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Marbles

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I've recently (about 3wks) become the proud new parent to a 10ft Diamond Python. I already own a much smaller Diamond and haven't had any problems with health or otherwise. Friday just gone 30/11/12 both Diamonds were feed, even though it was my first time feeding the big fella every thing went well and just as it should. Then today i've noticed he just doesnt seem himself!!!! My Lil girl is fine as she always is! But the big fella seems really lethargic and doesn't seem to have any strength. He's fallen to the bottom of his enclosure twice, i managed to catch him the second time so he didn't hurt himself.
Could it be that something was wrong with the rat i feed him? I buy their frozen rats from a very reputable supplier and have never had a problem! Dont know what else could be wrong with him????? Somebody please help........:?:(
 
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The problem being there's no vet's in my area open on a sunday night!
 
Three weeks and one feed isn't really long enough to tell, "doesn't seem himself". You should quarantine all new animals for at least 12-13 months (maybe you are doing that I don't know) for this reason. He could have a health issues that is now your problem.
Just monitor him and see how he goes. Give him warmth to digest the food and take stool samples to the vet as well. Don't put him in the same room as your other snakes and always do his husbandry last.
I have never seen a 10 foot male. If 10 foot is his true length, then I would think that he has carpet bloodlines in him, or its a BIG female.
I hope it works out ok, how well did you know the snake and its owner before you got it?
 
The problem being there's no vet's in my area open on a sunday night!

Book one for tomorrow then. The sooner the better but hopefully he can hold up until tomorrow!!!
 
Did he seem okay before the feed or did you only notice after the feed. Seems weird that they both ate from same rat supplies and one is okay and one not. Have you spoken to the breeder about the problem?
 
I dont know the previous owner personally but members of my family do! Like you also i had never seen or heard of a male diamond reaching that size. But he is! His true length is 3.052meters so just over 10ft. And he's a true diamond, no carpet bloodlines here!
As for his care and husbandry, i've done everything i'm meant too!

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Book one for tomorrow then. The sooner the better but hopefully he can hold up until tomorrow!!!

Yeah i've got him booked in tomorrow with my local, only problem is tomorrow just can't come quick enough!!
 
Yeah i've got him booked in tomorrow with my local, only problem is tomorrow just can't come quick enough!!

I know! I felt the smae when my beardie got sick...I hope everything turns out okay! Keep us updated :D
 
Did he seem okay before the feed or did you only notice after the feed. Seems weird that they both ate from same rat supplies and one is okay and one not. Have you spoken to the breeder about the problem?
haven't spoken to the breeder as yet. He seemed fine before i feed him. it was about a day and a half after i noticed the change.
 
If have to say I'm a fence sitter when it comes to dps but at that size it would almost have to be at the 8yr+ age and could be prone to it.
Follow cements advise, take the necessary precautions to make sure nothing cross contaminated your other reps and keep him/her/it separated at all times. And use antibacterial hand wash between handling to prevent further contamination IF! It turns out to be contagious.

But first things first stick to the advice cement has given, find the root of the problem then take the steps to fix.

That size is giant for a female let alone a male....

Hope he/she gets better
 
hmmm.....I just rembered something. I was talking to a well recongnized breeder the other day about diamond pythons as I wanted to get one for my dad. He told me they were an excellent species. Beautiful, docile and really just a gorgeous species all up but then he told me something I found shocking. He said diamonds had the ability to just seem perfectly fine one day and die the next. The term he used was 'drop dead'. I'm not sure if this is true but he said it has happened to a lot of other keepers and himself. Just thought I'd add that in.
Please don't critisize me on this post. I am just passing on information I have heard and I have no experience in owning or keeping diamonds. Cheers :)
 
Get a bit of info from the vet before the worst scenarios come out
 
hmmm.....I just rembered something. I was talking to a well recongnized breeder the other day about diamond pythons as I wanted to get one for my dad. He told me they were an excellent species. Beautiful, docile and really just a gorgeous species all up but then he told me something I found shocking. He said diamonds had the ability to just seem perfectly fine one day and die the next. The term he used was 'drop dead'. I'm not sure if this is true but he said it has happened to a lot of other keepers and himself. Just thought I'd add that in.
Please don't critisize me on this post. I am just passing on information I have heard and I have no experience in owning or keeping diamonds. Cheers :)

Thanks sharkyy. Any information is better than none. much appreciated!

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He's def a "Big Boy"!

I'm taking in as much info as i can but keeping an open mind.

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He's def a "Big Boy"!

I'm taking in as much info as i can but keeping an open mind.
 
hmmm..... He said diamonds had the ability to just seem perfectly fine one day and die the next. The term he used was 'drop dead'. I'm not sure if this is true but he said it has happened to a lot of other keepers and himself. Just thought I'd add that in.
Please don't critisize me on this post. I am just passing on information I have heard and I have no experience in owning or keeping diamonds. Cheers :)

Diamonds are everything every other carpet python is. They can be docile and they can be nippy, healthy or sickly, depending on the individual and the husbandry. And why wouldn't they be? For any snake to be perfectly healthy and dead the next, means sudden trauma, diamonds are no different to any other carpet in this regard.
I am seriously trying not to critisize your post but it defies logic.
 
The one point I would make is that if it is something the vet can help with then the animal will last longer than a day or two. If it doesn't last, then it is virtually a given that the vet would not have been able to help.
 
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I've recently (about 3wks) become the proud new parent to a 10ft Diamond Python. I already own a much smaller Diamond and haven't had any problems with health or otherwise. Friday just gone 30/11/12 both Diamonds were feed, even though it was my first time feeding the big fella every thing went well and just as it should. Then today i've noticed he just doesnt seem himself!!!! My Lil girl is fine as she always is! But the big fella seems really lethargic and doesn't seem to have any strength. He's fallen to the bottom of his enclosure twice, i managed to catch him the second time so he didn't hurt himself.
Could it be that something was wrong with the rat i feed him? I buy their frozen rats from a very reputable supplier and have never had a problem! Dont know what else could be wrong with him????? Somebody please help........:?:(

I've never seen a 10ft male before. Can we see a photo, please?

Diamonds don't usually fall from branches unless the branches are unstable. Repeatedly falling from otherwise stable and secure branches is a sign of DPS. DPS infected diamonds lose a lot of muscle tone and have a lack of balance and co-ordination. Eventually they can no longer climb.

I'm not saying your diamond has DPS, but something like bad food or a problem digesting food, doesn't typically affect their movements or strength (in my experience), even though it's making them sick.
 
Thats what I forgot to add, if it dies, it's because of something its had for a while.
 
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