Abnormal Ball Python behavior.

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Originally Posted by Tayler.jonesy

When my vet thought that my Bp was developing an RI, she told me to switch substrate to paper towel (I was using aspen bedding) and to give him a "bath" twice a week. I just have him soak in a tub of warm water, keep it covered for humidity.
The sneezing and whatnot is definitely a sign of a respiratory infection though. Is she star gazing too? They're known to stare up to let the fluids in their throat drain during an RI.

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She only sneezed the first day I got her home, so it was probably just a change in environment. I don't believe she has an RI because she doesn't have any of the indicator symptoms like open mouthed/labored breathing and nasal discharge, though I won't discount the possibility. She does sometimes point her head up but I think its mostly her wobble.

Right now I have her humidity up around 70% but the only reason is because she's in shed. When she's done its going right back to the 60% range.

Like the others said, high humidity is bad when you have a sick snake. I don't know what your vet might have been thinking in giving you that treatment. They should have cultured and prescribed antibiotics if it was an RI.

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Originally Posted by Venoshock

She only sneezed the first day I got her home, so it was probably just a change in environment. I don't believe she has an RI because she doesn't have any of the indicator symptoms like open mouthed/labored breathing and nasal discharge, though I won't discount the possibility. She does sometimes point her head up but I think its mostly her wobble.

Right now I have her humidity up around 70% but the only reason is because she's in shed. When she's done its going right back to the 60% range.

Like the others said, high humidity is bad when you have a sick snake. I don't know what your vet might have been thinking in giving you that treatment. They should have cultured and prescribed antibiotics if it was an RI.

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He didn't end up having an RI. I thought it was strange advice as well, but I followed it and he's been fine. His cage humidity is around 30 to 40 percent on any given day, because I know too much can cause an RI.

Like the others said, spiders are known to be weeeeird ones. Maybe yours is just a little extra weird ;)


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Originally Posted by Tayler.jonesy

He didn't end up having an RI. I thought it was strange advice as well, but I followed it and he's been fine. His cage humidity is around 30 to 40 percent on any given day, because I know too much can cause an RI.

Like the others said, spiders are known to be weeeeird ones. Maybe yours is just a little extra weird ;)

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I'd say 30-40% is low to be a constant humidity and can cause bad sheds. I usually aim for a constant 55-60%. Too much humidity would be anything over 75% in my opinion, so I wouldn't worry about bumping up your humidity levels!

And yeah, I guess she's pretty darn weird! :P

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Originally Posted by Venoshock

I'd say 30-40% is low to be a constant humidity and can cause bad sheds. I usually aim for a constant 55-60%. Too much humidity would be anything over 75% in my opinion, so I wouldn't worry about bumping up your humidity levels!

And yeah, I guess she's pretty darn weird! :P

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Probably why the vet told me to soak him haha. Unfortunately I work a buttload of hours so it's a little difficult for me to keep an eye on his humidity. But you know I'm on it during his shed. The pet store I got him from were terrible at keeping up humidity, he use to have bad sheds, but they come off in one piece now. Thank god. I always fear stuck eye caps, had that problem when I first got him


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Originally Posted by Tayler.jonesy

Probably why the vet told me to soak him haha. Unfortunately I work a buttload of hours so it's a little difficult for me to keep an eye on his humidity. But you know I'm on it during his shed. The pet store I got him from were terrible at keeping up humidity, he use to have bad sheds, but they come off in one piece now. Thank god. I always fear stuck eye caps, had that problem when I first got him

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If its trouble with a constant humidity you can put damp paper towels in their enclosure! When I was still in school and my mom refused to mist my snakes cage when I was gone, I would leave a few in the hide boxes! Kind of like makeshift humid hides. Its helped me a butt ton.

I'm actually expecting my girl to shed any time now so I'm hoping it'll be a good one!

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Originally Posted by Venoshock

If its trouble with a constant humidity you can put damp paper towels in their enclosure! When I was still in school and my mom refused to mist my snakes cage when I was gone, I would leave a few in the hide boxes! Kind of like makeshift humid hides. Its helped me a butt ton.

I'm actually expecting my girl to shed any time now so I'm hoping it'll be a good one!

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That's a good idea. Maybe wrap sphagnum moss with paper towels? I always fear bacterial growth, how long would that stuff be good for ya think?


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Originally Posted by Tayler.jonesy

That's a good idea. Maybe wrap sphagnum moss with paper towels? I always fear bacterial growth, how long would that stuff be good for ya think?

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The paper towels usually last me a few extra hours after a misting. Though it depends how hot your temps are. When I left for school I would leave it around 80F and the humidity stayed constant longer. I haven't used sphagnum moss but I think the sphagnum alone would be pretty helpful! You should experiment when you have time! If you're worried about bacteria I heard you can bake the moss to get rid of bugs and lingering bacteria before using it.

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Originally Posted by Venoshock

The paper towels usually last me a few extra hours after a misting. Though it depends how hot your temps are. When I left for school I would leave it around 80F and the humidity stayed constant longer. I haven't used sphagnum moss but I think the sphagnum alone would be pretty helpful! You should experiment when you have time! If you're worried about bacteria I heard you can bake the moss to get rid of bugs and lingering bacteria before using it.

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The vet got me paranoid about bacteria. My butter loves to burrow, she told me to ditch the aspen bedding because it could cause an RI, he would burrow in the sphagnum too so I stopped using it fearing the worst.


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Originally Posted by Tayler.jonesy

The vet got me paranoid about bacteria. My butter loves to burrow, she told me to ditch the aspen bedding because it could cause an RI, he would burrow in the sphagnum too so I stopped using it fearing the worst.

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I switch between coconut husk fiber and paper towels. I used newspaper once but I usually run out fast because I use it with my conure. I guess the easiest thing to use to monitor bacteria growth would be paper towels because its easier to spot feces and urine. You clean it when its dirty and disinfect the enclosure and that's it! :)

If aspen bedding caused RI's I don't think any snake keeper would use it! Is there a different vet in your area? Yours sounds very unreliable. :/

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Originally Posted by Venoshock

I switch between coconut husk fiber and paper towels. I used newspaper once but I usually run out fast because I use it with my conure. I guess the easiest thing to use to monitor bacteria growth would be paper towels because its easier to spot feces and urine. You clean it when its dirty and disinfect the enclosure and that's it! :)

If aspen bedding caused RI's I don't think any snake keeper would use it! Is there a different vet in your area? Yours sounds very unreliable. :/

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Unfortunately this vet was the most recommended. Not many rep vets in the metro Detroit area. It took her like ten minutes to probe him lol. I am still waiting on his poop test results, which was suppose to be done within 9 hours. It's been over a week o.O


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