Emergency, Please Help.

Received three adult Ball Pythons today from a breeder. One has Mites and I'm thinking a respiratory infections, because I hear her wheezing. I'm guessing the others are sick too. I'm going to start cleaning them with mite killer.

What do I do? I have a huge collection in my temp controlled room and I'm worried of everything spreading.

I've just dosed the first one with Mite-Killer and really washed her down with it. She is in my bathtub drying with it on her. I also have noticed her sheddings are stuck to her nose. Should I remove their aspen bedding and put down newspaper? Also, should I put them in another room? I'm worried that it is to cold in the other rooms.

Also, can I catch the mites? I'm so worried about that.

Thanks for reading my SOS message.

Get them into quarantine!!!!!! It can and will spread through your entire collection. Put them on newspaper or papertowel and disinfect there entire enclosure.

You can't catch mites, but don't let all your other reptiles! I had them on a corn once a few years ago, and it was awful.

Thanks, I'm already starting to move them. Anymore advice? How bad is this going to be for me?

My biggest girl is wheezing really loudly. I can hear from my bedroom and she is in my bathroom. Also, it is okay that she doesn't have a water bowl, right? I wanted to ask this, and I'm pretty sure it is okay, but I have heard some people say that it is a must

like liv said get them on paper towel or newspaper an get yourself a can of provent a mite aka PAM an that will take care of the mites. you can spray your tubs\racks down an will prob never have to deal with mites again(long as you use it as a preventive measure as well). Now if the snakes are weezing like you say i would bring them to a local reptile vet an get them cultured so they can be put on the proper medication. if you can quarantine them some place else other than your reptile room.

You need to get all of them to the vet. If one has an RI, there is a chance that all three of them do. They need to be in a room entirely separate from your other reptiles with adequate heat. 78 cold side, at least 90 hot side, and an ambient temp of no less than 80. Especially with respiratory infections! For that, you will need antibiotic injections from your vet.

You cannot catch mites, but they will spread easily to your other reptiles. You need to sterilize everything they touched in your reptile room, and if possible, get a can of Provent-A-Mite in the mail and on it's way to you. If you get that, you will need to follow the directions to the letter. Others can provide more information on the topic of treating mites with and without PAM. Thankfully, I have never had to do it. I understand it is awful though, and takes quite some time to eradicate.

Anyway, your new three need to be quarantined for at LEAST a few months. Maybe longer given the problems they came with. They need to be in perfect health before you reintroduce them to your collection. You will need to keep an eye on your other animals to make sure they don't get mites or come down with an RI after having them in the same room. You will also need to sterilize YOURSELF after doing ANYTHING with the sick animals. Anything you need to do with them, you should do after you care for the rest of your reptiles and should not go back into that room until after you have showered...just to be safe. TAKE THEM TO A VET ASAP! That is the most important thing and the best advice I can offer.

EDIT: If you are unable to do any of this for any reason, or are unable to offer them proper heat, you should take them back to the breeder and ask for your money back. S/He never should have offered them to you in that condition and should take them back.

Who was the breeder?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ReptileJenna

Received three adult Ball Pythons today from a breeder.

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I know many may disagree, but I would personally contact the breeder, who should have some sort of return policy, and send them right back. You should not have to deal with issues that shouldn't be yours in the first place, and the option of returning them should be available to you and maybe one you ought to really consider.

That being said, if you cannot return them, or now feel compelled to bring them back to health, quarantine them properly...as far from your main collection as possible. Apply your mite treatments, and give them temps a couple degrees higher than normal. Then get them to a vet ASAP, like tomorrow.

It will be a miracle if those mites haven't spread already. I agree that they should be sent back. What a bummer!!!

Always, always, ALWAYS quarantine any new animals before you bring them into your collection!! You should always have a place, away from your collection, that should be used for proper quarantine practices.

I would order a can of provent a mite ASAP, call an experienced herp vet in the morning, and get those 3 snakes away from your others. You also should notify the breeder on the situation, as he/she should give you a refund or pay for the vet bills.

Who was the breeder you got them from, btw?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ReptileJenna

Also, it is okay that she doesn't have a water bowl, right? I wanted to ask this, and I'm pretty sure it is okay, but I have heard some people say that it is a must

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:O

Um...all animals need clean water available to them at all times. Unless you have just treated the enclosure and need to keep it out for 24 hours, I think you should have a water bowl in there with her. She'll need to stay hydrated. What are you using to treat the mites?

PAM is a must. Check any local reptile shops, one near me carries it, and that way it's cheaper and faster than ordering online. I've also seen it at Petsmart. Wherever you get it from, get a few cans, because you're going to need to treat your entire collection as well as your new additions if they've been in the same room.

This is going to be a really frustrating few months for you if you decide to keep these guys. It might be better for your sanity (not to mention your wallet and the health of your other animals) to return them and get snakes from someone less shady.

Update:
Okay, I just scrubbed down all three am I cleaning like a nut. I've never cleaned this much in my life.

Anyways, I'm pretty sure the biggest girl has RI and I know she has mites. I didn't see the mites on any of the other two, but I'm sure they are there.

I kept them separate from the other snakes, but I was keeping them on the edge of my really nice reptile room because I felt guilty for the temperatures that they had to endure to get there. What an idiot I was. I always quarantine, and never have had any troubles. I became hubris.

Anyways, the two smaller ones are pretty mad at me, and I ALWAYS keep water in their cages, but I can't keep it in their cages right now since they will drench themselves overnight. One of the smaller ones I think might have RI, but she might just be hissing at me. It couldn't be because of the water in the bottom of the tub, right? It isn't a puddle, but I just washed it off after each snake got drenched with the mite stuff. It is called Mite-Off, and its the best I could find in my local stores.

(Grammar Correction)


Update:
Okay, I just scrubbed down all three and I am cleaning like a nut. I've never cleaned this much in my life.

Anyways, I'm pretty sure the biggest girl has a respiratory infection, and I am certain she has mites. I didn't see any mites on any of the other two snakes, but I'm sure they are there.

I was sort of keeping them away from the snakes, but not like I should of been. What an idiot I was. I let them sort of enjoy the reptile room's temperatures than my strict quarantine area, because they had gone through Florida's summer hell.

Anyways, the two smaller ball pythons were pretty mad when I cleaned them.
Also, I ALWAYS keep water in their cages, but I can't keep it in their cages right now, since they will drench themselves overnight.

One of the smaller ones I think might have RI, but she might just be hissing at me. However, it sounds more like a wheeze. It couldn't be because of the water in the bottom of the tub, right? Like, they aren't coughing it out or anything making it seem like a wheeze?

There isn't a puddle in the tub, but I washed it off after each snake got drenched with the mite stuff to try to prevent any more spread of the mites.

By the way, the mite killer is called Mite-Off, and its the best I could find in my local stores.

If you don't return them (which sadly I would ASAP, those issues came from the breeder and I would not be happy)

Vet immediately and as quick as possible to treat the Ris immediately. I would get them all in there because you received them all together. Cultures and abos may be needed. Qt 100000% way way away from the rest of the collection. And when you get Pam I would proactively treat everyone and everything. All tanks, racks, equipment. EVERYTHING. Put it around the floor of the room, in doorways etc. this way if one does happen to travel it doesn't (hopefully) make it to another snake.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

I've already found a vet, and I'm planning on taking all of them tomorrow.

Would it be horrible if I just asked the breeder for my money back so I can pay for their treatment, because I'm not returning the snakes? However, I don't know how to prove mites, because as soon as I saw them I killed them as well as I could. I didn't spend the time to try to take pictures, ha ha. Anyways, I don't want to send them back to a bad breeder. He came recommended by a friend, but I'm not so confident anymore about that.

You are doing the best you can, and that is good. How awful to have this happen like this. I'd be chewing that breeder a new you-know-what, even if I decided to keep them.

I cannot stress to you enough you NEED to order Provent a mite. Mites reproduce faster than anything except maybe fleas. If you see them on your snake, I promise there are thousands that are too small to see yet. I spent 6 agonizing months eradicating a mite infestation. I treated and treated the tubs, rack, floors and snakes, and about every three weeks they'd start reappearing. I finally figured out they were getting behind the baseboards in the room where the rack sits, so I started treating there as well. I finally got rid of them, I haven't seen but one in the last four months, but I still treat preventatively once a month.

The RI will for sure need vet care. Don't fool yourself into thinking otherwise. The hardest part will be the shots, so make sure you have the vet teach you how to give them. Keep them warm and make sure you empty and bleach the water bowls daily to prevent them from re-catching the germs. It helps to have two sets of bowls, that way one can get a bleach water soak and you can put the clean ones in with the snakes.

Snakes with mites do soak a lot, so that is why they are dashing for the water bowls. It may help to only cover the bottom of the bowl with water, since you'll be changing them daily anyway. It means less to spill when they try to soak.

I wish you all the best with whatever you decide to do.

Gale

Darn it, this is going to be a really painful process I feel. At least it doesn't affect mammals, otherwise I'd be really in trouble, since I have lots of other furry pets.

Okay, can I use alcohol in the meantime to kill? And asking for my money back without returning the snakes isn't a bad thing with this current situation, right?

Thanks.

ADD:
I forgot to add that I'm moving to a new house soon. Can I use this opportunity to maybe get rid of the mites?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ReptileJenna

Would it be horrible if I just asked the breeder for my money back so I can pay for their treatment, because I'm not returning the snakes?

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Yes it would be...your best bet is to approach him/her and see what resolution they have to offer. If none, then you can suggest one, but just asking for a refund and keeping the snakes comes off as selfish.

Alcohol, I'm not sure on.
Asking for your money back and keeping the snakes just won't Happen.
Perhaps a partial refund could make both parties agree.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

Well, I paid very, very little compared to the regular price for an adult, which should of been a big warning flag for me. It was too good to be true.

My best friend had recommended him, and I didn't hear anything bad from other reptile owners who bought from him. I thought he was just trying to find good homes to cut down his collection of normals.

However, I guess I could return the snakes... But their sick, and he is probably just going to pawn them off on someone else or not treat them. They've already probably given my group mite issues, so if I return them I'm going to end up with no snakes and mites. Then again, they are going to probably all have a RI, so that it is going to cost me more than it cost to buy them.

Alcohol is OK for cleaning equipment if you wash it off after (depends on type, do it anyway to be safe), but DO NOT put it on the snakes.

No worries, I'm not that stupid, ha ha. I would never use it on a snake.

I can smell the fumes when I use it, so I make sure to really clean it out. By the time the snakes are anywhere near it, the fumes are gone and everything is clean.

Yeah, didn't think you were but you always have to put it to remove that chance :P