My experiences with DPS

[mysnakesau]

No, unfortunately they are all very stubborn and no matter what i do they still favour their high hides, so i have to insulate them. I do have some insulated hide boxes on the ground that are always in the shade, but these are only used by the snakes on very hot days.

Sorry I am taking up more space...

When you say its unfortunate that they favour their high hides, surely they would know what's best for them. Or do you really need to protect them from themselves?

The comment about the calcium deficiency - I didn't quite understand....is it suggested that DPS causes calcium deficiency ir calcium deficiency can lead to DPS?

I noticed our local wildlife park dusts their food with calcium powder just prior to offering it to their pythons.

 

[cris]

The thing is they live in foresty areas not in avairies, while an avairy is better than a small box its still no match for unrestricted movement.

The snakes would favour the high hides because they would feel safer there, to them they would rather be warm for a bit than put themselves in a far more vunerable place.

Is it possible a common virus or something may also play a role?

 

[serpenttongue]

are u saying it hasnt affected your males,and that your avairy set ups are to warm,its a shame they are susceptable to it,such a beautiful python,i never knew coastals suffered from it,i assumed intergrades would though,thanks for your info serp

No, it definately has affected males and i've lost males to DPS.

I'd like to think that my aviaires are suitable enough. I've never felt that they get too warm but one problem with my aviaries is that they have colorbond sheeted roofs. This tends to hold heat in, whereas a roof made of chicken wire will allow heat to escape.

But still, you'd think that any reptile would have evolved to handle the temperature extremes typical of the area they live in. Who knows....

 

[serpenttongue]

Where you said UV won't reverse the symptoms, are you saying that there is no cure for them at all?

Yes, UV light hasn't helped any of my snakes (remember mine bask in full sunlight daily). As far as i'm aware nothing will cure a diamond with DPS, and i dont see how you could cure a snake with internal organ problems, brittle bones and flabby muscles. Prevention is better than cure.

We have a diamond python at the wildlife park who is deformed in the back half of her body. Do you reckon this could be possibly from DPS?

Probably not. It would be showing the other symptoms of DPS. It was probably injured at some point.

 

[serpenttongue]

When you say its unfortunate that they favour their high hides, surely they would know what's best for them. Or do you really need to protect them from themselves?

The comment about the calcium deficiency - I didn't quite understand....is it suggested that DPS causes calcium deficiency ir calcium deficiency can lead to DPS?

Yeah, you'd think they know whats best for them and in the wild i'd say they do. I can only speak for my diamonds, but yes....they do need saving from themselves.

I'd say it would calcium deficiency leading to DPS.

 

[serpenttongue]

The snakes would favour the high hides because they would feel safer there, to them they would rather be warm for a bit than put themselves in a far more vunerable place.

Yes, that's exactly what i believe. Plus diamonds are extremely arboreal anyway.

Is it possible a common virus or something may also play a role?

I have been told that DPS may be caused by a virus that only affects diamonds. I dont think so, though.

 

[whatsup]

ST , do you reckon calcium additives may help at all with their bones? liqiud calcium injected into their feed maybe.

cheers dave

 

[serpenttongue]

Whatsup, i really dont know. One would think that if a diamond has access to unfiltered sunlight, cool evenings and a proper winter cooling then calcium additives wouldn't be necessary. Someone really needs to do some work on that to see what the outcome is.

 

[GSXR_Boy]

Any idea on why it only affects snakes 6 and older??
Had any die younger?

 

[serpenttongue]

Any idea on why it only affects snakes 6 and older??
Had any die younger?

None of my diamonds have had DPS at an age younger than 7 years. 6 seems to be the age that diamonds will come down with DPS, possibly because they have stopped growing by this time, or at least slowed down considerably in growth. It is also possible that DPS can affect a diamond at a very early age but doesnt show itself until several years later when the snakes growth slows down. So how a herper keeps their diamonds while they're young may have a great deal to do with whether or not the snake gets DPS when it's older. This is all speculation though.

Newbies seem to think that if their diamond makes it to 6 years of age without getting DPS then their snake is safe and wont get DPS at all, but that is wrong. Some diamonds can make it to a decade before showing signs of DPS.

 

[cockney red]

Top info ST on a very worrying subject for all us DP keepers.

 

[Jason_Hood]

Has anybody had blood work done to check the chemistry and calcium levels of their diamonds at different ages?? I think this would be a great idea but a bit costly. Maybe somewhere like a nature center that can absorb the cost or a bigger breeder who has lots of vet work done. If it is a issue with calcium absorbtion or calcium blockage it should show in the testing. Brittle bones and some of the other symptoms sound like calcium issues.

Can't fix the problem until you ID and like many others on here they are on my list of future animals so I am very interested in all of this.

Jason

 

[tempest]

ST thank you for taking the time to write about your observations and answer all the questions that have been asked. It was falling in love with a Diamond Python many years ago what drew me to keeping herps, they are my favourite snake without a doubt. With so little actually known about DPS it is beneficial to read of the symptoms and thoughts about it from someone who is knowledgeable from years of keeping Diamonds. Your experiences have given us Diamond keepers a lot to think about and I really hope that the only experience I have with it will be through reading about it.... here's hoping anyway. Thanks again ST!

 

[mrsshep77]

ST as someone who has diamonds it is great to have some more knowledge under my belt! I am so in love with diamonds and would have 100 of them if I could. I was always wanting more info on DPS and as you've said there is alot of "other" info out there not quite from an experienced point of view so thank you for sharing as it's good to know how it can be reasonably prevented.
I'm always learning new things and wanting more knowledge as I've never proclaimed to be an expert on anything, I just offer my advice on the things I do know.

Cheers,
Mell

 

[bowks]

Dps

I have a 7 yr old diamond python who doesn't seem to have put on much weight for the last two years. She didn't eat that well last year, and this year has gone off her tucker completely (had only one meal 4 months ago). She will strike if annoyed eg by a rat being bounced around her cage and will constrict but will not eat. I took her to the vet yesterday who diagnosed DPS and dehydration. He suggested soaking her for 6-8 hrs in a tub of water, and leaving her in an airconditioned room for a week.

I live in the tropics (Darwin) and we had built in the front verandah for the snakes and other animals about 2 years ago. The Childrens Python thrived but I think at about the time we moved the DP out of the house (air conditioned lounge) he started losing his appetite.

I can keep him in the house which the vet suggested, but I'm wondering what his chances are. The vet suggested that at the end of this week he should be eating again. I have only started researching DPS and am devastated to hear how poor the prognosis is.
:cry:

 

[Moreliaman]

Thats some excellent observations, likewise, thanks for sharing that valuable information with us serpent.
I know allot of herpers over here keep diamonds & other species of herps in excessive temperatures with the common misconception that everywhere in australia is always hot.

 

[steve6610]

I can keep him in the house which the vet suggested, but I'm wondering what his chances are. The vet suggested that at the end of this week he should be eating again. I have only started researching DPS and am devastated to hear how poor the prognosis is.
:cry:

from talking to serpenttongue about this issue i'm sad to say the chances are almost nil,

i'm in the same place now, i think my port mac has it and i'm just waiting until it's 100% certain before doing the right thing for her...

 

[salebrosus]

My last visit with ST he showed me one of his animals who has it and he had also filmed what the animal was like during feeding. As an owner of three Diamonds it is terrifying to think of what may become of them. It really is heartbreaking to witness DPS.

Simone.

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

these symptoms you talk about in DPS i once experianced with a female coastel carpet,
she developed brittle bones and her spine broke
and it was in the year following a birth to a clutch

 

[rexs1]

That's the best article I've read on D.P.S. serpentongue. I haven't kept diamonds now for about 3-4 yrs. My oldest female was 10yrs old when I sold her. She was bred for the first time at five yrs then another 2 clutches after that. The new owner bred her the following year and a year later she died. She lived for a good age for a diamond. She lived at Atherton N. Qld for 5yrs then in a Sth Qld coastal area. She was housed inside and heating was only a small heat pad. Many years ago when captive kept diamonds were commonly caught from the wild this D.P.S. was a very frequent problem. Now I think with captive bred animals easily sourced this disease is much less seen in collections.