help

help guys i know ive been posting alot but i need help my baby ball python tiger is breathing heavily and he just ate this morning my other ball python does not do this plz help

Did you happen to scare him or surprise him when you checked in him? I bet it's nothing, sometimes it looks like they are breathing fast, but in reality it's just cause their lungs are so small

well hes been doing this for awhile tho :(

If your husbandry is all okay, I really wouldn't worry, if you don't hear a wheezing sound, or there isn't mucus coming out of his mouth (which are signs of a respiratory infection) I wouldn't worry too much :)

my wat srry im new to the terms

If it sounds like wheezing, your first step is to call your local reptile vet and set an appointment ASAP.

Step 2 should be done right after you hang up. What kind of enclosure are you using? Tub? Tank with screentop?

How are you heating the enclosure? Lamps? Heat tape? Heat pad? How are you measuring the temps? Are you using a thermostat?

Humidity - what is the humidity? How are you measuring the humidity?

Pictures of your enclosure will also help.

Husbandry as in your temps, humidity, etc, take a look at this, :gj:

How are you heating your enclosure and what is your setup like?

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Originally Posted by h00blah

If it sounds like wheezing, your first step is to call your local reptile vet and set an appointment ASAP.

Step 2 should be done right after you hang up. What kind of enclosure are you using? Tub? Tank with screentop?

How are you heating the enclosure? Lamps? Heat tape? Heat pad? How are you measuring the temps? Are you using a thermostat?

Humidity - what is the humidity? How are you measuring the humidity?

Pictures of your enclosure will also help.

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Beat me to it!!!!:D

there is no weezing and everything is good about 85 degresse and 50 humidity

h00blah, do you have a link to the care sheet you can share the link to? I can't seem to find it.

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Originally Posted by hunter0443

there is no weezing and everything is good about 85 degresse and 50 humidity

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85 is too low. The warmest side needs to be around 92. Again, what are you using to heat the enclosure and measure the temps and humidity? Some of the cheap and common tools being used are junk. They could give you incorrect readings.

The ball python caresheet is in the caresheets section. You can find a link to it at the left side of the forum under "Site navigation".

Here's the link: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

im using a uth and a lamp if need be and im using the petco temp and humidity one untill i can get a better digital one

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hunter0443

im using a uth and a lamp if need be and im using the petco temp and humidity one untill i can get a better digital one

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Lamps are NOTORIOUS for sucking the humidity out of the cage. Screen tops also allow too much airflow, also decreasing humidity.

By not using the digital thermometer/hygrometer, I'm assuming you're using the dial one? I hate to say it, but those are also notorious for showing incorrect humidity :(..

I think one of the most important points to bring up is the use of that heat pad. How are you regulating it? Is it just plugged in, or do you have a thermostat?

All these questions regarding temp and humidity are to help try and rule out a possible cause for an RI (respiratory infection). Improper temps and humidity can lower the python's immune system which can directly cause an RI. Getting the humidity and temperature to an ideal level will help boost the immune system.

A "wheezing" sound can also be caused by some loose shed around the nose. If the humidity was at a good level during a shed cycle, you wouldn't have to worry about this.

thanks guys this was all help full and when i get the money i will get the digitals ones and as for tiger he is still breathing heavy how long should i wait before i call a vet or something

He is probably just scared. Does he have some tight fitting hides where he can feel safe? Breathing heavily alone is not really a medical issue.. He is probably doing it because you are staring at him!

I can't tell if "breathing heavy" means you can see his body moving, or he's hissing, or he's putting extra effort into breathing..

Putting extra effort into breathing is not a good sign.

Perhaps a picture might help?

atm he is under his hide and when i say breathing heavy i can see his body going up and down i mean i just feed him last night so could that be the issue

Is he breathing at a normal rate? You should be able to see your snake breathe... it is nothing to be concerned about. I think if the snake was ill or is having trouble breathing it would be plainly obvious.

i mean i cant see him atm cause he is in his hiding place and i dont want to move it and him being scared

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Originally Posted by hunter0443

i mean i cant see him atm cause he is in his hiding place and i dont want to move it and him being scared

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So, if you can't see him, how do you know he is breathing so heavily?

I guess I am a little confused.

because when i could see him he was breathing heavy then we went to his hide

I'm still betting that it's nothing. Are you fairly new to Bps? Some owners can get a little paranoid about their newly acquired babies :)

I wouldn't take it to the vet if all you've noticed is him occasionally breathing heavily. This is pretty common with smaller ball pythons. Remember, you are a big scary predator to your tiny snake!

yes i am new to bps and yes i know im paranoid but i just dont want to see anything bad happen to my babys and i was very nervous about his first feed yesterday

so i was woundering if tiger had stoped breathing heavy so i lifted up the hide and he was still breathing heavy i have now went down stairs to leave him to him self and the temp is 90 and the humidity is 55

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hunter0443

so i was woundering if tiger had stoped breathing heavy so i lifted up the hide and he was still breathing heavy i have now went down stairs to leave him to him self and the temp is 90 and the humidity is 55

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When you say the temp is 90, is that ambient temps or is that hot side only temps?

I don't know if I missed it, but are you using a thermostat to control your UTH (not to be confused with a thermometer which reads temps)?

As for the breathing, if you can't hear any audible noise coming from him it sounds like he's in a nervous/defensive state. One of my bf's balls gets pretty defensive sometimes and he'll breathe pretty rapidly and visibly when he gets worked up (along with a few hisses) but that's what this reminds me of. Maybe he's just scared and getting worked up hence breathing heavier?

Can you post a vid of your snake, even on your phone or something?