Does this sound (and look) like a respiratory infection? Help please :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spoons

I'm having a little trouble deciding how warm to keep her. I have her in a small 1 gallon Tupperware tub with a vented screen lid, nestled into the sand in her big cage for warmth. This is both for cleanliness while she fights her infection and so I don't have to dig around and unbury her to check on her and stress her out. Originally I put it at the hot side, where the temps in the Quarantine Tub were around 90. But, I thought that was maybe too hot, since she then doesn't have an option to seek cooler temps. Right now she's in the middle where the ambient temp is mid-high 70s, and the half with the hide is sitting over the UTH so the floor of the tub is probably a little warmer than ambient.

How hot is too hot? How cool is too cool? Can't do much to give her a thermal gradient so I'm trying to find a happy medium.

---

Bump for questions asked & not answered...(I have never kept these) needing a response from someone here who does or has?

So, just an update. It's 3 days after her vet appointment, I gave her second shot today. Let me tell you how AWFUL it was! She's *tiny,* she's only around 10 inches and 10 grams. Like thick pencil size. And then to give a shot to the wiggly little thing without going too deep?! I'm so scared I went too far. I'm a Paramedic by trade, and on top of that I used to work in a wildlife rehabilitation center and frequently had to inject hatchling birds the size of a quarter amd other small animals (I primarily worked with birds) to give them subcutaneous fluids when they were dehydrated. So I'm no stranger to needles and I think I wield them pretty well. But this was so much harder! I've never done a snake! If it was my BP it would be no problem! My hands are shaking so badly. That poor snake, only 5 more to go.

She still crackles, I see no change, but I don't expect to see any change so soon after her vet visit. She's a little quieter than usual, preferring to chill in one spot under her log hide, but she still kicks it into cruise mode when I poke around in her quarantine tub and seems curious so I'm not too worried yet.

I did scooch her quarantine tub a little more to the warm side. I'm hopeful for her!

That's a miserable task for sure, injecting such a tiny wiggling patient. I sure hope she gets well! (I'd hide too if I was her, lol...she must think you've
gone all "predator" on her?)

It sounds like she's getting the best care possible. I hope she gets better soon

Second injection today (well, third, but second under my hand). It was a lot easier than the first. We had a bit of time where she stopped eating again - possibly due to impending shed, but I'm sure the stress and sickness didn't help - and she dropped 2 grams. A full 20% of her body weight. After some struggle she finally ate yesterday.

I was SO happy that when I took her out for her injection I didn't hear a single crackle through the whole process, so obviously she's on the upswing! She's also on the move and back to her active self, cruising around and checking everything out. She's been so patient with everything, what with getting jabbed and all. She really is a sweet snake. I found that she keeps going underneath the paper towel in her quarantine tub so instead of a half log I gave her some shredded paper towel to kind of 'burrow' into.

Four more injections! I think she will be ok!

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

That's great news! Seems she's starting to feel better already, & while "not out of the woods" until done with meds, this is exactly what you hope to see. :gj:

I thought I was the only one that "shredded paper towels"? I've used that for various 'baby' snakes to hide in, they really seem to love it.

I want to still be able to find her easily and not have to stress her by digging her up, and paper towel is sanitary and easily moveable. Win win! She slithered right into the pile. I think she appreciates it much more than her log hide.

In her tank she likes to dig into the sand inside the log hide and poke her nose out. Can't burrow in the quarantine tub though!

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

Injection today, and only two left, then she can go back into her tank! She has, however, decided that's too long to wait and instead decided to try a prison break in the middle of the night. This is how I found her this morning, looking pleased as punch. Must be feeling back to her usual self!

However, she went back into her tub until the last of her injections are up, for my ease of checking on her and for sterility. I'm glad the tub is nestled into her tank so her "escape" wasn't actually an escape. Looks like I snapped the lid down on the corners but not the middle and she squeezed out!

Then again, if it wasn't nestled in her tank, I'd probably be using a far more secure quarantine tub, too. I made sure to snap the WHOLE lid down this time! https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...21b4e02164.jpg

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

That's the cutest almost-escapee I've seen in a long while...maybe ever? Like you, I'd take that to indicate she's feeling pretty good. :gj:

She must know something I don't, because only an hour later and this is what I find... I guess if i can't figure out how she's getting out, she might be allowed back into her tank after all! Little goof. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...127a325795.jpg

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk