If your ball python has been acting differently, or seems listless and sick, it could be dying. It’s very important to know the signs of a dying ball python so you can save it on time. In this post, you will find out about ball python death symptoms, possible reasons why a ball python died and how to know if your ball python is dying.
There might be various reasons why a ball python can die suddenly, including high/low cage temperature, infection, parasitism, dehydration and more. Please take your ball python to a vet as soon as you notice signs of sickness.
Please note that you cannot diagnose any disorders by yourself. If you suspect that your ball python is sick, please take it to a vet for professional diagnosis.
#1: Cage temperatures too low/too high/lack of gradient
If you keep your ball python in a cage that’s too hot or cool, your ball python might die. Improper temperatures will cause issues with digestion, as well as compromise immunity. Very high temperatures can also lead to neurological issues and death.
Make sure your ball python’s cage has a temperature gradient, so it can regulate its own temperature. This is crucial, otherwise your ball python will slowly develop problems without you noticing.
On one side, it must be cool, within temperatures of 76-82 Fahrenheit (24.4-27.7 Celsius). The other side must be warm (basking), within temperatures of 87-94 Fahrenheit (30.5-34.4 Celsius). Ambient temperatures should be in the range of 80-85 Fahrenheit (26.7-29.4 Celsius).
Make sure to review the heating you have and measure temperatures with digital thermometers. They are more accurate than stick-on or analog ones. An infrared thermometer like this is also great for telling temperatures in different spots. You must also use a thermostat to regulate temperatures.
You can read all about ideal heating and lighting for a ball python here.
#2: Parasitic infection
Parasites can affect your ball python and cause it pain, anemia, and generally drain the organism. If treated, ball pythons often bounce back and continue thriving. But if untreated, it will eventually lead to death, due to systemic inflammation and negative effects on your ball python’s organs, including its heart.
Parasites can be external (mites, ticks) or internal (protozoa, Coccidia and more). Most wild-caught ball pythons will have external and especially internal parasites, sometimes more than one type.
That’s why it’s always important to test your new ball python’s stool for parasites. Quarantining a new ball python in a separate room for few months is also important. Signs of parasites include failing to grow, runny or smelly poop, blood and lots of mucus in poop, regurgitation.
Ticks and mites (external parasites) are visible under scales. If a ball python has ticks, it’s also likely to soak for long periods of time. Ticks/mites will be then visible in water.
#3: Skin infections
Skin infections, also left untreated, can lead to a ball python’s death. For example, a necrotizing dermatitis, also called scale rot, is very serious and needs immediate treatment.
This is often caused by too much moisture in the cage, prolonged soaking, skin wounds that allow bacteria to enter bloodstream and cause septicemia (blood poisoning).
Signs of scale rot is bleeding under belly scales, making it look very red (don’t confuse with pink belly before shedding). If untreated, scale rot can lead to death of your ball python. Other signs include raised ulcerated areas, brown scales.
#4: Gastrointestinal issues
Ball pythons, can suffer from gastrointestinal disorders. They are often caused by parasitic or bacterial infections, usually coupled with dehydration and stress.
Gastroenteritis, for example, causes inflammation of the intestinal flora, causing regurgitation, bloody poop (can be with lots of mucus). There can be a big number of other gastrointestinal issues, including problems with liver, kidneys etc.
Low tank temperatures and/or very high humidity levels can further suppress immunity and make a ball python very weak and sick.
#5: Rodent attacks and bites
Feeding live mice or rats to a ball python is not advised (unless it’s not eating for a long time etc.). That’s because rodents can attack your ball python in order to protect themselves.
A rodent can seriously attack a ball python, biting, scratching and stressing it out. Serious bites and scratches can later get infected. But even worse, it can cause septicemia, which can later kill your ball python.
Any rodent wounds or scratches must be cleaned with diluted Betadine or similar, and antibiotic (without pain relief added) applied to the wound. If a wound is deep, you need to take your ball python to a vet for stitches.
#6: Toxic fumes
Another possible reason of why a ball python has died suddenly is toxic fumes. Have you possibly cleaned or built your ball python’s cage recently? Did you use any bleach solution and possibly did not rinse out too well?
Or maybe you have recently built a new cage for it and used chemicals to waterproof the cage etc. When using any chemicals, it’s important to let the cage air out for around 1-3 weeks before putting your ball python in.
What is more, you must be careful with what type of wood/substrate you are using. That’s because some woods contain aromatic fumes/phenols, which are toxic to your ball python long-term. These include cedar, pine, eucalyptus, and even chemically treated wood.
#7: Old age
If your ball python was rather old, it could have died of old age. Ball pythons live for 20-30 years, and even up to 40 years with good care.
However, lifespan can be reduced due to different factors. These include past health conditions, diet, housing, stress and many more. If your ball python was rather old, eating and moving less due to old age, it could have died due to that.
#8: Respiratory infection
Respiratory infection can eventually lead to wasting of an organism and cause death in a ball python if untreated.
Causes of respiratory infection include low cage humidity or temperatures. Low humidity leads to drying out of mucous membranes, making them crack. Ball pythons require humidity levels of 60-70%, and up to 80% when shedding.
Signs of a respiratory infection include bubbles or other secretions from the nose, frothy saliva, wheezing, popping sounds. Other signs include lethargy, inflated throat, bulging under the throat, breathing with an open mouth, raising its head to breathe.
In case of a respiratory infection, you need to review temperatures (and often increase them to help your ball python fight off the infection) and humidity levels. Antibiotics are often required, so taking a ball python to a vet with above symptoms is very important.
It’s very important to take your ball python to a vet as soon as you notice any mild symptoms. If left untreated, it will lead to a lower respiratory tract infection, pneumonia. This will cause your ball python’s lung to fill with fluid, making it too hard for your ball python to breathe.
#9: Stress
Believe it or not, prolonged stress can cause death of a ball python (and other reptiles). This is because stress suppresses the immune system, making it weaker and susceptible to other diseases and ailments.
There can be many stress factors that can affect your ball python. For example, a very large open cage without proper tight hides and clutter will make your ball python feel vulnerable. Cage positioning in a loud spot or high traffic, causing many vibrations and people passing, can also lead to stress.
Other stress factors include feeding live rodents, handling too often, feeding in a separate container (not required), very bright lighting, changing the habitat too often and many more.
#10: Mouth rot, or stomatitis
Mouth rot is an infection which is often caused by mechanical damage to your ball python’s mouth. This can be caused when eating, due to cage furniture, injury and so on.
Wounds in the mouth become a breeding ground for bacteria, and it can cause ulcerations and spots with dying tissue. If left untreated, bacteria can enter the bloodstream, and once again, cause a threatening systemic infection.
Signs of mouth rot include swollen red gums, pus around the mouth, red spots around the mouth. If your ball python has died, open its mouth and check it out. Healthy gums must be light pink, without presence of any secretions.
#11: Serious weight loss/underfeeding
If your ball python did not eat properly, and lost lots of weight, it would die. Weight loss can also be caused by other factors, including gastrointestinal issues, infection, not eating during breeding season.
Wrong temperatures, stress and other husbandry issues would also make your ball python not eat. Pain due to a broken jaw, difficulty breathing due to a respiratory infection or other internal issues will also make your ball python go off feed. That’s why it’s important to look for other possible causes of low/no appetite before force-feeding a ball python.
Ball pythons can generally stop eating voluntarily for a long time without any threat to their health (up to 3-4 months, and sometimes even more than a year!). But this will differ, and smaller or sick ball pythons might not survive for too long without feeding properly.
Most owners of baby ball pythons make a mistake of underfeeding their ball python. This is when they feed them very small rodents (pinky or fuzzy mice, for example, which are too small and ball python can be started on hoppers).
It is always very important to weigh regularly. If there’s any weight loss, there could a be serious underlying condition.
Read about ideal ball python rodent feeder sizes here.
#12: Inclusion body disease (IBD)
IBD is a viral disease that affects boas and pythons, and is fatal. It can be transmitted to a ball python from other snakes, or if you pass it to your ball python after handling infected snakes.
This infection weakens a ball python’s immune system, and it often dies from other infections or complications (parasitic etc.). This disease can progress within few weeks and cause serious suppression of vital organ activity (brain, heart, digestive system etc.).
Symptoms will include stargazing, loss of balance/poor coordination, swollen mouth, loss of appetite, regurgitation, pupils of different size.
Ball python signs of sickness
- Red belly and sides (not pinkish tint on belly before shedding)
- Swollen red gums, frothy saliva, pus from mouth
- Bubbling from mouth/nose
- Clicking or popping noises
- Open mouth breathing
- Gaping
- Diarrhea, runny stool, possibly with blood and mucus
- Extreme lethargy
- External ticks or mites (black/red dots under scales)
- Prolapsed hemipene (male’s sexual organ stuck outside and not retracting – emergency situation)
- Bumps, blisters, wounds
- Limpness
- Poor coordination
- Weight loss
- Wrinkles on the skin, skin folds (dehydration)
Ball python death symptoms
- Ball python is cold and limp
- Stiffness
- Unresponsiveness
- No tongue flicking
- Lack of any movement (especially if you pick it up from the mid-body)
Once again, if you suspect any disorder that requires professional diagnosis and treatment, take your ball python to a vet. If your ball python has died, it’s often too hard/impossible to tell the cause of death without autopsy.
What to do with a dead ball python?
If your ball python died, you can cremate it (pet crematorium), bury it or ask a vet to dispose of it correctly (for a fee). You would also need permission of a land owner and possibly authorities to bury a snake.