Advice needed for Gammon Ranges Python!

[AusReptiles88]

Thanks Littlemay, I think I will take him to the vet as soon as possible. Thankyou to all who have offered advice.

 

[littlemay]

Just a thought, do you know that he did actually drink the water, ie. did you see him drink? Or are you just assuming because the bowl was empty? Was the sand around the bowl wet? He may have just been having a splash around...

 

[AusReptiles88]

Nah I could see he was definatly drinking it.

 

[littlemay]

Ah ok, in that case the vet seems the best option.

 

[KaotikJezta]

Just a thought, that is a fairly tiny water bowl, my woma has one not much bigger and easily drinks it all in one go after a shed.

 

[Elapidae1]

Yes the water bowl is small. Evaporation+ drinking+ moving through/displacing water etc would easily see that bowl go dry. I wouldn't worry about the vet, How warm is the basking point?

You need to consider that the lack of responses may have been due to people not having any advice or not knowing what might be wrong. Editing your post to have a whinge may have put people of offering advice.

 

[carterd]

View attachment 221466View attachment 221459This is his enclosure, I was unsure about using sand, but I eventuallt decided on it as he comes from a rocky, sandy region and spends most of his time on the rocks or on the branch. I feed him outside of his cage. The cage temp is 24 degrees

sorry about pic quality, good camera is playing up :/

Nice photo and a nice looking python.
I don't know how often they have a drink, but do know that they can go with out a drink for some time as in days at a time. When they do drink they consume alot in one go that would empty that bowl you have, when comparing your snake.
Did your python have a feed, then hide for a few days and bask under the lights in between hiding. Up to 36c basking is normal and looks like the top of the branch is the spot he curls up on, to bask.
Is he displaying a ambush position on that branch or rock? Is he active tonight?

 

[mysnakesau]

My daughter has a small bowl similar to that in her bearded dragon tank and it evaporates to empty almost every day.

But another thought for you, could the sand be having an effect on him? When he eats and gets sand on his food, the sand might be irritating his insides so he is drinking to try and relieve irritation. But don't quote me. Its just a thought. A vet's diagnosis is much more important and reliable.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Don't worry about the vet at this stage. Get the enclosure parameters up to scratch first. Does the snake have a basking spot at around 33-34C? An enclosure temperature of 24 is too cool if that's the highest it is. Shedding is not a clockwork thing - if it's a bit earlier or later than usual it's nothing to worry about. remove the sand from the enclosure - it is not a good substrate for snakes. As Kathy says, they can ingest a lot of sand when eating and it can cause problems. It's also inherently cold.

Very premature to consider a visit to the vet.

Jamie

 

[carterd]

I noted on post 17 you don't feed in the enclosure, so ruled out the issue of sand.
It looks to me you have a heat source from above, and as said above, basking spot is important, and more important is the cool side. Pythons spend most of their time in the cool end. 24c is the ok minimum. 27-28c is their choice when given the choice.
How is he?

 

[Elapidae1]

basking spot and thermal gradient is more important carterd, extended periods of 27-28 at the cool end is not enough of a gradient.

 

[AusReptiles88]

It sounds like a temperature raise is definatly needed, once the temperature is raised I will se whether any change comes about, if not I think a call in with the vet wouldn't be a bad idea. Thanks for all your help guys.

 

[Elapidae1]

What temps? basking, ambient, cool end?