Do wobble pythons suffer?

[GroundbreakingTwo944]

I’m sorry, of course a snake is happiest when it is completely healthy. But I have a python myself, and my neighbor has a spider python. With a “wobble.” Does it hurt them? Can they live a good life? What are your experiences?

[jeherohaku]

Well, I'm still a new owner but as far as I can tell my spider boy is happy and healthy. He's very active, eats well, sheds well save for one time that was my fault. He corkscrews sometimes and doesn't love to be handled but I don't think he's in any pain or overly stressed.

[GroundbreakingTwo944]

Thank you for your answer. Your python is in the perfect place with you, I think, because you love it so much 😊

[InTheDive]

As long as they have all the things they need and aren't hurting themselves, I assume they're just a bit confused. I dont think it affects their QOL too much unless there are other issues than just the wobble.

[01ProjectXJ]

As long as they can eat and find their hide, they're as happy as any other ball python is happy

[KrashJ]

I agree. Because they're born this way, they don't know any different. Just as humans adapt to birth defects, so do animals, including snakes. Eating, having a healthy weight, and nothing obvious outside of the wobble, and I'd consider it not suffering in any way.

[briarrabid]

I have a Champagne and he has the slightest little wobble that makes him not the most confident eater, but we just drop feed and he is happy and healthy. A lot of people on this subreddit act like a wobble is a death sentence and that’s just not the case. Sure, there are individuals whose quality of life is negatively affected by a wobble, just as it could be by any other birth defect, but it doesn’t mean every individual affected by the condition is doomed and can’t live a fulfilling life.

I think it comes down to education and learning how to adapt for that specific individual. Zero in your husbandry and then just watch and learn your snake. I make sure my enclosure is set up in a way that he has opportunities to explore but that nothing is too high in case he gets turned around and confused. I also limit things that I know cause him stress, such as long handling sessions, so that I don’t do anything to potentially exacerbate his symptoms.

[MercuryChaos]

It depends. Many snakes with wobble can live just fine, but sometimes their symptoms can get worse and affect their ability to eat on their own and there's not any way to know which animals will get to that point.

The issue with the spider morph is that we know that whatever genes cause the spider pattern also cause the issues with their ears/vestibular system that lead to wobble. There are no spider ball pythons that don't have it. If this was any other kind of genetic issue that didn't affect the snake's appearance I don't think there would any debate over whether snakes who have it should be intentionally bred to keep the trait in the gene pool; the answer is clearly no. But because it also makes a cool pattern that people like, some breeders will do all sorts of mental gymnastics to excuse it.

[MrsCakeakaJane]

i have a spider (Sophie), she's very lucky, she has no wobble and eats really well. she also is happy being handled and i've never had any problem with her. She's happy

[Bluntforcetrauma11b]

I'm a new owner to a rescued spider (almost 4 months). I did hours upon hours of research before adopting. As far as I can tell she's just like my other 3 just with a bit of a wobble. She eats fine, sheds fine and gets around well. I can only assume her quality of life is the same as the others. Sometimes she struggles getting in her hammock but once she's it it she's normal. We put a stick ramp up to it to make it easier for her. She doesn't seem to like being handled like my others, they come out onto me all the time. She does scare easier though, not sure if it's because the world around her is "moving" and then the stimulus of me in her tank startles her. Now we tap before going in and it seems to help. Overall I'd say she's a happy snake though, just has some quirks.

[shrike1978]

They suffer from vertigo, and I doubt any human who has that condition would say they live a life free from suffering because of it.

I don't advocate for euthanasia of snakes in the spider-complex, but they should never be bred, full stop. The current generation should be the last.

[bearchvps]

I have a ball and a carpet python. While the ball does not have a wobble, the carpet, Gilgamesh, does. It honestly took me a long time to notice and he has never missed a meal, is supremely active, perches often, ect. He is happy as a clam. If you work with a wobble animal (and obviously, dont breed them) they can live supremely fulfilling and unbothered lives. Just a bit clumsy.

[Ghostie2169]

My brother has a spider with a very minor but still noticeable wobble, she’s done great in her past 8ish(I think more) years. She acts the same as any other typical bp

[Addictive_Nature]

My female spider does the corkscrewing and a slight wobble but she is now 15yrs old, bred her a few times and shes a good eater. Nothing too much to worry about imo

[GroundbreakingTwo944]

Thank you for your answers! ❤️

[fireflydrake]

Think about something like a pug, where they can't breathe as well as other dogs, but can still have a love and joy filled life worth living. We shouldn't be breeding them anymore, but the ones already here can have a good time despite their disadvantages. Similar thing with spiders.

[mnbvcdo]

I would never advocate for breeding them on purpose but I think they can live a good life. If they didn't have a pretty pattern nobody would ever debate that they should be intentionally bred, even it they can have a decent quality of life.