# Ball Pythons > General BP's >  Heavy breathing?

## xKxLxHx

I've been trying to leave my snake alone so it can get used to it's new home lately, so I haven't been handling it much at all, but I checked up on it tonight when I got home and it seemed to be breathing heavy.  I checked for any noise coming from the snake, or leaving its mouth open or mucus, but it showed none of the signs.  My temperatures and humidity are correct, but PLEASE tell me it's not an RI.

It's still under the "14 day warranty" from Petsmart for a few days and I really, REALLY don't have enough cash for a vet bill right now, could it be anything else, maybe just from being startled?

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## tweets_4611

What do you mean, breathing heavy? Just that his sides are moving faster or farther? You can spook them when you pick up their hide, or check on them, so you may have spooked the little guy.

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## xKxLxHx

> What do you mean, breathing heavy? Just that his sides are moving faster or farther? You can spook them when you pick up their hide, or check on them, so you may have spooked the little guy.



Both, just looks like a struggle.  And I noticed it acting a little different, ever since I put "better" hides in, it never really comes out, but earlier it was laying in the middle of the tank, balled up. Maybe I'm just paranoid?


I'd feel so much better if it would just eat.   :Sad:

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## 8Ball

Mine had RI. A sign was that he would put his head straight up in the air and leave it there for a while;"star gazing"; and he would yawn often. Also I could hear a weezing or crackling in his breathing and see bubbles around his mouth. Hope this info. helps. Maybe he's just getting used to his new home. Good luck.

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## tweets_4611

A vet visit never hurts. I would take the snake and a fecal sample to the vet just to be sure there isn't any physcial reason he isn't eating. If he doesn't ever come out that is a good sign, he likes his new hides. Him being in the middle of the tank I wouldn't worry about too much, they do sometimes just want to look around.

But instead of worrying all the time, I would just take him to the vet, get a fecal test done, and have them check for an RI. If he comes back from the vet clean, then let him settle and he should start to eat.

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## xKxLxHx

> Mine had RI. A sign was that he would put his head straight up in the air and leave it there for a while;"star gazing"; and he would yawn often. Also I could hear a weezing or crackling in his breathing and see bubbles around his mouth. Hope this info. helps. Maybe he's just getting used to his new home. Good luck.


I've only seen it yawn twice since I got it, and both times were when I kind of woke it up to check on it.




> A vet visit never hurts. I would take the snake and a fecal sample to the vet just to be sure there isn't any physcial reason he isn't eating. If he doesn't ever come out that is a good sign, he likes his new hides. Him being in the middle of the tank I wouldn't worry about too much, they do sometimes just want to look around.
> 
> But instead of worrying all the time, I would just take him to the vet, get a fecal test done, and have them check for an RI. If he comes back from the vet clean, then let him settle and he should start to eat.


I figured it just wasn't eating because it's not used to its new home, since I've only had it for a week and a half.  I tried to feed it again, and it was completely disinterested in the food, it wouldn't even look at it, and actually avoided contact with it.  Should I take it back to Petsmart, since it still is under that 14 day thing, and I spent the money expecting a healthy snake?

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## Toronto Python Gurus

> I've been trying to leave my snake alone so it can get used to it's new home lately, so I haven't been handling it much at all, but I checked up on it tonight when I got home and it seemed to be breathing heavy.  I checked for any noise coming from the snake, or leaving its mouth open or mucus, but it showed none of the signs.  My temperatures and humidity are correct, but PLEASE tell me it's not an RI.
> 
> It's still under the "14 day warranty" from Petsmart for a few days and I really, REALLY don't have enough cash for a vet bill right now, could it be anything else, maybe just from being startled?



hey i had the exact same problem with my 07 male pastel, i read a thread made by Corey Woods or a comment in a thread by him that suggests you boost the temperature to around 95F maybe even a little higher and just cook the breathing problem right out of em . . . . so i did this i boosted the temp on the hot side to about 95ish and within a day the problem was gone and he has been fine ever since, good luck hope everything works out!

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## tweets_4611

I don't want to come off as rude, but the fact that you are so willing to just take it back instead of fixing what is wrong bothers me. Snakes will get sick. They will get stressed out. They will go off feed. They will need vet visits. If you aren't willing to take the snake to the vet at some point, I, personally don't believe that you should keep one yet.

Now, the snakes from PetCo are not exactly considered the healtiest of all animals. They are treated like a stock item there, and not like an animal. Noone on this forum can tell you what is wrong with your snake. Only a vet can do that. We can only guess and kinda poke at what is wrong from our own experiances. Especially since we can't see the animal. If you really want to start off with a healthy animal, you *could* take it back to PetCo and contact a breeder. There are many on this site that really care for their animals, and don't sell sick snakes. But the thing is, even if you start with a completely healthy snake, it could still get sick. Say you take this guy back and get another one? What happens with the new one gets sick or goes of feed? You can't just keep taking them back when they break.

Now if you keep this snake, it is a real possiblity that it has an RI, or parasites. But like I said, noone can tell you online if that's what it is or not. If it is an RI, there are some people that believe if you catch it early enough you can just raise the temps and it will go away. Others believe that it can only go away with antibiotics. Parasites will only get worse until they make the snake really sick. If you choose to not take it to a vet, there is no way to know. It will either get better and start eating, or it won't. 

I'll get off my soapbox here. I really hope your snake starts eating for you. It is worrysome to have a pet that isn't eating. But like with any animal, it's either going to need the vet now, or later, and you need to be willing to take it when it's needed.

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_Dezoruba_ (08-31-2016),_Toronto Python Gurus_ (02-05-2009),TrussstInMeee1394 (01-27-2016)

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## xKxLxHx

> I don't want to come off as rude, but the fact that you are so willing to just take it back instead of fixing what is wrong bothers me. Snakes will get sick. They will get stressed out. They will go off feed. They will need vet visits. If you aren't willing to take the snake to the vet at some point, I, personally don't believe that you should keep one yet.
> 
> Now, the snakes from PetCo are not exactly considered the healtiest of all animals. They are treated like a stock item there, and not like an animal. Noone on this forum can tell you what is wrong with your snake. Only a vet can do that. We can only guess and kinda poke at what is wrong from our own experiances. Especially since we can't see the animal. If you really want to start off with a healthy animal, you *could* take it back to PetCo and contact a breeder. There are many on this site that really care for their animals, and don't sell sick snakes. But the thing is, even if you start with a completely healthy snake, it could still get sick. Say you take this guy back and get another one? What happens with the new one gets sick or goes of feed? You can't just keep taking them back when they break.
> 
> Now if you keep this snake, it is a real possiblity that it has an RI, or parasites. But like I said, noone can tell you online if that's what it is or not. If it is an RI, there are some people that believe if you catch it early enough you can just raise the temps and it will go away. Others believe that it can only go away with antibiotics. Parasites will only get worse until they make the snake really sick. If you choose to not take it to a vet, there is no way to know. It will either get better and start eating, or it won't. 
> 
> I'll get off my soapbox here. I really hope your snake starts eating for you. It is worrysome to have a pet that isn't eating. But like with any animal, it's either going to need the vet now, or later, and you need to be willing to take it when it's needed.


Hate to go on the defensive here bro, but I meant take it to the hospital at Petsmart.  Since it's under warranty, it should be checked out freebies.  I am very capaple of keeping animals, I just think it's stupid that I should shell out MORE money on a snake that should have been completely healthy when I bought it.  Since this post it's been acting normal, and hasn't had any breathing problems, but you shouldn't really get on my back like that.  I work there, I know procedure, and I wouldn't ever take it back to get another one, it's just a burden on everyone, and I'm already attatched to the snake as it is.  I didn't at all mean take it back and leave it, just to the hospital, banfield, that petsmart offers.    But even if I couldn't take it to their vet, I'd take it to a real vet if need be.  I'm just saying, why take it somewhere and shell out $200, when I can possibly get it done for free.  Not at all saying that Petsmart is superior to a special herp vet, but at least I'd have an idea of what I'm dealing with.  Apparently by the thanks you got, you're not the only one that had this opinion.  I just want to make myself clear that I would NOT sell a sick animal, nor neglect to take it to the vet, and it does kind of offend me that you'd just go on the offensive and assume that I'm like that.  This isn't a flame, or hate post, but I'm not like that, and I wanted to set it straight.

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## Toronto Python Gurus

> Apparently by the thanks you got, you're not the only one that had this opinion.



just for the record the thanks was for what he was sayin in general for anyone else who reads this thread, it wasnt a "thanks put you in your place", i hope the little guy/girl gets better and things work out, if you have questions then feel free to post them alot of people are on here to help, because alot of people buy ball pythons without proper knowledge . . . . .alot of us are on here to help those people for the love of snakes, i myself am a breeder and i'd rather everyone be happy and have proper knowledge of their pets opposed to gettin money put into my pocket, again i hope your snake is fine and he gets the treatment he needs to be healthy and live as long as he/she can

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## tweets_4611

My mistake...I'm sorry. I don't think that you said anywhere you would be taking it back to the *vet* at Petsmart. When you said you would be taking it back, I didn't see what else you could mean other than returning it.

It is stupid that you should have to shell out more money on an animal that should have been healthy, but the animals from the large chain pet stores aren't known to be healthy. 

But yes, I would take it to the vet at Petsmart. Unfortunately, they may not know much about reptiles, so you may still end up having to go somewhere else. But it can't hurt to start there.

I wasn't trying to write you off as someone that couldn't or wouldn't take care of a pet, but from what I had read and understood, you got a snake you thought was sick and didn't know what else to do to fix it, so you were going to take it back. I do want your little guy to start eating, and thank you for clarifying what you meant, instead of getting upset. ^_^

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## xKxLxHx

Even though youtube completely butchered the quality of my video, here's a quick vid, if you pay close enough attention you might see it.  Again, maybe I'm just paranoid.

YouTube - Steak

Edit: Whoa, didn't know it was going to embed it, I just told it to set up a link, sorry!  

And it's alright, it was my fault for not being more clear the first time. =]

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## xKxLxHx

Sorry for the double post, but I have a better video.  

YouTube - Breathing heavy?

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## Toronto Python Gurus

my volume wasnt working, but i did notice he looked a litttle dehydrated you can tell by the wrinkles in his skin

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## xKxLxHx

> my volume wasnt working, but i did notice he looked a litttle dehydrated you can tell by the wrinkles in his skin


It baffles me.  I fill her dish about twice a day, theres PLENTY of humidity and I've seen it drink quite often, so I'm not exactly sure how it could be dehydrated.  I might try to give her a bath, but I'm not sure what that'll do.  I'm sure she'll get a good bit of moisture from the food, whenever she decides to eat.

There's not too much to the sound, just music, and a loud fan I had running at the time, but did you notice the visual breathing a bit heavy?

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## Toronto Python Gurus

a bath never hurts i bathe my snakes whenever they need it(after poopin/peein and slithering through it, just general maintenance) i did notice him breathin heavy alot of my snakes to that when they are stressed their heartbeats go up a little and they start breathin heavier, next come the hiss then the strike, lol well sometimes, but yeh as long as you dont notice and wheezing, open mouth breathing or any other IR related symtoms that heavy breathin is nothin really to worry about just a lil stressed

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## xKxLxHx

> a bath never hurts i bathe my snakes whenever they need it(after poopin/peein and slithering through it, just general maintenance) i did notice him breathin heavy alot of my snakes to that when they are stressed their heartbeats go up a little and they start breathin heavier, next come the hiss then the strike, lol well sometimes, but yeh as long as you dont notice and wheezing, open mouth breathing or any other IR related symtoms that heavy breathin is nothin really to worry about just a lil stressed


Yeah, I haven't noticed any wheezing or any mucus or anything, and I've only seen it yawn twice since I got it, but it was right after I woke it up (oops).  I'm going to give it a nice little bath and hope it eats soon =/

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## Toronto Python Gurus

sound good, good luck!

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## tweets_4611

To me it looks like you just spooked the little guy. He's all balled up so I'm assuming you just took the hide off of him to get those videos? If you did, he may just be trying to hold still. I've seen my girl do this from time to time when I startle her...she freezes and seems to be trying to hold her breath. She takes a deep breath and holds it again. Personally I think it is just when the get spooked they are trying to move as little as possible. Just my  :twocents:   I'd still run the little guy to the vet to be sure he doesn't have parasites...the majority, if not all of the balls from the big chain stores are captive hatched, so it's very possible he could have something. (I see now that it says "it's a girl"  so maybe you already took her to the vet?)

To help with getting him to eat, now that you have your tank set up, just leave him alone for a week. Just peak in to make sure he is in there and has water, but I would even say don't mess with his hides (picking them up to check on him and what not). Once he starts eating regularly, then you will be able to start messing with him more. I would even wait on the bath....if it has water and the humidity is ok, there isn't any reason to give it a bath until it's eaten a few times for you.

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_Toronto Python Gurus_ (02-06-2009)

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## NeptuneNova

> hey i had the exact same problem with my 07 male pastel, i read a thread made by Corey Woods or a comment in a thread by him that suggests you boost the temperature to around 95F maybe even a little higher and just cook the breathing problem right out of em . . . . so i did this i boosted the temp on the hot side to about 95ish and within a day the problem was gone and he has been fine ever since, good luck hope everything works out!


I Thank You Alot For This I Have A Baby Royal Ball Python Im New To Having A Snake But I Have A Very Strong Passion For Them And I Am Sure Of Alot Of Things Going On Because I Have Done Research And Suchh But I Really Want To Keep It...I Cant Really Contol The Temperature Because I Have The Terrarium In My Room But I Can Moniter It...And Its Always In Thee 80s To 90s I Have Experienced The Same Problem But No Signs Of Any Infection Or Diseases... Soo Would It Be Just Stress.?

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