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Possible RI?
I think my fire ball python may have a RI. He feel's a little squishy rather than hard. His belly looks light pink, I opened his mouth and it's a light pink, but while I was holding his head (gently) it felt soft and squishy also. I haven't heard ANY clicking, or weird breathing noises. his eye's look like they're starting to glaze over, so I'm wondering if he might shed soon? He seems a lot weaker than he did when I got him. I've had him for about 3 weeks now. My room mate and I like to keep our apartment at 70 degrees F, so its chilly in my room at times. I have one set up in my closet that's fine, but This snake is under the a/c vent with cardboard covering park of the screen top. I know It's dumb but it's the only other place I could put it. I'm getting his hot side temp up to 90ish and maybe that will help? On his nose it looks like there is dry skin, or mucus, or something. sometimes he tries to "get out" of the tank and rubs his nose on the screen top. He is very active, uses his tongue a lot. I just fed him last monday. He's a very good eater.
I'm honestly scared of him dying. My first snake died because the pet shop I got him from sold me a sick one and I had absolutely no idea. (didn't even have the snake for 24hrs)
can anyone point me in the right direction here? What are some tall tale symptoms of a Ball having a RI? What am I doing wrong? Is there something else I should check?
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Sounds like a shed coming. Pink belly, loose skin or as you say "squishy", dull eyes are all the first signs of a coming shed. This would be when you need to bump up your humidity.
Signs of an RI are mucus, stringy saliva, yawning, keeping head tilted up, labored breathing, clicks, pops, fail to feed, smear marks on cage walls and water bowl.
Posting some more info on your setup we could probably help keep your cage temps up. My home is 68 at all times and I have two glass tanks that are running great. Adding thick art paper or poster board to the back and sides(outside) can help retain some heat and if offers a feeling of security.
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Amazing how people think their snakes have all kinds of diseases when they are only going to shed....:D Relax, and bump the humidity up for a couple days until he sheds, and he'll be fine :)
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