NT water python

[simon_87]

hi everybody, have a 6yr old NT water python. Stupidly had a uv light in tank (unknowingly) and she hasn't eaten for 6 wks and is shedding only undernieth.....she buries her head everytime i offer her food. She has seriously lost condition and is a lot more sluggish then she was....used to be quite fiesty....still tank defensive but i am worried about her not eating. The shop i bought her from had her from birth and she has always been captive. I am seriously worried about her. She has water tub. Cool end stable at 28 and have 150w heat lamp at hot end. She was a birthday pressie for my fiancee who works away for 3 wks home for 1 so i am her main contact and have become quite attached even tho i HATE snakes. I do handle her but have cut back on that due to advice from shop purchased from. I know this sounds stupid but she just doesnt LOOK happy......pls help.....any advice much appreciated, she is part of the family and i would hate to think that I have done something to hurt her. Thanx

 

[longqi]

The temps should be ok although there is no mention of temp at hot end
Has she got a hide??
Even something as simple as a shoe box might let her feel safe
No mention of where you are located but many snakes go off their tucker at this time of year
Usually the further south you are the more they seem to be affected by barometric pressures and unseen external weather weather patterns etc etc
If she has lost a lot of condition quickly then I would suspect worms

 

[simon_87]

hey thanks for you reply, as we wrot this she was in the sheding stage but we did not know that as we have only had her a month now, we have just taken her out and she seams to back to her normal self, we are going to try and feed her tomorrow, and get here a hide place for her tank. thanks again,

 

[mysnakesau]

Did she shed? You said she was only shedding underneath. She might need a warm bath to soak in for about 20 mins or so which will loosen up skin and you should be able to slip it off her. Even though she has a tub of water, you should get a container with a lid, of warm water, and put her in it so she has no choice but to soak.

If you're going to seek advice about her, I seriously suggest you talk to a reptile-orientated vet rather than the pet shop. Your pet shop ppl might be ok but many will get defensive - instead of offering a solution all they care about is "Oh it was fine when it left here". As Longqi has suggested, you can worm her out. You don't need a positive diagnosis. It won't hurt her. Since she isn't eating I'd probably suggest a worming syrup which you can syringe down her neck - drontal from vet for a small dog will do the trick. And repeat the dose in 10 days time.

If no worms are present, then it could be another parasite, or something that needs veterinary attention. They can do a swab to check for internal parasites and treat it accordingly, or be able to steer you on the right path with her. Its normal for them to go off their food while in shed, too, so if she hasn't shed properly that could effect her appetite, too.

I don't know how cold it gets where you are, but here, the last 6 weeks have been freezing. That is all it takes to turn them off their food. Its a natural part of their life. IF that's all it is, she will start eating again in the spring when the weather is consistently warm.

 

[simon_87]

hey thanks for your help kathy i went in to the reptial shop where i got her from on friday they are the ones that breed her and, then she sheded all her sking on saturday, we found out that when my beautiful baby got me the snake she had the wrong light in her tank we had a light that had to much uv in it so beller got sunburn from the light, and we feed bella today and she ate, thank again

 

[mysnakesau]

Awesome stuff Simon. Glad to hear she fed for you. So the shedding underneath were signs of burning? Wow, its good you picked up on it early before it became more serious. Good girl Bella

Its good when shop owners are also keepers. Least they can be more reliable. I didn't mean to undermine them, just a lot pet places hire younger staff who have little or no training and quite often can be unhelpful. That's not a bad thing if they can be honest and not just spin crap trying to sound like they know what they're talking about.