Buying your first ball python? What are the signs of a healthy one?

She is stunning. The best way to confirm good health is to have her examined by an experienced herp veterinarian. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites. In the meantime, make sure she is active and alert. Look for missing scales or injury along the length of her body. Check in and around her mouth for discharge, redness or swelling. Offer appropriately sized prey. At her age, she is probably eating hopper or weanling mice depending on her weight. When feeding any reptile, it is important that the temperature is species appropriate. A cold snake will not eat. If you feed pre killed, be sure to completely thaw it and allow it to warm to at least room temp. Some owners choose to feed in a container other than the enclosure. A snake should not be handled after feeding to prevent regurgitation. Follow the link below for more information regarding care. http://www.anapsid.org/ball.html

Any new pet should be examined by a veterinarian within 72 hours of arriving home to confirm good health or to treat any preexisting conditions. If she is having difficulty breathing, she should be seen sooner rather than later in case she has or is developing a respiratory infection. Monitor for lethargy or discharge from the nose or mouth. Increase humidity or soak in warm water to facilitate shedding. You can also use commercial shed sprays that can be purchased online or in most pet stores. Follow this link for more information regarding care of ball pythons: http://www.anapsid.org/ball.html

Once he acclimates to his new home, he may become more active. Ball pythons are mostly nocturnal also, so if the room is bright he may seek dark spots and come out at dusk or overnight. Keep a large bowl of water in the tank. A deep layer of porous substrate may hold moisture longer. You can even add some moss. Use a hygrometer to monitor humidity. If it's too high, you can predispose your python to respiratory infection.

It may be a combination of being in a small cage and a new environment. Ball pythons are notorious for not eating if stressed. Make sure the temperature is correct also. A cold snake will not eat. Wait a few days, then offer a pinkie at dusk of in the evening. Gently tap her nose to elicit a strike. Cover the cage for more privacy/security. You can also try scenting the pinkie with some used gerbil bedding. Ask the local pet store if you can have some from the gerbil cages.

Check her mouth for foreign bodies, injury or infection if she allows. Monitor for persistent or worsening symptoms and have her examined by your vet or a vet experienced in treating reptiles if necessary. If she is behaving and eating normally otherwise, it may be simply something unique she does.

Ball pythons are notorious for their "hunger strikes". All parameters seem to be within species ranges. Survey the area around the cage for any negative stimuli. This may include loud noises or vibrations, bright lights, cold drafts or high traffic. Reduce or eliminate any if found. Go to the local Petco and ask for a small amount of used (but not dirty) gerbil bedding. Use it to scent prey for your snakes. Gerbils are what pythons eat in the wild, so the scent may trigger their appetites. Soak them both in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte to treat or prevent minor dehydration. An exam with your veterinarian would be recommended to diagnose any underlying illness or injury.

It is difficult to determine due to the lighting/color of the image. Pythons eyes will bulge out a bit and some have a genetic defect that causes pronounced bulging. This is not normal. Monitor for discharge, cloudiness or redness. If the bulging is just on one side, that is also cause for concern (tumor, trauma, infection) and should be addressed by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles.