what your dad did?

[Chu'Wuti]

Jordan, I'm so sorry to hear that your snake died; I know you were trying to save it. I think it had just been too unhealthy for too long; it may have been close to death when you first posted on this forum.

Jordan, we don't want to be disrespectful of your dad, but it doesn't appear that he knows as much about snakes as he might need to know to ensure they stay healthy, or else he might have been able to help you better. Pythons should live a loooong time--I expect that one of my sons will inherit the BP I have now, because I'm old enough that it's likely to outlive me. They can easily--if cared for properly--live longer than you are old right now.

BPs are easy snakes, but something went seriously wrong with yours. Before you get another snake, learn all you can about proper husbandry so that you can give it the best home possible and help it live a long and healthy life.

I hope you won't be offended by what we're saying--we truly don't mean to be offensive. We just believe that snakes--like any animal--should be cared for carefully so that they live as healthy and comfortable a life as possible in captive conditions.

Hang in there.