looking up?

[Lankyrob]

If it is ibd thrn judging from the previous responses pretty much every ball owner has it in their collection............

[Wolfus_305]

I know it's very tough because I can't get a picture of it, but I answered all the questions and responded to all the symptoms that sickvenom posted for me to read.

I have only seen him do it twice and other than that (and the lack of eating, which is normal for my guy, he likes to frustrate me) he seems completely normal

[marvelfreak]

Originally Posted by Wolfus_305

I've only noticed him doing it twice.

Then i wouldn't worry about it. When mine started doing it it was a like dozen time a day or more a day. He just wanting to escape IMO.

[Wolfus_305]

Thank you once again to everybody who has taken the time to give me advice, I really appreciate it. I will keep my eyes on him

[SnakeyJay]

My corn and my brb both do it when theyre active... It just gives them a better view of theyre surroundings I think, for prey, threats etc. just my oppinion. Hope hes ok though wolfus.

[Wolfus_305]

Thank you for your support
You can call me Kendra

[shaunyboy]

i bet when he's in that position he also flicks his toungue out as imo he is hunting

my carpets will hold their heads vertical and toungue flick so they can suss out the direction the prey is in

if their heads are straight and vertical it acts as a centre point for judging direction of their prey

i have witnessed a case of ibd in a boa and its not a pretty sight as chuck will tell you having experienced this horrible disease in his previous collection.

star gazing is one of the latter symptoms there would be a lot more going on its if was ibd at the star gazing stage

cheers shaun

[Wolfus_305]

He flick's his tongue, you're right.

Sickvenom posted a whole slew of symptoms and I responded to every one (I think) and he has none of them, I am sure he is just hunting.

Thanks everybody for the comments and guidance

[burtonboy_001]

I had a ball with a respiratory inffection a few years back Thad did the same thing. Vet said it was because fluid build up in the lungs. Hope everything works out for u

[TeaNinja]

Originally Posted by burtonboy_001

I had a ball with a respiratory inffection a few years back Thad did the same thing. Vet said it was because fluid build up in the lungs. Hope everything works out for u

that's interesting, did it have any nose/mouth bubbles or any other symptoms?

[mykee]

Alright, let's put an end to this unnecessary fear-mongering crap that sickvenom is spouting off about.
I think I may have the most experience here with ball pythons, so listen up Kendra;
Unless you introduced another infected animal (most likely a boa) into the same environment recently, it is NOT IBD. Ball pythons don't just "get" IBD out of thin air; it's a virus that can lay dormant in boas their entire lives, but will kill pythons within a month.
Unless that symptom of "periscoping" (which, incidentally, I've seen ALL 125 plus of my adults do at some point) is paired with other symptoms, you can safely rule out IBD.

When you get a cold, you think a cold, not HIV.

[Wolfus_305]

Thank you Mykee!
No boas here and he isn't showing any other symptoms

[belovedboas]

Hey Kendra, (If I may call you by name), I don't have the experience with Royal's as some of the guys that already posted, but I have owned a few over the years and I too have seen many Royal's/ balls do this.....better safe than sorry but I think he's fine....just an opinion

[Wolfus_305]

Thanks Greg,
I think he's fine too. I just wanted to make sure.
Thanks everybody

[sickvenom]

Originally Posted by mykee

Alright, let's put an end to this unnecessary fear-mongering crap that sickvenom is spouting off about.

it is not unnecessary. if you think it's 'fear-mongering' then you really have no idea how deadly ibd can be. continue ready to learn more...

Originally Posted by mykee

I think I may have the most experience here with ball pythons,

possible. i had breeding project going on in 1991. you?

Originally Posted by mykee

Unless you introduced another infected animal (most likely a boa) into the same environment recently, it is NOT IBD.

exactly. but she never stated if she recently acquired a new specimen, or not.

Originally Posted by mykee

Ball pythons don't just "get" IBD out of thin air; it's a virus that can lay dormant in boas their entire lives, but will kill pythons within a month.

actually, less than a month. and it will spread like a wild fire. i have seen ibd wipe out entire collections, even when the snakes were housed in separate enclosures.

Originally Posted by mykee

Unless that symptom of "periscoping" (which, incidentally, I've seen ALL 125 plus of my adults do at some point) is paired with other symptoms, you can safely rule out IBD.

not true. there is no absolute 'first' sign of ibd. it can show up in many different forms. that is why i brought it up in the first place. we know how serious it is. even if it's not ibd in this case, people need to know about the signs of ibd so they can quarantine their snake asap and get it out of the house. this is also why you should ALWAYS quarantine new boids when you bring them into an established collection. i wasn't trying to 'scare' anyone or be unruly, it was a genuine concern. i have worked for some of the top herp doctors in washington state. i currently know the top herp doctor in arizona. i grew up around doctors and scientists who worked at the university of washington and the woodland park zoo. i have PERSONALLY seen ibd diagnosed via symptoms of mouth rot, mites, creased eyes, RI, writhing/contorting, loss of appetite, gazing, and also the symptoms Wolfus_305 originally stated (which almost sounded like gazing at first.) i think it says a lot when people ruled out ibd and jumped on my ***, when they have probably never even seen cases of ibd in person.

also, chances of surving ibd are pretty slim. almost all will die from it.

Originally Posted by mykee

When you get a cold, you think a cold, not HIV.

when you experience signs of liver failure, do you think urinary tract infection?