My first "possible RI" thread...

and hopefully my last...

Anyways, I was wondering if there's anything other than an RI that can cause a BP to make a clicking sound. I've been noticing it for about a week when I have him out. It seems like it might be intermittent, because after a few days of noticing it I started listening for it every time I take him out and there's been times when I don't here it for a solid few minutes after I take him out, then it will start up.

I've been watching him pretty closely and there hasn't been any wheezing, no mucus bubbles around his nostrils or his mouth, he's been eating really well with a great feeding response.. I also have not seen him star-gazing or sitting with his head elevated, - other than when he climbs the sides of his tank and then slides back down. Starting to feel quite worried about it, and if it doesn't let up soon I'm probably going to take him to a vet. The only difficult thing is that I live in a small town without it's own vet. The nearest city to me (2.5 hours away) has a by-law banning the ownership of BPs, so although there's a vet who appears to be a reptile vet, I'm not sure how much they'll be able to help. I will of course try if things don't seem to improve.

I just wanted to check and see if anything else can cause the noise.. I know that stuck shed can sometimes cause the whistling sounds associated with RIs, but haven't heard anything about if it can cause the popping noise. I know for a fact that his last shed wasn't that great - when we got him there were a few pieces of shed in the container with him as well as there being stuck shed on his tail, and a few stuck scales here and there on his body.

Thanks for any help or advice... I hope he's alright = /

Well no responses, but it is super late.. I'm calling the vet in the morning and setting up an appointment. Hopefully she can help even though there aren't an BPs in the city.

Here's hoping that if it's an RI it was caught early. If it is an RI I will definitely ask to have a culture done so that the right type of bacteria is treated and hopefully she gives me injections for him instead of oral medication...

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Originally Posted by Ashleigh91

Well no responses, but it is super late.. I'm calling the vet in the morning and setting up an appointment. Hopefully she can help even though there aren't an BPs in the city.

Here's hoping that if it's an RI it was caught early. If it is an RI I will definitely ask to have a culture done so that the right type of bacteria is treated and hopefully she gives me injections for him instead of oral medication...

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Could be stuck shed in its nostrils. When was the last time it shed?

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Hows your temps and humidity?

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Humidity stays between 50 and 60%. His last shed I'm assuming is right before he got shipped, which was February 28. His temps are 81 on the cool side, 88-90 on the hot side.

I'm hoping it's stuck shed.. I called the vet today and the girl who answered the phone said that she has to check with the vet on monday to see if he'll even see a Ball Python ... so I have no idea what the hell I'll be doing if he wont... -.-

If he did have an RI though, would he still be eating with no problem? Or could it just be that he's in the early stages of an RI?

It sounds like it could be a RI - my first experience with one was a female ball and it was a barely audible sound she made when breathing out - almost like a huff sound. It wasnt constant - just once in a while. What I do remember though was how fast it progressed from a slight breathing issue to a full blown RI. The huff sound seemed to go on for a few weeks and I took advice from others who said to bump the heat and keep a close eye. I woke up one morning and she was bubbling and mouth was gaping, head straight up, rubbing the mucus on the glass,.. You get the picture!! Since then, first sign of a RI and I take them right in for a culture. Snakes will often hide their symptoms from us for a long time so when they start to appear ill, they're usually very ill and because they have fairly slow metabolism and aren't overly active, it can take a while for them to recover - even with the administration of antibiotics. You definitely want a culture done to determine the right course of antibiotics - if not, u could spend 2 weeks giving incorrect Meds, while your snake becomes more ill.
I've seen many snakes pass from untreated RI's so it's important you get on it ASAP. Hopefully, it's nothing to be concerned over though. Keep your temps at the high end for now - I'd say 92 degrees warm end is ok and around 80 overall.
All the best of luck :-)

Thanks, I just don't know what I'll do if the vet here refuses to see him...

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Originally Posted by Ashleigh91

Thanks, I just don't know what I'll do if the vet here refuses to see him...

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Do you have any idea where the closest actual herp vet is? Where do u live?

I live in a tiny ass town called Atikokan in Northern Ontario. The closest cities with vets is Thunder Bay, and the vet I phoned was listed online as a "reptile vet" and it says that she's experienced in exotics. I don't know where the next closest place would be, even Thunder Bay is 2 and a half hours away. Pretty remote up here. They're calling me back on Monday to tell me if they're willing to see a Ball Python ...

Also, he refused his first meal today - so that's discouraging. I'm basically a wreck right now -.-