Saw this Ball Python today at the zoo...

[Wylie]

Thoughts?

Personally I felt concerned when I saw this snake, lots of old skin is still left on him, he was in wood shavings with a heat lamp above him and eh, I don't know, but he just didn't look right to me, besides having lots of old skin still on him, I mean, are they supposed to look wrinkled like that? I know my corn snakes don't. So I thought I'd post the pics here and see what you all thought, especially those of you who are experienced Ball Python owners.

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

Not a very healthy looking snake. I don't even think it's a ball python. I think it's an albino Burmese.

 

[Michael823]

Looks fairly healthy to me, except for maybe the stuck shed, but that could be freshly shed, so it might be no concern. Also, it's an albino Burmese Python.

 

[Hail_Britannia]

I agree, doesn't look good and it's a burm, not a ball. Did they have it labeled as a ball python? That thing is far too big, and the head and pattern aren't even close.

 

[Hail_Britannia]

It seems to be of a good weight, but I'm concerned about the scars. It seems to me there are a couple big scars on the snake...could have been that way when they got it, I suppose, but I hope those aren't from any live prey they've been feeding it. And I would certainly hope they know what kind of snake they have in their care.

 

[dionythicus]

It was probably a rescue, so it may have some scars. And it's definitely NOT a ball python. That's a big ol' burm.

 

[Hypancistrus]

I would be more worried about the zoo calling it a ball python. If the ZOO doesn't know the difference, they've no business housing the animal.

 

[Wylie]

Wow, this is exactly how rumors get started, look at everyone running away with the ASSUMPTION that the ZOO called it a Ball Python. The question was ASKED if the ZOO called it a Ball Python and if everyone recalls, (by reading back thru), the question was never answered. But yet, but yet, other people will come along and just keep going with it, keep focusing on that one ASSUMPTION until eventually it is understood as fact, not to mention steering away from the purpose/question/topic of the thread to begin with.

*I* called it a Ball Python because *I* thought it was a Ball Python simply because I am inexperienced. There was no label on the snake at all. What kind of snake it is really isn't the issue here (even though everyone seems to want to run away with it) as I was concerned about this snake's WELL-BEING more than anything else. I wanted to hear from those of you who are experienced if this snake looks healthy to you cause it didn't to me. I thought it was never a good idea to leave dead skin on a snake and I was also curious as to why the snake looks so wrinkled up near the head, if that is normal or what? I'm trying to learn, I want to know what a healthy vs an unhealthy snake looks like, trying to learn from the experts. I didn't expect everyone to run away with "oh my god, no, it's NOT a Ball Python", okay, that's fine, but what I really want to know is whether or not this snake is healthy?

 

[airenlow]

I don't think anybody jumped to conclusions here. Everybody said "if it was labeled as a ball...". I think they were just waiting for you to come back with the answer.

To me, the snake appears to be having a bad shed and is overweight. The skin folds are very common on larger bodied snakes.

 

[Wylie]

...
To me, the snake appears to be having a bad shed and is overweight. The skin folds are very common on larger bodied snakes.

Cool, thanks, that is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. I sure hope they (the zoo) tends to that excess dried up skin on him as from everything I've read it can cause problems, even serious ones. But it's good to hear he is fine otherwise.

 

[whippet]

wow...what a sarcastic little one we have here today folks.

Since they had no label at all...that to me is just as sad as labeling it wrong. That is the whole point of a zoo...to educate people. *shrugs*