Need help with whether my python needs to go back to vet again.

[undecidead]

Hey guys,

I own a 7 month old Jungle Python. A while back I had some concerns about her, so naturally I contacted the forums I know and the said to take her to the vet. The problem she had was this strange clicking sound which is apparently a notorious symptom of R.I. but after taking her to the vet (with a blood test) no bad results were found. No parasites in the stool. There was one thing she picked up though was that in the back left side of her mouth (looking in) there seemed to be bruise she then continued to put a que tip inside her mouth to see what it might be (it bled a little). I think she said something like a blood vessel.

Now the issue I am facing is that she said to give a 3 week rest before I feed again because she could have been 'bashing' herself whilst feeding. So this rest may heal her. Then she said to bring her back. Should I? Would it just be a waist of money for the 2nd consultation just to see if the bruise has healed? Or should I just go ahead and feed her the poor little thing hasn't been fed in a month.

I can probably guess the answer will be to take her back to the vet but it is $65 dollars just to say it's healed, if you know where I am coming from.

Thank-you so much for your help

 

[wildthings]

It's expensive, but you will find in the long run it's better to her take back, for your own piece of mind, and just in case the diagnosis that was given at the time, and it sounds like a tentative diagnosis, was not the problem

 

[undecidead]

Yeah I thought that would be the case. I love this little critter to bits (my first snake). I also now have 2 50% hypo bredlis together . Thanks for the comment

 

[caliherp]

Check it yourself. Gently but firmly restrain the snake behind the head. Gently rub the outside of the snakes mouth. When it bites on the q-tip have a peek inside the mouth. You will still get the peace of mind and save some money.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

You shouldn't have to pay for a follow-up visit. But I wouldn't bother anyway. Snakes suffer all sorts of injuries when feeding, especially in the mouth - they get bitten, scratched and bruised all the time, but they heal very quickly, as mucus membranes do, so unless it was a very bad wound, and it sounds not to be, I would just feed it and continue on with life. This matter with clicking/noisy breathing being always regarded as RI is a worry though. RI is generally accompanied by a loss of feeding response, little tongue flicking and unusual coiling.

If the snake is clicking/wheezing a little, but is feeding and otherwise alert, chances of RI are practically nil, and it may just be a shedding issue.

Jamie

 

[longqi]

Trust python on this one
everything he said is 100% correct

one thing interests me though
you mention having 2 bredlis together and say the jungle was your first snake?
if they are together I would recommend you separate them
I and many others have had more than one snake living together without dramas
but because of our level of experience could get away with this
It is not something I would recommend for any relatively new keeper
Much better to have 2 healthy slim snakes than one big fat one

 

[undecidead]

Trust python on this one
everything he said is 100% correct

one thing interests me though
you mention having 2 bredlis together and say the jungle was your first snake?
if they are together I would recommend you separate them
I and many others have had more than one snake living together without dramas
but because of our level of experience could get away with this
It is not something I would recommend for any relatively new keeper
Much better to have 2 healthy slim snakes than one big fat one

yes I do have two bredlis they were brought up from birth together. They're happy being in together with each other, I bought them of a friend

 

[undecidead]

But I do thank-you for your concern. About the jungle now that I have read these comments and that I am leaning more toward just feeding her. It's a big gamble which is why I came here. But the vet said to me as best as I can remember "We will leave the snake 3 weeks before we feed it again, but before you feed her I will need to see her for a check up" (something like that). But when she found the bruise she said it was quite unusual. I just think vets are in for the money. There's not really much of a a chance harming my python if I just straight up feed it is there rather than take her back to the vet?

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I don't think vets are all in it for the money, but some do overservice. if the snake is hungry and feeds well, you don't need to take it back. It's not even a big gamble, it's just doing what you should do. I think leaving it for 3 weeks was also bum advice if all other health indications were normal. I'm sure the snake will be fine if it's acting normally. No gamble at all.

As longqi has pointed out however, the big gamble is keeping your bredli together - most very experienced snake keepers MAY do it occasionally for short periods, but the odds are that one day you'll come home and find one snake seriously injured or dead. Never a good idea to keep two pythons confined together.

Jamie

 

[wildthings]

But I do thank-you for your concern. About the jungle now that I have read these comments and that I am leaning more toward just feeding her. It's a big gamble which is why I came here. But the vet said to me as best as I can remember "We will leave the snake 3 weeks before we feed it again, but before you feed her I will need to see her for a check up" (something like that). But when she found the bruise she said it was quite unusual. I just think vets are in for the money. There's not really much of a a chance harming my python if I just straight up feed it is there rather than take her back to the vet?

It's not really unusual for a bruise or small injury in the mouth, but as earlier mentioned it should not cost you another consultation fee, it's s follow up, same as removing stitches from a desexed dog/cat, the spay site is checked thoroughly and the stitches are removed, at no extra cost to the owner of the dog/cat

 

[wildthings]

Just wondering, was the vet experienced with reptiles?

 

[BeZaKa]

I think you have received some very good feedback on this question. May I ask have you picked up the phone and actually asked the vet if the follow up consultation is going to cost you anything? If they say its free than you have peace of mind and saved $65. If its going to cost, I tend to agree with Jamie and say feed and see how it goes.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I think you have received some very good feedback on this question. May I ask have you picked up the phone and actually asked the vet if the follow up consultation is going to cost you anything? If they say its free than you have peace of mind and saved $65. If its going to cost, I tend to agree with Jamie and say feed and see how it goes.

If there was an ongoing health problem in the mouth, it would have manifested itself by now. I wouldn't bother going back to the vet, even if it was free. If the snake is alert, tongue flicking is normal, and it eats freely... problem (which probably didn't exist anyway) solved!

Jamie

 

[BeZaKa]

If there was an ongoing health problem in the mouth, it would have manifested itself by now. I wouldn't bother going back to the vet, even if it was free. If the snake is alert, tongue flicking is normal, and it eats freely... problem (which probably didn't exist anyway) solved!

Jamie

The OP seems a little hesitant hence the comment and the option to check with the vet if $$$ was a consideration. I am not experienced enough to offer an assessment but I can say that your call is what I would be comfortable with.

 

[Ramy]

May I ask have you picked up the phone and actually asked the vet if the follow up consultation is going to cost you anything?

I think it's worth taking the snake back to the vet, and asking if the follow up will be free, or atleast if you can get a discount because it'll be a short check-up. If you're not an experienced herper (and having kept pythons for near 10 years, I dont consider myself an experienced herper) you're probably well off getting the vet to check on it. If there's something that's not healing, or an underlying condition, you want to know about it. I don't want to be all doomsday, because it's probably nothing, but what if there's cancer or a weakened blood vessel or something? Surely it's worth knowing that. Before it becomes a problem and the snake behaves differently.

I trust my vet, and when he says come back in 3 weeks I do. Just my opinion.

 

[undecidead]

I think you have received some very good feedback on this question. May I ask have you picked up the phone and actually asked the vet if the follow up consultation is going to cost you anything? If they say its free than you have peace of mind and saved $65. If its going to cost, I tend to agree with Jamie and say feed and see how it goes.

From the first visit the vet has asked my to go back in and that I clearly remember her saying it's $65 dollars. Also it seemed a bit strange her saying she's never seen that before (the bruise in its mouth) which kind of tells me she isn't the greatest vet. Like when I told her about the clicking she restrained it and pulled the head close to her ear and listened but I told her the python only does it when she is moving and she didn't look further into that i.e. actually holding her freely and listening to the snake.

I think I might not take her back and just feed her since she found no R.I symptoms like mucus backlog and lung dysfunction, there were also no parasites in the stool and no infection in the blood. I guess it would be safe to just feed her and not take her back.

I do thank everyone with the up most appreciation for your help. Feel free to add more advice

 

[Pythoninfinite]

From the first visit the vet has asked my to go back in and that I clearly remember her saying it's $65 dollars. Also it seemed a bit strange her saying she's never seen that before (the bruise in its mouth) which kind of tells me she isn't the greatest vet. Like when I told her about the clicking she restrained it and pulled the head close to her ear and listened but I told her the python only does it when she is moving and she didn't look further into that i.e. actually holding her freely and listening to the snake.

I think I might not take her back and just feed her since she found no R.I symptoms like mucus backlog and lung dysfunction, there were also no parasites in the stool and no infection in the blood. I guess it would be safe to just feed her and not take her back.

I do thank everyone with the up most appreciation for your help. Feel free to add more advice

I think that's a sensible approach. The business of a "weak blood vessel" (whatever that is) or the possibility of cancer is pretty remote. Snakes do get cancer, but at the end of the day, if it's cancer there's nothing you could do about it anyway. I'm sure any vet could examine any animal (as any doctor could a human) and find something which is out of the norm, but it doesn't mean it's permanent or life threatening. As longqi & I have said, snakes' mouths are a primary area of injury (wild snakes preying in live food take a risk every time they strike), they do get damaged, but they heal quickly.

I'd seriously be looking for a different vet next time you think you need one (especially if there's a charge for follow-up... that's very unusual).

Jamie

Jamie

 

[wokka]

To repeat what some others have said, some vets do over service and take a shotgun approach if they dont have experience with reptiles. I would not expect a vet to take blood tests nor stool samples to diagnose a "clicking noise" in the mouth. This would normally be caused by some obstruction in the breathing passages, possibly caused by mechanical damage but more likely a lose skin as part of the shedding process. I would offer food. If the animal takes it it is a fairly good indicator that any damage is not too serious. If it does have a serious problem then it is probably too late as prevention is definitely better than cure with reptiles. Is the clicking noise still there? If so the normal treatment would be to increase the temperature to say 32C and remove water to reduce humidity. That wont do any harm for a week or so even if the animal is healthy.

 

[undecidead]

I think that's a sensible approach. The business of a "weak blood vessel" (whatever that is) or the possibility of cancer is pretty remote. Snakes do get cancer, but at the end of the day, if it's cancer there's nothing you could do about it anyway. I'm sure any vet could examine any animal (as any doctor could a human) and find something which is out of the norm, but it doesn't mean it's permanent or life threatening. As longqi & I have said, snakes' mouths are a primary area of injury (wild snakes preying in live food take a risk every time they strike), they do get damaged, but they heal quickly.

I'd seriously be looking for a different vet next time you think you need one (especially if there's a charge for follow-up... that's very unusual).

Jamie

Jamie

Yes, I completely agree with you 100% . Before you have even said this; if I ever go back to a vet it won't be where I went again. I live in Brisbane and I took her to Mount Gravatt, but I heard there is a really good one at deception bay.

 

[undecidead]

I don't think vets are all in it for the money, but some do overservice. if the snake is hungry and feeds well, you don't need to take it back. It's not even a big gamble, it's just doing what you should do. I think leaving it for 3 weeks was also bum advice if all other health indications were normal. I'm sure the snake will be fine if it's acting normally. No gamble at all.

As longqi has pointed out however, the big gamble is keeping your bredli together - most very experienced snake keepers MAY do it occasionally for short periods, but the odds are that one day you'll come home and find one snake seriously injured or dead. Never a good idea to keep two pythons confined together.

Jamie

So keeping 2 bredlis together can actually be a risk? I am a learner so im not going to have a egotistic attitude. The previous owner had brought them up together in a big enclosure (which I have). They sleep with each other on a stand and the previous owner feed them in separate feeding tubs (as do I). They are both around 1.5 years old aswell and previous owner had no problems keeping them together. But what I want to ask after all these precautions and proof is it still a risk keeping these two together. (female and a male)