Just @$#*&%!! great.

[anji1971]

So my snake luck is taking a turn for the worst. I think Deejay is having seizures.
Her body keeps going into these jumpy spasms, and when I pick her up, her whole body is just shuddering. I've never seen anything like this.
It's not like the thiaminase spasms -- she isn't writhing and twisting, but she's lying still, just jumping, like we do when we're startled!
I fed her last night -- salmon and nightcrawlers -- and she was FINE. She ate with her usual fire and gusto. Now this.
What the hell????:confused::(:confused:

[Zephyr]

Where do you get your worms/nightcrawlers from?

[anji1971]

My yard, when it rains. No pesticide used here, either.

[Zephyr]

Hmm... Any neighbors?

[anji1971]

Not that I know of. Well, I mean, yes I have neighbours, but they don't do anything with pesticides either. One neighbour uses weed'n'feed occasionally, but not near my lawn.

[Zephyr]

Hmm... If he's done it recently, and you collect worms during rainstorms, some of it may get washed onto your lawn, depending on where he's located.

[anji1971]

He's next door, but I don't think they've done anything since last year.
I've always fed her worms from my yard, and I fed them to her mom too.
Deejay's always been perfectly healthy. This is just so sudden, I just can't fathom why.

[anji1971]

If it were something I've fed her, could it be undone if I changed the diet? Or would she end up damaged permanently?

[Zephyr]

I don't know... You might have bad weather moving in.

[Charlet_2007]

do worms get parasites?

[Stefan-A]

do worms get parasites?
Even parasites can get parasites.


Sorry to hear about the snake, Anji. I wish I could help. :(

[adamanteus]

If it is a dietry issue, offering a more varied diet would help with gradual improvement..... but it could well be a parasite. Blood tests would tell you the answer. I hope Deejay is okay.:(

[Lori P]

Is it constant or sporadic? Is she moving around while it happens or just staying in on spot? Was she doing it before last night's meal or are you saying she started afterwards? Just trying to get it straight in my head...

[anji1971]

It's frequent but not constant. She was having periods of jumping and twitching all evening. She had eaten the night before, and this showed up yesterday around 5pm. Today, she is moving about like usual, but she kind of shudders and jerks her way around. She's not jumping about like last night, at least.

[anji1971]

Well, I've been keeping an eye on her since I got home from work, and she's moving around a bit more. She's slow,and still a little twitchity, but it's noticeably less. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what becomes of this.
Ironically, it was just a couple weeks ago that I commented to my husband about how lucky I've been with my snakes, that I've never had to deal with any of the problems I'm always reading about here. I should have kept my big mouth shut!:D:mad::D

[Stefan-A]

I have that experience all the time. Everything seems to be going smoothly and then suddenly... Tried to come up with an amusing thing to say, but I'm not really in the mood.

[jeanette]

i hope it all works out ok, looks like a case of wait and see what happens, not helpful i know but i really hope shes ok.

[Lori P]

Wonder if it's neurological? Could she have bonked her head somehow?? Fallen or something? Just an idea.

[Sid]

Anji, wish there was some advice I could give. I do hope all turns out OK.

[anji1971]

Thanks to everyone for your kind words. I've been trying to find out about this type of thing, and I did find an article on seizures, convulsions and tremors in reptiles. From what I've read these appear to be tremors, not seizures, since she's not losing consciousness. I have some hope that way, because tremors are often related to a dietary deficiency, or exposure to some toxin.
Seizures, Convulsions And Tremors In Reptiles - Veterinarian Practice & General Health Issues (http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64487)
So I'm going to overhaul her diet. I'm fairly certain my nightcrawlers are safe, but the salmon I've used is Pacific salmon, which could honestly come from anywhere, and maybe contain chemicals or something from whatever part of the world it was caught.Some places have very poor standards when it comes to pollution and chemicals in water and soil.
So (assuming she pulls through this) she's getting only fish (probably rainbow trout) from around here that I can be reasonably sure is safe.
I also must confess that I've never used vitamin supplements before, so I am going to do so from now on.
If she doesn't improve, then it is probably neurological or virus related, and there isn't much I can do anyway. But as usual, I will remain positive, and hope for the best.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

then it is probably neurological or virus related



if you suspect this MAY be an issue, be sure to move the cage to a separate room and make sure any contact you make with your snake is minimal and that you wash the heck out of your hands afterward. Viruses have the potential to kill off an entire collection if not contained. Trust me, my old ball python is ill with I have no idea what, but it COULD be a virus so he is in strict quarantine. He is all twisty, he can't really crawl straght and he scruches his body up as he moves. He will be going straight and all the sudden throw his head around in a complete loop, and then keep going, his whole body continuing in the loop. I was told to hold him by the tail and dangle him towards the floor, if he can't raise his head that it's most likely a very serious virus. But he can lift his head, so i am not sure. Seeing as I had a miscarriage not too long ago, I can't afford all the testing required at the moment, and so I am hoping for the best. He actually seems to have improved since it started and has steadily been regaining motor control.

I really hope things imrpove for you!!!

[anji1971]

Thanks Shannon. She has fairly good motor control, actually, she just keeps twitching and jerking along the way! Like a really old car trying to make it up a hill.
I am being careful with her though, but I'm just not sure at this point, and I can't really afford the testing either.

[drache]

I hope she recovers completely from whatever it is, Anji
it's scary, when you don't even know what it is they're sick from

[anji1971]

She has been improving! She twitched less each day, and today she's back to poking her head out and coming up to the glass to see me when I'm next to the tank. I know it sounds weird but she actually looks perkier.
Can snakes get minor viruses that just affect them for a few days? Some kind of snakey-flu?:D

[drache]

I'm so glad to hear she's on the mend

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

She has been improving! She twitched less each day, and today she's back to poking her head out and coming up to the glass to see me when I'm next to the tank. I know it sounds weird but she actually looks perkier.
Can snakes get minor viruses that just affect them for a few days? Some kind of snakey-flu?:D


I am not sure on that, but I am glad to hear that your snake is getting better!! it's just ^#*$(# great!!! :D

[anji1971]

I am not sure on that, but I am glad to hear that your snake is getting better!! it's just ^#*$(# great!!! :D

It is!!!
And today she's good as new......not a twitch to be found. And her energy level is back to normal too. I can finally relax..........for now.:D

[adamanteus]

Huge sigh of relief!:D

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

huger sigh of relief.

ha, i beat james.

[Snake lover 3-25]

Even huger sigh of relief.

Ha i beat you both LOL:D:D

[Sid]

:D:D Great to hear, Anji.:D:D

[anji1971]

Thanks guys and gals, whatever the size of your sighs of relief!:D
BTW, Shannon, how is your ball python? Is he still sick?

[anji1971]

Just a little add- on. Last night, I gave Deejay some rainbow trout for the first time, and she loved it!
I've never seen her get so excited over a piece of food..........thought she was going to go flying right out of the tank to find more!! Wish I could have made a video........:D

[Snaky]

I kind off missed the whole thing, but great to hear that she's doing find now! :)

[Lori P]

I've got to go find some trout!! My local grocery store never has it. But there is a seafood store in the county... I'll try there!

[Snake lover 3-25]

I've got to go find some trout!! My local grocery store never has it. But there is a seafood store in the county... I'll try there!

ditto!!! only we don't have a seafood store..:(:(:(:(

[Spiritwolf]

It sounds like your snake ingested something mildly toxic and managed to recover from it with time. I've seen this kind of neurological toxic reaction in a dog before, in a collie who was sensitive to ivermectin and gradually detoxed it and returned to normal. Whatever it was, it's lucky that your snake was able to overcome it and recover!