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Emaciated snake (Ball Python)

R

Ruth Lais

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Today I adopted a snake off of a guy on Craig's list. He said his 9 year old son had lost interest in it. He said it was born in July. I didn't look closely at the snake until I got it home. I was astounded at how thin and frail it was. I have it in quarantine from my other snakes right now. It weighs 60 grams after eating a hopper mouse. I gave it a F/T mouse within 15 minutes of bringing it home and it gladly ate it down. I texted the guy and asked when the last time was it ate and he said "3 weeks ago" I am thinking it must have been longer. I don't know if you can see it in the pics but the snake is very thin. It seemed weak too. It did eat the mouse though. I am leaving it alone in a small sterilite box with 60% humidity and 85 heated end and about 75 low heat end. Is this good or should I do something else? If he lives I will name him "skinny"
 
Okay here's a pic. It the youtube video I put in the last window did not show up.

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So you can see how skinny he is right? I am new to snakes but even I can see it. Am I doing the right stuff? He also has a lesion on his skin on the side. I was told he got stuck to the velcro holding the thermometer on the tank. Said they used oil to release him. None of that makes sense but that's what they told me. He does have something on his skin on the side. I am hoping that it comes off with the next shed.
 
Yes he does look very skinny. What you are doing sounds appropriate to me. In regards to the getting stuck to the velcro I am not sure how that would happen unless it was the underside of the velcro allowing it to stick to the tank. Either way, the previous owners should have never owned the snake letting it get to this condition. Keep up the good work, keep us updated on his condition.
 
Three weeks can do that to a snake if they arent being fed for breeding. I feed my snakes about once a week and sometimes miss a week. I had to go to SC for a family emergency and after three weeks of not eating, some of my hatchlings from July looked like emaciated Somolians. I couldnt believe it. Not saying its right, but three weeks can do that if the animals arent power fed out the egg. And just so you dont get your hopes crushed later, 1 died while I was in SC, and 2 others died this last week. And 1 looks like he might make it. So your snake has about a 25% chance of survival based on my stats. Good luck to you tho, and I would suggest a smaller meal for him until he puts on some weight. Like 1 day rat pinks if you can find them. Hope he pulls through for ya.
 
Wow Kingofspades that really puts it in perspective for me. 300 grams vs a mere 60 grams. I hope this little fella makes it. The guy told me that he only eats live so they didn't want to feed it because they were scared it would get hurt. I mean what the hell? Honestly.

25% chance of survival? That is sad. I so want to keep checking on him but I know it's best to just leave him alone. He is sitting on the hot side of the enclosure. I am guessing he didn't have proper heating all this time either.

Thanks for the replies.
 
@rcpreis3 Do you think it would be okay to cut a f/t hopper in half and feed him that? I mean I know that sounds gross but I have about 100 of them here and I don't have any pinkies.
 
Hoppers are still pretty wide and I think you would make more of a mess than an accomplishment. Even if u have lil mouse hoppers I would that. I think the main reason mine did die was because when I did get back to feed them, I fed them small mice like they were eating. The only one that survived was the one I fed a rat pink too, and hes looking much better even after a few days.
 
No pinkies, fuzzy hopper mice or 10 day old starting to fuzz up rat fuzzy.
Pinkies can work but I find most ball pythons don't recognize them as food.
Tiny mouse hoppers is what we start all of our babies at and yours is smaller than some of our brand new hatchlings.
It ate though, so it's on the right track :thumbsup:
 
Hi Rewl

Thanks cuz I was worried I had done the wrong thing with the hopper sized mouse. I watched him today and I saw him drink a little water. He seems slightly more energetic. He's hanging on the hot side of the enclosure. I am doing my best to not disturb him right now. Any ideas on when I should offer him some more food? I so want this little guy to make it.
Thanks
 
Poor guy. I hate when people neglect there animals so badly! I had recently rescued a female bumble bee from somebody on here! She was supposedly a 2011 baby and was as thin as this guy! She bounced back quickly tho and I really thought she was going to die also. So I hope your little guy does well good luck. And thank you For saving the poor little guy
 
I agree, few days with clean water and a couple meals and you'll have a gorgeous snake.

My ball python was a rescue about 9 months ago, just as thin and a couple stuck sheds. She has never missed a meal though and now you could never tell she had such a bad past.

Good luck.
 
Here's an update on Skinny. He is now up to 80 grams. Eating well and has had his first shed with me. Turns out he's a very pretty snake. Can you tell me what morph he is if any? He's gotten a lot more energetic too.

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