Can anyone help?

Hey everyone

I just thought I'd ask for some advice from some of the best! My BP seems to be spending an inordinate amount of time in the cool end of her tank. I've checked the temps and they measure 91.2 F on the warm side and 79.9 F on the cool side. The ambient air temp is 85 F.

Why is she spending so much time in the cool end? I initially thought that since her hides are different she spent more time in her more secure cave. To combat this I took her out today (just to add, she appears to be going into shed, which would explain why she's being so secretive and grumpy). I decided to swap the hides around, so I put the cave on the warm side and the half-log (placed up against the wall to help her feel more secure, since I have a wood and glass viv) on the cool side. I hoped that this would make her go to the warm side. Instead, she chose the cool half-log! WTF lol?! I'm just worried about her getting an RI, could this happen if she spends too much time in her cool end? :confused:

Why is she doing this, it's not too hot, the tank is heated by an infrared heat lamp hooked up to a dimming thermostat. I've checked the temps and according to a number of caresheets & advice from keepers, the temps are fine.

I'm worried also because I found a fair amount of white saliva in her water bowl, it formed a ring around the edge.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

David

Hi,

How and where in the tank are you measuring your temps?

When you say a lot of saliva was it stringy mucus or a crusty deposit where the water had evaporated? how often do you change the water and what do you use to clean the waterbowl?

Have you heard any noises from her when she'd breathing (but not stressed or exerting herself) if you hold her head near your ear? does she spend a lot of time with her held up and, if you open her mouth, do you see a lot of mucus?


dr del

Hey Derek

I'm using a digital probe thermometer and I'm measuring at ground level. For the ambient air temp, I measured at three different areas with the probe in the air, then calculated the average.

It wasn't crusty, it was like stringy mucus.

When I had her out earlier both myself and my friend had a listen, we couldn't hear anything. She doesn't spend time with her head held up unless obviously she's in feeding mode when I'm dangling a big ol' rat right in front of her. Oh and I've never opened her mouth because (1) I don't know how to and (2) she's not the most even tempered Royal there ever was.

Thanks for the advice, I hope the extra info helps.

Hi,

Yes it helps.:)

Just wanted to make sure you weren't using those little dial analogue thermometers as that would mean your temps could have been waay off.:P

I would check the temperatures inside her hides with the probe if you can just to double check the temps she is being exposed to most of the time if you haven't already.

Opening their mouth can be a bit of an adventure it has to be admitted. I never got the hang of pulling it open with the flap of skin under her jaw so I tend to use something round and soft to avoid hurting her mouth. A pen might work quite well ( not a pencil as her teeth could get stuck in the wood) or a cocktail stirrer - the problem with these things is they get in the way when your actually trying to check inside for mucus and any discouloured spots etc.

It might be handy to have someone else hold her body securely so you can focus on the head or you can try tucking her body under your arm but they wriggle like billy-oh once you start the process.

Remember not to hold her too tight though.

Another thing to lookout for her would be rubbing her face against cage furniture and leaveing slimy trails.

The main thing to say is no-one can diagnose an animal unseen over the internet though so if your concerned and your gut says there is something wrong then it might be the wisest course of action to take her to a good herp vet and let him have a look.


dr del

it is possible she has a small RI infection and as derek said b4 wit opening the mouth u can also use a Q tip just take the cotton off frist.

Other then that i say take her to the vet to get her check up on her, i hope she will be all right but she should if u take her to a trust vet

Thanks for the advice. Okay so about opening her mouth, what do I do? Do I just put the pen by the mouth and apply slight pressure?

Should I get a friend of mine to lightly restrain her at the body and gently around the throat area?

Oh and is there no way I can influence her going over to that side of the tank, it seems really strange to me. Maybe I can hook up a UTH for her underneath one hide and link it to my Fat-Tailed Gecko's thermostat, since the both live in similar temps.

Thanks for the advice.

Hi,

Nice idea on the q-tip.:gj:

Well I would get your friend to restrain the body only and would control the neck yourself just to make sure you have total control of the amount of pressure being applied.

When ever I've had to do it I have gently worked it into the front of the mouth then moved it towards the back and lifted slightly so I could see inside the mouth - a bright environment is really handy here.:)

I'm not certain there is any way to influence which side she stays on but bumping up the temps on the cool side by a few degrees would still be in the recomended range.

You would need to monitor it very well to make sure everything worked ok though so plan it out carefully beforehand and test the heatpad before you put it under the tank if you can.


dr del