Random seizures

[kibakiba]

So, this is just great. It's feeding day today, and I was looking for Derpy, since today he gets to have a 1/4th of a pinky, instead of pinky chunks like the rest of the babies... I found him laying under the bedding, and something looked a little off.. But I brushed it off thinking he was asleep. After I picked him up, I held one of the pieces to his mouth and he wouldn't take it... So I set him on the screen top and held it out to him again. He jumped and did a weird coil. I didn't think much of it, to be honest, because his name is 'derpy' for a reason. But then , after I pulled the pinky away and let him sit for a little bit, he jumped and coiled again with head twitching. It looks like a mild seizure, and I don't know what is causing it. I really don't want to lose him but I don't know what to do. The only thing I can think of that could, technically, cause it is the fact that I smoked near my room. I have my smoking blend, which is used for my depression. It works better than my antidepressants. I usually smoke in my bathroom with the fan (sucks air out) on so the smoke wont get around my snakes... The fan is always on when I smoke and most of the smoke goes right to the fan.
I guess there's a possibility that he's dehydrated... He has water and everything, but he's got mental issues and maybe he forgot it was there... I don't know. Have any advice?


Also, I have a feeling someone will bash me about the smoking, but if it helps me for than pills... That's how it has to be. I'm very diligent about keeping the fans on to keep the smoke away from my snakes. I would think that if it was the smoke, the smaller snakes would have done this, too, since they're in the same tank, and they're a lot smaller than Derpy.

[guidofatherof5]

Not sure what it could be. Some snakes just have issues (genetic/developmental).
Keep us posted.

[kibakiba]

Well Derpy has always had issues, ones that have seemed to get worse as he gets older. I never really thought it would get this bad though. I mean, it started out as him just being disoriented and tumbling off of branches and hides, which is normal enough. He started acting weird with his food after that, waving his head left and right really fast. Then his eyes got a bit... Well, derpy. Sometimes one eye points up and the other goes in a random direction. I've also noticed that at times, he'll look in one direction with, say, his left eye, and his right eye will be looking around without his left eye moving. He's the biggest sweetheart, though. I really want him to make it through all of this. I mean, he's made it almost two and a half years with his little quirks and issues.

[katach]

I'm sorry Channel. I don't know what could be wrong, but you and little Derpy are in my thoughts.

[kibakiba]

Thanks Kat. It really does mean a lot to me.I have him separated from everyone else so he can have some peace and quiet. I'm hoping he'll get better soon!

[katach]

I hope so too. Hugs to you and Derpy!

[kibakiba]

He's hanging in there. I've got him in a 1l 'bug box' so he can be near me at all times. I brought him with me to take a nap. He seemed to enjoy it a bit. When I checked on him, he wasn't moving at all and he was really stiff, but, before I could even say something, he started moving again. Unfortunately most of that movement was a seizure. I'm not even sure if seizure is the right term for what he's doing. When Snap was dying, she would start twitching a little bit and then death roll. I thought that was a seizure, but Derpy just has little twitching fits that make him coil up and jump. He doesn't look like he's in that much pain, but I can't say for sure. When Snap was having one of her fits, her pupils would contract to the point where you could barely evens see the pupil at all. I assumed it was because it was hurting her. With Derpy he seems relaxed.... Stroking his back gently seems to calm him down a lot too.

[d_virginiana]

Aw, sorry to hear that :(
Sounds like it's something congenital. If he doesn't look like he's in pain, then that's good at least.

[kibakiba]

Yeah. I don't think the heat is helping. I was thinking he could be dehydrated, and now that it's cooling off just a bit he's been swimming in his little cap of water. I'm pretty sure he's had a little bit to drink. Everyone (save for the baby snakelets) rejected food today. I don't blame them... These guys are built for colder weather.

[Light of Dae]

Give them some ice cubes in their water then put them in it and let them see how nice the water is. (Did that with my flames n George today, they loved it) If you can put a towel covering most of the top, use a fan in the open screen area, will work to cool everyone off as well.

Best of luck with the little weirdo, Hope he makes it for you *hug* Its not easy I know, But I also know you will make him as comfortable as can be if it come down to it.

Ya'll in my thoughts dear.
*hugs* I wish I could be there in person to hug you, It works w how much a good to make you feel better.... I know how much a hug does... I fight depression a lot too.... It is hard, but you can do anything you need to.
Your mind is stronger than your emotions.

[Light of Dae]

Edit** sorry, don't mind me... I'm drunk... rather stressed about this moving or mortgage thing...

<3 Love life eh <3

What can you do but smile..
\\

I'm often in traffic jams after work n look at peoples faces... they all look so .. miserable.. I end up smiling n jamming out to music. I'm not going to be grumpy.. what good does grumpy help??

[Light of Dae]

lol I've had.. two drinks>>>.. I'm a light wieght!!!!! lol

Sorry***
G'night. Ya'll.

[kibakiba]

I've been putting icecubes in the water, especially Derpy's water.
And thanks, Dae, it's really sweet of you! I've found ways of dealing with it at least partially. The smoking blend really does help. 50 dollars worth (3-5 oz) lasts me over a year, when my meds (that don't help much) costs me 1,080 a year.
Here's some pictures of him... He's just so cute.
http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/7320/sdc14530.jpg
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5458/sdc14536n.jpg
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9350/sdc14533.jpg
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3977/sdc14528q.jpg

[katach]

Awwww, I love it when they curl up in a circle like that. So cute! Hope he gets well soon!

[kibakiba]

He curls up like that when I hold him now, I think he enjoys having my finger swirl down his back. He calms right down when I do that.

[katach]

That is sweet. Willow likes to sit so I can scratch her chin and neck.

[EasternGirl]

Chantel...some of what you are describing sounds a lot like Possum...who has a congenital neurological condition...if you remember. It's usually more common in albinos...but...I have noticed that Possum has gotten worse in many ways...his head seems to shake a bit more and he does things upside down more as he grows. Other than that, though, he is very active and healthy. It sounds like Derpy could have something like this that may be getting progressively worse....or he could continue on like Possum and learn to adjust. Possum always eats though...so I'm not sure. I hope Derby gets better and I will be thinking of both of you...keep us posted.

[ProXimuS]

I hope little Derpy ends up ok! I know he's in good hands:)

[kibakiba]

Marnie, it does seem like Derpy has what Possum has, but I think in derpy's case it had to have gotten worse for a reason. He's not really his usual self. The usual Derpy would never miss a meal, he would eat until he exploded, I'm not even kidding. He attempted to eat a pinky while I was feeding one of the other snakelets, he latched onto the one I gave Snakey and he did not want to let go. It's kind of cute. He's also extremely active and friendly. He's been resting a lot, and when he is up and moving around, he's very slow. Just an hour ago, he had a seizure and it was pretty bad. He started waving his head really fast, kind of like he was angry and getting ready to bite and then he twitched and rolled... And the worst part was he started striking over and over at me as if he was fighting for his life... It was horrible seeing him do that.
He got a little active after he had rested, flicking his tongue and slithering around as if nothing even happened. He did something cute that he hasn't done before. He tried to get to my face, so I lifted him up a little bit... He just sniffed me and touched his nose to my lip, nose and my left eye.. He's just so sweet.

Right now, he's sleeping on my chest all coiled up. He's been here for 10-15 minutes.

[d_virginiana]

He sounds adorable :) Hopefully he can adapt to his neurological issues.

[kibakiba]

I finally got him to drink some water. He had me worried. He's been sleeping through most of the day. Most of his little twitches seem to make him rub/smack his face onto my finger... It's kind of weird. His whole body tenses up sometimes, and it's a horrible feeling when you know that it's causing him trouble.
Earlier in the day I had set him down in the little 1l container so I could move some stuff around. The second I set him down, he started having a seizure. I felt horrible that I was the one who seemed to cause that seizure. Right after his seizure he just slithered out of the container and onto my hand. He really seemed to be comforted by me. He spends hours just sitting on my chest while I'm reading. I'm really not kidding when I say he's a sweetheart. His eyes and face alone will make your heart melt.

[EasternGirl]

Right..if he is having seizures, something else is going on. Possum does not have seizures. I am so sorry he and you are going through this. I wish I could offer some insight as to what could be causing it...but I don't know. I hope he gets better. I will be thinking about you.

[kibakiba]

I'm not sure if its a true seizure, its just easier. He twitches, slithers sideways, tenses up, etc. Just not knowing what is going on puts a strainon my mind. I'm obviously trying hard to keep positive.
Besides, Marnie, the title is 'random seizures'... Where did you gather that it was something else? ;)

[mikem]

Hoping derpy pulls through! At least you are making him as comfortable as possible. Good luck you two.

[katach]

I'm so sorry this is happening. I wish there was something I could do to help.

[kibakiba]

It's okay, I'm happy knowing that even if he doesn't pull through, he had a better life than he would have out in the wild :) I've accepted that I might not be able to save him, but that doesn't mean I wont try everything I can to keep my little Derpy alive.

[ProXimuS]

Even if he was with another owner, you can't be too sure that someone would go through the trouble to keep him comfortable and do what you are doing for your little boy! Keeping fingers crossed for you two!

[kibakiba]

Yeah, but I don't know why someone wouldn't want to comfort this little cutie! I'm making him a special blanket so he'll be comfortable in the 1l carrier. He sleeps most of the day, so I imagine he'd like a blanket to snuggle up in.

[kibakiba]

No seizures today. Just chilling and sleeping. I set him in the tank so that he could have some rest out of the light, and when I put him on his blanket, he slithered right up to the plastic and stared at me before having the biggest yawn I've ever seen a little snakie make. It was so cute!

[EasternGirl]

Well...like I said before, it sounds a lot like Possum. So I am suspecting that it is some sort of progressive neuro problem, but I am not sure. I hope Derpy pulls through though. :)

[kibakiba]

Yeah, he's super lethargic, but he seems to have forgotten that water is good for him... I have to dunk his head in the water over and over to get him to drink a couple sips. He rarely moves once he goes to sleep. When I went to bed last night, I kissed him goodnight and set him on the blanket and covered him a little bit, and when I woke up he was in the same place. It still worries me that he won't eat, but we'll see how he is tomorrow. I can offer him salmon, pinky and worm, maybe he's wanting something different. I have a little baby snail I could pull out, and a baby slug in the frogs tank.
I know that sounds weird, but I lack the room to have a slug bin, can barely walk a couple steps in my bedroom and my office... I don't think the frogs mind the slugs... In fact, McCroak climbed onto one of them and sat on it for a while... Haha!

[kibakiba]

Little Derpy is perked up, flicking his tongue with the occasional derpy eye movement... He's actually slithering around when I pick him up. He also ate a worm! It made my mom and I jump for joy. She really believed that he was going to end up dying. I'm not going to get my hopes up just yet, though. We still have a couple days before I'll be putting him back with the others. I'm also not going to stuff him full of food just yet. I feel like it would be safer to have him eat a little today and see how he does. Tomorrow I'll cut a pinky into 4 strips and let him eat one strip and see how he does after that. He hasn't pooped once since I started keeping him in the 1l carrier. I know it's barely any space, but I need to keep him on my desk with me.

[katach]

Glad to hear the positive news! Hope it keeps up!