SnakeLuv
New member
I'd like to welcome to my home two Ball Pythons I got from a friend who... well needless to say has 'neglected' to feed them for over 3 months due to not having a job. The tank they were in had at least 4 sheds PER SNAKE littering the bottom... along with whatever defecation was left behind when they WERE fed. They had not had water in 3 weeks. there was no bedding. There was ONE hide buried in the shed material...
Anyways I spent 2 hours cleaning and disinfecting the tank, adding water, adding bedding... Oh man. Now in most cases I do not co-hab, but for this, I don't have much of a choice until I can set up another tank. But this tank is big enough for them to get some space until then. (they lived together their entire lives by what I've been told, and fed separately)
Since they hadn't eaten in so long (not by choice), I bought them each one SMALL rat. (pre-killed them before feeding of coarse) The female was SO desperate to eat I couldn't even get the meal within her striking range before she was frantically launching herself at it. Same with the male. BOTH have eaten. Now these rats are smaller than what they SHOULD get because I'm worried about suddenly introducing normal food regimens to snakes that are emaciated. When I got them I could see and feel both of their rib cages and spines and they were limp in my grasp. Athena had 2 retained eye caps on her right eye which I've removed gently.
I will be feeding again at the end of the week with small prey items as long as they do not regurgitate.
Good news: Athena shed last night probably her FIRST full body shed without it breaking apart probably in a long time. It all came off in one, semi-moist-like piece.
She's no longer dehydrated! \o/
Here's current pictures of my two new family members:
Below is Athena. Female Ball. Not sure on her age. She's about 3.5 feet. Very underweight.
Below is Aries, the male. Again don't know their age. he's about 3 feet. Emaciated.
The tank after being cleaned.
Anyways I spent 2 hours cleaning and disinfecting the tank, adding water, adding bedding... Oh man. Now in most cases I do not co-hab, but for this, I don't have much of a choice until I can set up another tank. But this tank is big enough for them to get some space until then. (they lived together their entire lives by what I've been told, and fed separately)
Since they hadn't eaten in so long (not by choice), I bought them each one SMALL rat. (pre-killed them before feeding of coarse) The female was SO desperate to eat I couldn't even get the meal within her striking range before she was frantically launching herself at it. Same with the male. BOTH have eaten. Now these rats are smaller than what they SHOULD get because I'm worried about suddenly introducing normal food regimens to snakes that are emaciated. When I got them I could see and feel both of their rib cages and spines and they were limp in my grasp. Athena had 2 retained eye caps on her right eye which I've removed gently.
I will be feeding again at the end of the week with small prey items as long as they do not regurgitate.
Good news: Athena shed last night probably her FIRST full body shed without it breaking apart probably in a long time. It all came off in one, semi-moist-like piece.
She's no longer dehydrated! \o/Here's current pictures of my two new family members:
Below is Athena. Female Ball. Not sure on her age. She's about 3.5 feet. Very underweight.
Below is Aries, the male. Again don't know their age. he's about 3 feet. Emaciated.
The tank after being cleaned.
