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"special needs" snake

celica_goddess

celica_goddess

Mr. Slither's mommy
I need some input. I do have a corn but I'm asking about the hognose I just bought. I posted on a different forum and no one replied.

I just got Wilber on Friday, he's a golden madagascar hognose. He's 3 and has been like this his whole life. It's hard to describe his movements, but he can't move like a normal snake. He does 360 back flips, he shakes his head like Stevie Wonder.

They had him checked by the vet and he got a clean bill of health. They think it may be neurological. I'm making an appointment with my vet tomorrow, but don't know when I'll be able to get in.

Here's the video. Has anyone seen behavior like this in any snake?
 
HMMM...It looks like he is looking for a way out except for the flipping over part, but I'm not sure if there is a problem really. Its not stargazing and he looks very healthy honestly. I guess it could be neurological, but if they are able to eat and thrive on their own it doesn't matter and I'm not sure the vet bills would even be worth it since neurological impairments can't be corrected in most cases.
 
Thanks for the reply. I want to apologize again for posting about a hognose hear, but I always get replies here and no where else ;)

You're right, he's definitely not star-gazing, so that's good. I also forgot to mention that I got him Friday and he ate yesterday! Yay!

I took a video of him on my hands, where he's even worse, but it's hard to tell bc when watching it you can't tell what's up and what's down.

Anyways.... I still plan to have a professional just watch him and see what they think. What I'm worried about is his quality of life.

Thanks for replying ;)
 
Also, have you ever tried to flip your snake over? They don't let you. My hognose does. I'll flip him on his back and he'll just slither along like that like he doesn't even know he's upside down. And he's not playing dead (which they do).
 
When animals quality of life deteriates they won't eat, drink, and grow like he has. Its not like he can say I am in pain, but think about it when you are sick you don't wanna eat, aren't as active, and sleep like none other. He seems very active, is eating, and is good sized. I think he's pretty interesting actually and the flipping over was crazy maybe an equillibrium problem, but I don't know what controls a snakes equilibrium. For us its our ears.
 
He looks fine to me. I posted your link on the hognose yahoo group- I'll let you know if anyone has any input.
 
This reply is from Jennea Wood, who has written a book about hoggies:

Had a southern do that a few years ago. It was viral, and he passed away. It started simple, but got more severe as time passed. It was very similar to IBD in the way it manifested. No treatment.

I have also seen hoggies act that way after being exposed to provent-a-mite.....
Jenea Wood
 
danielle said:
When animals quality of life deteriates they won't eat, drink, and grow like he has. Its not like he can say I am in pain, but think about it when you are sick you don't wanna eat, aren't as active, and sleep like none other. He seems very active, is eating, and is good sized. I think he's pretty interesting actually and the flipping over was crazy maybe an equillibrium problem, but I don't know what controls a snakes equilibrium. For us its our ears.
Click to expand...


That does make sense....

I have a book "What's Wrong With My Snake" and it has a pic of a snake with a tilted head, caused by a mite or parasite that entered the tissues behind its eye.
 
Nanci said:
This reply is from Jennea Wood, who has written a book about hoggies:

Had a southern do that a few years ago. It was viral, and he passed away. It started simple, but got more severe as time passed. It was very similar to IBD in the way it manifested. No treatment.

I have also seen hoggies act that way after being exposed to provent-a-mite.....
Jenea Wood
Click to expand...

He's been like this his whole life I was told, so I don't think it's viral. But thanks
 
My juvenile corn(Lefty) got his head stuck in a drawer Dec. 5 & broke his neck, & now his neck is @ a 45 degree angle to the left. It took him 2 wks. to be able to eat again. Lefty did the same thing your snake does for the first couple of months, it must be equilibrium, he doesn't do it as much any more, ocassionally,yes. Otherwise he's doing AWESOME & thriving!!!
 
I think that the reason he is all over the place in your hands and seems worse might be because he is more stressed being held. I watched your video and found him rather adorable. If it isn't anything else then he is a special needs snake and there is nothing wrong with that.

On the other hand what Nanci had to say interested me. I would keep that in mind even though the people where you got him from told you that he has been like this all his life. Sometimes you just never know...


And good luck! He is quite cute!
 
I think that the reason he is all over the place in your hands and seems worse might be because he is more stressed being held. I watched your video and found him rather adorable. If it isn't anything else then he is a special needs snake and there is nothing wrong with that.

On the other hand what Nanci had to say interested me. I would keep that in mind even though the people where you got him from told you that he has been like this all his life. Sometimes you just never know...


And good luck! He is quite cute!
 
Well I guess there are all sorts of things that could cause that, but if he's been like that 3 years and it's not getting worse, then it's probably nothing to worry about as long as you like him the way he is. Is he wild caught or captive bred?

I had some loopy Kenyan Sand Boas - as I understand it they were literally "half baked" - the breeder hadn't known mama was (gravid?), and KSBs require high temps to correctly gestate their offspring (they're live bearers), but mama didn't have access to the high temps. So the result was a bunch of babies with congenital neurological issues who had really poor orientation. One of them was actually just lying on its back in the cup when I got it home from the show, I thought it was dead! But it was fine, and they all ate heartily and did very well, except for latching on to me when they tried for a feeding strike XD They would seriously go at right angles to where they wanted to go!
As time went on they got less and less loopy. I still have one (sold the rest) and now I can't really tell there was anything wrong with her.

I will note that stress/excitement seemed to make the problem manifest - for example, they looked REALLY BAD at the show, to the point where the breeder didn't want me showing them to anyone and saying they got them from him. But once they were snug and settled in to their homes they were a lot less weird looking. So in daily activities your snake might be a lot more "competent" than when he's excited.

Very pretty snake, I had not seen that species before! Thanks!
 
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