COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS OF PET SNAKES AND POSSIBLE CAUSES
FAILURE TO FEED
Common causes:
Temperature is too low in the vivarium. Increase the vivarium temperature to the recommended levels for the species of snake in question.
Your snake may have a preference for a particular food. Try feeding your snake something else.
Your snake may feel insecure. Make sure your pet snake has adequate privacy and places to hide.
Excessive handling. Cease handling your snake until it has fed.
Due to shed skin. Wait until your snake has shed or sloughed its skin.
Note:
Snakes often stop feeding when they have simply had enough. It is not uncommon for an adult snake to go without food for a few weeks or even months in some cases. If you don't think any of the above causes are stopping your snake from feeding and you are concerned about your snakes feeding habits and health then take your snake to a qualified vet to be on the safe side.
CONSTIPATION
Possible causes:
Low humidity. Check that humidity levels in the vivarium are correct for your species of snake.
Lack of exercise. Is your snakes enclosure large enough? If your snake is arboreal, does it have a high enough vivarium with climbing branches?
Soaking the snake for 20 minutes in warm (30c) water often helps alleviate constipation in snakes.
DIARRHOEA
Possible causes:
Your snake may have a bacterial or parasitic infection. Consult your local vet and make sure your frozen snake food is stored at adequate temperatures. (-18c)
Low temperature. Make sure vivarium temperatures are adequate for the species of snake you have.
SHEDDING PROBLEMS
Possible causes:
Humidity is too low. Increase the humidity in the vivarium to the level recommended for your snake. For immediate help, soak your snake for 20 minutes in lukewarm water(30c) to soften your snakes skin and aid shedding.
Make sure your snake has a large enough water bowl in the vivarium to bathe in unless its a low humidity species.
Recent injuries can cause your snake to shed its skin several times in quick succession.
BLISTERS
Possible causes:
Your snakes enclosure is too dirty. Make sure you have a regular and thorough cleaning regime.
Your snakes enclosure is too moist. Make sure your snake always has access to a large dry area of substrate and that the overall humidity isn't too high.
Take your snake to a vet to have the blisters seen to.
BURNS
Possible causes:
There is only one possible cause for this. Your snake is able to come in direct contact with a heat source. Make sure this can't happen again (e.g. Use a bulb guard) and consult a vet to get the burn treated.
RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS
Syptoms:
Open mouthed breathing, regular sneezing, wheezing, bubbles appearing in nostrils and at sides of mouth.
Possible causes:
Your pet snake has an allergic reaction to its substrate. Change substrate.
Respiratory infection. Make sure cage temperatures are optimum for your snake and consult a vet if things don't improve quickly.
Reaction to cigarette smoke. Stop smoking or keep snakes in a smoke free room.
MOUTH ROT
Symptoms:
Cheesy substance appears in your snakes mouth along the gums. Swollen mouth. Mucus in the mouth.
Possible causes:
Low temperature. Increase temperature to acceptable levels for your snake.
Dirty vivarium. Clean vivarium and make sure you have a regular and thorough cleaning regime in place for your snake or snakes in the future.
Take your snake to the vet for antibiotics.
MOST PROBLEMS ARE EASILY AVOIDED BY KEEPING YOUR SNAKE IN A CLEAN, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT AND MAINTAINING THE CORRECT TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY LEVELS REQUIRED FOR THE SPECIES OF SNAKE IN QUESTION.
IF IN ANY DOUBT ABOUT YOUR SNAKES HEALTH CONSULT A VETERINARIAN.
YOU MAY ALSO WISH TO CONSIDER INSURING YOUR SNAKE TO COVER POSSIBLE VETERINARY BILLS IN THE FUTURE.
