Typical Illnesses of Pet Python Snakes

While pythons are generally hardy snakes, they can still fall victim to a few common health concerns. Being aware of these illnesses, their symptoms, causes, and solutions is essential to ensure your snake’s well-being.

Common Illnesses

• Respiratory Infections (RIs): One of the most frequent problems in captive pythons.

  • Symptoms: Wheezing, labored breathing, mucus discharge from nostrils or mouth, lethargy, refusal to eat.
  • Causes: Inadequate humidity, improper temperatures, dirty enclosure, stress.
  • Solutions: Veterinary diagnosis and often antibiotic treatment. Thoroughly clean the enclosure and address any underlying husbandry issues.

• Inclusion Body Disease (IBD): A serious, often fatal, viral infection affecting pythons and boas.

  • Symptoms: Neurological symptoms like disorientation, stargazing (looking upwards), tremors, inability to eat.
  • Causes: The virus is highly contagious and spread through direct contact or contaminated objects.
  • Solutions: Unfortunately, no cure exists for IBD. Prevention focuses on strict quarantine of new snakes and biosecurity measures.

• Mouth Rot (Infectious Stomatitis): A bacterial infection of the mouth.

  • Symptoms: Redness, swelling, or cheesy discharge within the mouth, difficulty eating.
  • Causes: Poor hygiene, injuries in the mouth, stress.
  • Solutions: Veterinary diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics and antiseptic cleaning of the mouth. Improving overall husbandry is key.

• Mites Tiny, external parasites that cause irritation and health concerns.

  • Symptoms: Small black specks on the snake, excessive soaking, rubbing against objects, lethargy.
  • Causes: Mites often come from contaminated substrate or exposure to infected snakes.
  • Solutions: Veterinary diagnosis and treatment with anti-parasitic medications. Thorough enclosure cleaning and replacement of substrate.

• Dysecdysis (Stuck Shed): Difficulty shedding their skin completely.

  • Symptoms: Retained patches of old shed, dull-looking skin, eye caps stuck on the eyes.
  • Causes: Low humidity is the most common culprit, but could be due to underlying health issues.
  • Solutions: Provide a moist hide box, increase enclosure humidity, soak the snake in lukewarm water. Consult a vet if severe.

Prevention and Care

The key to minimizing illness in your python is providing optimal care:

• Ideal Environment: Maintain a clean enclosure with proper humidity levels and a consistent temperature gradient.
• Stress Reduction: Minimize changes and disturbances to their habitat. Ensure they have sufficient hiding spots.
• Quarantine: Keep newly acquired snakes isolated for a quarantine period to prevent the spread of disease.
• Regular Veterinary Visits: Schedule preventative checkups with a reptile veterinarian to catch problems early on.

Important Note

It’s crucial to seek veterinary attention as soon as you notice signs of illness in your python, such as lethargy, lack of appetite, abnormal shedding, or any visible changes to their skin or mouth. Don’t attempt to self-diagnose as it could worsen the situation.

By prioritizing their environment, keeping a watchful eye for symptoms, and working with a veterinarian, you can help your python live a long and healthy life.