Please help I am worried!

Hey guy's and gal's, let's start off by saying I am new to the forum. I got a ball python about a week and a half ago and it's not been so pleasant for me. I will start off by telling the story so everyone knows the whole situation. First off I got her ( well I think It's a her ) from someone I know that didn't take care of her at all. So I asked him if I could take her since he had no time or desire to care or her whatsoever. After a bit he finally gave in and I picked her up. When I got to his house the tank was a horrible mess, feces everywhere no water, dried feces in the water bowl and no heating pad. Just so everybody knows I live in Newfoundland Canada and it is mighty cold here as it's the winter. Anyway I said nothing to this person as he was giving her and the enclosure to me for free. When I got her home I immediately took her out and cleaned the tank thoroughly and put new bedding fresh water and a heating pad under her tank. Now while I was cleaning the tan I had to handle her witch I really did not want to do because she was not held or taken out in months. She started to drooling I thought it was just water from her having a dink as soon as i got her home knowing she did not have water for a long time. BUT then she started couching up liquid but not like water it was more like mucus and I got really scared as this is all new to me. So i looked online and sure enough she had all the signs of a serious URI, tougue was stuck together open mouth breathing head wobble everything. So the next day I took her to the vet and he gave me antibiotics that I had to give her orally for seven days. Not my best experience in the world as she didn't like to be handled and everytime I would hold her head to give her her med's she would put up a good fight, but I got through the seven day's. He said he had fed her two mice two weeks before i got her so it was three weeks before she had a meal. as soon as the med's were gone I gave her a rat. she seemed to be doing well but I have noticed her heavy breathing constantly and I can hear her breathe. I cant afford to take her to the vet again the first visit broke me. But I want to take care of my snake I will post a vid.. Any help will be greatly appreciated thank you!

Sorry it's so long lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjwcl...ature=youtu.be

Congrats on the new snake!
I'm sorry you are put in such a situation.
But I am glad you were able to save this 'girl' from an obviously horrible situation.

It does indeed sound like she does have RI.

Can you describe your temperatures?
Do you have a thermostat to regulate the heating pad?
A thermometer to read the cage temps?

If she has RI, bump up the hotspot temps to 95 and her ambient temps to 80. Keep her as warm as possible.

I'm sorry to say, but your visit to the vet might have been somewhat of a waste.
Oral medication isn't very effective in reptiles since they have such a slow metabolism. The best way is to directly inject it into the muscle or under the skin. So I would consult your vet or find a new one. Because he prescribed oral, I sense he isn't very knowledgeable in reptiles.

Also what sort of antibiotics were prescribed?
Most of the time a sample culture is needed in order to target what type of infection your snake has. This is the best way to find which meds work the best for that type of infection since there are many types of RIs.

I would explain the situation to the vet you visited and see if they will prescribe antibiotic injections without making you pay for a visit.

I bought a snake that came with a free RI. The vet visits are not cheap but injections are the way to go. Cleared my case right up.

I know with some vet visits, any follow up visits are free (or majorly discounted) for the same animal. I'd definitely call, sounds like you'll need a culture and/or injected antibiotics.

Thanks guy's, as for the temps I can not really tell you right now I only have a really inaccurate thermometer it reads 70 on the hot side and 70 % humidity but there is no moisture in the tub at aall right now she is in a 40 q just so i can keep it clean.... The vet also told me that injections would work better but it was at high risk of getting cist in the injection site and he did not like to do that. Also I would have to bring her back every day for a shot for seven days and I cant do that. The antibiotic he prescribed was baytril 0.3ml a day for 7 days.

Poor lamb.

Taking on a rescue is a big task I know, I've had several. Sometimes injections can cause problems at the injection site, but it doesn't happen often if the correct medicine and dosage is given. An experienced vet can show you how to do the shots yourself, which is what mine does, negating the wasted trips to the vet.

It is important to keep her warm, but a heating pad with no thermostat can easily burn your snake. You must be very careful.

Try calling the vets office and telling them your snake is not better and see what they say. My vet will allow me to purchase another round of antibiotics if the first doesn't do the job without charging me for another visit. The antibiotics are usually not expensive. I'm treating my husband's mojave male rescue for an RI right now in fact, and we are on our second round of shots.

If your vet continues to recommend oral, I would contemplate finding another vet. One who will prescribe shots and teach you how to administer them. It is not hard to do, but if your snake is very big it helps to have two people to do it.

I wish you all the best with your girl.

Gale

Thanks gale.. I am just low on cash and did not know I was going to run into this trouble :( ..... I is the only vet we have I live in a small town next closet vets has no reptile experience and my vet does not have much..I actually di not know that you needed a thermostat with a heat matt. It's all I have ever used with my corn snake and have never had a problem. I only have what the snake came with witch was not much. But I diid get a 40 gl tank with her that I am going to sell and do a good tub set up. The only reason I posted on here is because she seemed to be better but today I noticed her breathing heavily?

I understand sweetie, I really do.

Now, when you say breathing heavily, can you describe exactly what you mean ? Is she clicking or wheezing, like you do when you have a lot of chest congestion ? Does she kind of gurgle, like she's struggling to breathe ? Or is it just really loud breathing ? If you can, try and use a q-tip to open her mouth and look for mucous and bubbles. If she still has a lot of mucous then you know she needs more meds. If there is little to no mucous, then keep her warm and wait it out for a bit.

I mention the thermostat because heat mats are notorious for hitting as high as 130 degrees, and that can and will kill your snake. The best thing you can do is take things one step at a time. If you have a walmart near you, they sell a combination thermometer/hygrometer for both temps and humidity really cheap. It's called an Accurite, and it's only about $15. The next step would be a thermostat. With both of those things out of the way, tweaking the rest will be easy.

Please let me know how she's doing, and I will use what experience I have to help you out.

Gale

I am going to get a thermostat as soon as possible. the only place to get one is my local pet shop but everything their is extremely overpriced, but I will check tomorrow.... the breathing I ut a link for the video no bubbling and no clicking but when she breathes out i can hear it sometimes. Right now she is in shed and is not liking me hahaha. She did not like getting medication but the last time I gave her the meds it looked clear to me I will check again tomorrow maybe I also don't want to stress her too much? maybe? She seems to be doing much better I mean MUCH better just a little worried its not gone.

If the enclosure is too hot would that make her breathe heavily? I really have to get a thermostat tomorrow.

By breathing heavy, if you mean you can noticeably see her sides going up and down, then that can be caused by heat. I've seen that with some of my balls and corns when they are laying on the warm side.

For a cheaper thermostat, you can try the hydrofarm off Amazon. I've used them and they work great in a pinch.

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...I2HKWS61XS2CQV

Just order with next day shipping and you should be ok. To make sure that your tub isn't getting too hot, you can always raise the tub off the heat mat a bit so it heats the air. It's not going to be perfect but less chance of burning the snake since you don't have a thermostat.

Sounds like she's getting better though which is a step in the right direction. :)

I was in a similar situation. In fact the beginning sounded like you were me :p nasty tank. Dried poo. Stuck shed on the snake. Stuck shed on everything else. The snake hadn't been touched in a month or two. Multiple burns on the snake from a uth INSIDE the tank. I came straight home took everything out bleach treated it. He also had a very serious RI and just finishe antibiotic injections about a week ago. And now look at how big and healthy my boy is!
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/02/07/unety2yr.jpg
Things do sound like they're turning a corner. Which is good. I also had the advantage of having a vet that had much experience in reptiles. Only one thing I didn't do which was apply neosporin to the burns. I used a solution of betadine twice a day until it started healing significantly (as I was directed from a user on here). But it sounds like your doing in the same situation with less resources. I'd say it says something about your care for the animals!

My vet had the individual injections made up and frozen for me. All I had to do is take one out, thaw it, and give it. It is really an easy process.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KMG

My vet had the individual injections made up and frozen for me. All I had to do is take one out, thaw it, and give it. It is really an easy process.

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Same

Ok if you can't here any clicking or wheezing when she breathes, it may even be caused by shed stuck in her nostrils. Check her for mucous, if you don't see and or only a tiny bit, then she should be okay for a while.

Yes she can get stressed from the heat, much like heat exhaustion or heat stroke in humans. I know things are tough, just do the best you can as you can.

Gale

Just a quick update I have not been able to call the vet yet, it has been a busy coupe days. I ordered a thermostat at my ocal pet shop only place I could get one but it will do. Also went to walmart the only place to get a thermostat but the don't carry the brand people suggested. The only had wireless ones if that will do please let me know I will buy one tomorrow, but I don't see how it would. Well she finally came out of blue today so I decided to take her out and get a look in her mouth. With a great battle I got a couple shot's let me know what you think. Not really sure what I'm looking for.

http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_1546.jpg
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_1545.jpg
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_1544.jpg
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_1547.jpg

I am not seeing anything that screams a major infection in those pics...if she is a large girl (which it looks like she has decent size on her in the video) she may just be breathing normal...? Are you actually hearing anything as far as "whistling" or anything like that?

Just when she breathes I hear almost like a wheezing but not sure if it is or not. I have had my corn snake for about eight yrs and I can hear him breathe and its a little loud since the day I got him, maybe it's normal. I think she is big haha the vet weighed her at three pounds, not sure what that is in grams.

That is about 1360 grams...so she isn't huge but ya, she's adult size. You may try a pic of her head from the front so we can see in her nose area too, but she appears okay to me...but I'm sure others will chime in soon :)

The 70 degree hot spot is really killing you and so it sounds like your heating system is undersized or something over and above the thermometer etc.. I suggest getting your cool side around 75-80 and the warm hot spot side being 82-92 degrees and all should improve. (Keep snake Hydrated as much as possible)

that is not the hot spot temp that is just the temp its showing in the tub.. but I know it's not that because it does not work well. The heating pad is a 12"x12" if anything it is too hot at the moment. But my thermostat is on the way probably going to be a week. The tub and substrate are dry but when I lefter her hide up today the bedding was soaked and the inside of her hut was soaked also. So I relplace the bedding wiped everything and drilled more holes in the tub.