Bizarre woma python affliction- anyone see something like this before?

[Will0W783]

I came home from a reptile show Saturday night to find my 3.5 year old male woma very sick/injured. The snake was healthy and normal the day before, when I filled the water dishes and watched him breeding my female. He also seemed ok when I made a quick check Saturday morning before leaving for the show.

When I got home, he was lying in an odd, kinked position on the floor of the cage. I lifted him out, and was horrified to see his bottom jaw ballooned out and swollen. He was gasping to breath, and he seemed to be having rigid paralysis of the back half of his body. It was stiff, but he could not move. His neck was loose and floppy.
I really thought he would die within hours, but I separated him and set him up in a clean tub by himself. Sunday morning the swelling was gone in his face, and he was able to lift his head up, but he still cannot move the back half of his body, which now seems rather limp.

I had somehow had mites on some long-term snakes 3 weeks before, and I was using No-Pest strip pieces to treat the problem. That was 3 weeks prior however, and the female woma in the same cage with the male is perfectly fine.
Could it still be a bizarre reaction to the strips, after 3 weeks? Could she have injured him- maybe broke his back or neck?
I just don't know what to think about the facial swelling. Here's a picture of him as I found him Saturday night. If anyone else has ever seen anything like this before, I would appreciate hearing about it. As it stands, that room is on lockdown until I figure out what's going on.




He is still alive, and can lift his head up, but he is still unable to move the back half of his body. I really am attached to him, and I am really worried.

[alessia55]

I have no advice- but I hope someone else might at least have some ideas. I'll try calling you tonight. x

[formica]

Vet should be the first call for any form of paralysis in an animal - broken back is a possibility, swelling of the head could be down to spinal trauma - but he needs diagnosis from a vet asap, today, paralysis is not something which should be left unchecked for days, or even hours

as a precaution when taking him to the vet, try not to move his body around to much, difficult with a snake, but movement of the spine, if it is a spinal injury, can make it worse - I have not a clue how would go about keeping a snake from moving around, piece of cardboard under the body, and wrap in towels, maybe? not sure, maybe someone has a better solution, or perhaps your Vet if you call them before leaving

[lady_bug87]

Can snakes have strokes?

[Will0W783]

I have a call in to my vet, and am waiting for a call back. I will let you guys know as soon as I hear anything.

[KORBIN5895]

How did you get the mites?

[Will0W783]

I'm taking him in to the vet at 6pm tonight.

I have no idea where the mites came from. There hadn't been any new animals brought into the room for months, and there was no sign of mites the week prior when I had cleaned cages. The only thing was that a friend of mine came over to help me clean that has snakes of his own- I don't know if he could have brought them in.
That is the only thing I can think of, since no new animals came in and everything is quarantined before it enters my room.

[Derek Roddy]

To me....(and I've had this happen and had other friends had it happen with aspidities) but, looks like the female may have had a go with him.
Swollen head usually means she grabbed him by it.... and then constricted. Which would explain your symptoms and, the fact that he was fine the day before.

Just keep a close eye on him.

Had a buddy almost lose a male boelens recently from this same event. Luckily, he caught her in the act and was able to save the male.

Maybe look for slight abrasions around the swollen areas. Snakes don't leave too much evidence against scales but, you might noticed some puncture wounds on the skin.

Of course, a vet is in order as well.

D

[Will0W783]

Could the No-Pest strips have caused the swelling and paralysis, even though every other snake seems fine?

[Terranaut]

Just currious Kim , you being a long time keeper and all have you seen some of the posts as to why you should not use a pest strip for mites?
You may wish to reconsider this regardless of wether or not it affected your woma. Have you tried a sensory test on the snakes tail to see if the spinal cord was damaged? Does the snakes tail react to touch?

[Will0W783]

I've heard mixed reviews on the pest strips and never used them before. But since my mentor and several other experienced venomous keepers recommend them I gave it a try. Regardless of if they caused this I'll be back to using Nix. I can't take chances with my animals

[Derek Roddy]

Originally Posted by Will0W783

Could the No-Pest strips have caused the swelling and paralysis, even though every other snake seems fine?

Not likely. It wouldn't cause any kind of swelling at all.

I've never used Pest stripes inside my cages (other than a 1" by 1" piece in a deli cup) but.....I've used em in my room for over 20 years along with dozens of other keepers I know with no ill effect.

Of course, you can mess em up by putting the entire strip in a cage but, using them hanging in a standard size room will hurt nothing and, it's something I've done as a preventative for years and years.

If your male was "OK" the day before...most likely she wrapped him up.

D

[Terranaut]

Not sure what method your using but I personally would never use one inside any of my snake vivs.

[red ink]

Is he due for a shed... had a mate whose woma would swell up like that coming up to a shed.

He rushed it to the vet only to find she had shed in the bag on the way there and the swelling was gone.

[formica]

i remember reading somthing about some GTP's heads swelling up pre-shed, doesnt explain the paralysis tho?