I think my snake is really sick.

[Sinderella]

We have a spotted python she is 7 years old.

She was in hibernation for the past 3 months and she came out on Saturday night. Sunday morning she was rolling her head and top of her body around and around. Her head would drop upside down in her water bowl and she looked like she was dying. This lasted for a couple of hours, then she seamed to settle down.
I thought she was better today but she started doing it again tonight. From everything I have read things don't look good for her, I am really worried.

Here is a video of her. Has anyone else had this happen with their snake????

IMG 0633 - YouTube

 

[littlemay]

Vet

 

[Fantazmic]

straight to a reptile specialist vet as soon as you can get her there......

ask for testing for infection or organ failure.

if you get onto this straight away you MIGHT have a chance of saving her

 

[Renenet]

I just posted this in Pharskie's thread but didn't want you to miss it.

That video is heartbreaking to watch. This is an old thread but has a couple of Brisbane reptile vets mentioned in it: http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/herp-help-38/reptile-vet-brisbane-57250/. There's also a vets Wiki you can check.

Clayton Knight seems to have an excellent reputation among APSers.

 

[GeckoJosh]

Sorry but your snake is clearly not well, only a reptile vet can help you now

 

[Crystal..Discus]

Bleach poisoning or the start of a neurological disorder.

My first instinct would to be to take her to a vet, not post a video on youtube and ask a forum.

 

[Renenet]

It's weird that it came on immediately after she emerged from brumation. What temperature did you have her at?

 

[Sinderella]

We will take her to a vet tomorrow, I needed to find one as we have recently moved up here from Melbourne. I have been given some names of reptile vets here tonight so hopefully they will be able to save her.

 

[Renenet]

My post was no longer necessary. Good luck, Sinderella, and let us know what happens.

 

[Sinderella]

The light blew about 3 weeks ago, we got a new one but it still wouldn't work. We were finally able to get an electrician to look at it for us the other day and the thermostat has gone. We have just had that replaced. (Electricians aren't that keen to look at snake enclosures)
We thought being as she was hibernating that a lower temp enclosure wouldn't be that bad, we live in QLD so the enclosure would have been around 20. We now think we made a huge mistake.

 

[Renenet]

If you can, take the video with you just in case your snake is looking okay when you take her to the vet.

 

[Crystal..Discus]

Wait, when did you last feed her?

 

[Helikaon]

Most likely a bad lower respiratory infection, you need to get it checked and on some full on antibiotics asap. I have seen a few of these since the end of brumation already. People should be watching their temps better during brumation, and checking them periodically. the twisting is usually due to them trying to un-obstruct their airway. granted it could be a number of other things, but seeing as you have jsut woken it up and that it settles and then starts again is very typical

 

[saximus]

People should be watching their temps better during brumation, and checking them periodically.

What do you mean? Does this come from it getting too cold?

 

[Crystal..Discus]

Regardless, when the light had broken, what stopped you from going out and getting a spotlight from Bunnings (or any hardware store) for $10 and using that temporarily, instead of letting her go without a heat source?

What do you mean? Does this come from it getting too cold?

Yes. Some pythons/lizards aren't designed for weather that gets below a certain temperature. In the wild animals have the option of sunning themselves as well.

 

[Helikaon]

Its more related to long periods of suboptimal temps.

They can tolerate very low temps fine, but it is brumation not hibernation, i give all my breeders day heat as per normal but no heat at night and they breed very well with no health problems.

 

[Popcom]

i dont understand the snippy remarks.
going to a reptile vet (at least here) isn't cheap at all. if i was unsure if something my snake was doing was normal and was worried he may be sick, i would be inclined to get knowledgeable ppl to take a quick look first to point me in the right direction. perhaps he didn't know if this is something a vet should see, or if it was normal...
took 6m for someone to recommend a vet.

 

[Kelly86]

i agree, at least they're not sitting back just hoping the snakes ok... being new to QLD aswell means they dont know where the reptile vets are. You did the right thing by coming on APS and finding out... there's nothing wrong with asking for opinions and advice.

 

[vampstorso]

So perhaps it wasn't the best course of action, but they're trying now...

Negative feedback can't change what's done, but encouragement can aid the future...

I also think "it's not what ya say, but you how say it" is important here...yes coming to a forum instead of a vet wasn't the best idea, but sometimes it can be said nicer and with more empathy when they are trying...she couldve just said "oh well" and not worried at all.

 

[Sinderella]

Ok just to clarify a few things. We have had our snake for 7 years, we lived in Victoria and moved up to QLD a year ago. We moved during winter and we drove so the vet told me to turn off the heat lights to make the snake cold and force it into hibernation. We took 10 days and the snake handled it fine.
When the lights blew and we realised that it was the electricals, we contacted and electrician but had trouble getting one to come out for a snake enclosure. We wrongly thought being as we were told a year ago that making the snake cold forced it into hibernation, that waiting for an electrician wasn't bad for the snake. Remember we have moved interstate and know no one up here so we were going by previous experience.
Monty came out of hibernation the day after the enclosure was fixed and had heat again, and the weird behavior started straight away. I have tried googling what was wrong with her and to find a vet. Everything I have read does not sound good and someone last night recommended a vet to me and my husband will be taking her today. She has not been like this for weeks she has been like this for 2 days.
I look after my pets well. This snake belongs to my little boy who is now 11 and got her for his 5th birthday. He has epilepsy and this snake is his mate and he needs her. I will do anything to save her, all I needed was a little advice and a little help not criticism. In Melbourne I live 5 mins from a reptile vet, up here I couldn't find one, I don't even know where all the towns are yet. If you knew me you would not be making those comments.
Thanks heaps for everyone who has posted helpful comments, my husband is taking her to a vet today and I will let you know the outcome.