Anyone in NJ please help

My friend and his girlfriend have 2 adult redtails. They're both 15-20 years old and have been in her family for about 10 years.

Her larger snake "Sativa" has been wheezing for quite some time. I'm far from an expert, but I've been telling them repeatedly that it's not a good sign and probably means respiratory disease. Both of them are extremely stubborn and my friend's girlfriend likes to think that since she's had the snakes for such a long time means that she knows more than I do.

Anyways, tonight we were handling Sativa when I noticed bubbling secretions coming from her mouth. Having seen pictures of this in various books I knew what it was. I was finally able to convince the girlfriend that the snake needs medical attention NOW.

Does anyone know of any reputable veterinarians in New Jersey who specialize in reptiles and/or snakes?? The owners don't have computer access so I'm asking as a favor to them to get this animal the help she needs.

look here for herp vets in NJ: http://www.herpvetconnection.com/newjersey.shtml.

Where in NJ are they?

Like Jamie said, where are they located in NJ? I could recommend a great herp Vet in South Jersey, but that won't help much if they are in North Jersey.....

Raise the heat in the enclosure a few degrees asap as well...it will help the snake's own natural defense.

But man, wheezing for a while is not good. Let us know how she does. :(

I live in Central NJ and I got a reptile vet on the next street.

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Originally Posted by _BoidFinatic_

I live in Central NJ and I got a reptile vet on the next street.

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They're in Central NJ, Middlesex County to be specific.

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Originally Posted by cassandra

Raise the heat in the enclosure a few degrees asap as well...it will help the snake's own natural defense.

But man, wheezing for a while is not good. Let us know how she does. :(

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I'll keep you guys posted. I mentioned last night about raising the temp, and offered some of my own equipment to do it. They have a heat lamp and a ceramic heater on the enclosure already. Hopefully they'll take my advice.

Would humidity help as well? This is is the same house that I keep my own snakes in, even though I don't live there. My own house is not "snake-friendly". We have a humidifier
that we use during the winter that we use to raise humidity during the drier cold months.

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Originally Posted by eightleggedfreak

Would humidity help as well? This is is the same house that I keep my own snakes in, even though I don't live there. My own house is not "snake-friendly". We have a humidifier
that we use during the winter that we use to raise humidity during the drier cold months.

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No, humidity does not help with a Respiratory Infection. Keep it hot and dry in there.

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Originally Posted by _BoidFinatic_

No, humidity does not help with a Respiratory Infection. Keep it hot and dry in there.

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Thanks. They've kept the temp pretty high since this started. I checked on Sativa on Wednesday (I was over there to feed my BP's) and she didn't have any bubbles. My friend's GF was planning on talking to a local vet thursday night to see what she could do at home and when the earliest was she could bring Sativa into the office.

Thanks again for everyone's help!!

They finally took the snake to a vet wednesday night.

They wound up taking Sativa to a vet in Metuchen. Apparently raising the temp worked because the vet said she only had a minor respiratory infection. She has to get a series of five shots, just to be safe. She weighed in at 13 lbs. The doctor said she had good muscle tone and that they were being kept very well.

Then they're frigging lucky!!!!!! To have the wheezing and then the bubbles that long is just lazy and poor husbandry. If they were such loved pets, then it should have been to the vet as soon as the wheezing started. :mad: :fork:


Even "old timers" can learn and do better husbandry!!!!!

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Originally Posted by sweety314

Then they're frigging lucky!!!!!! To have the wheezing and then the bubbles that long is just lazy and poor husbandry. If they were such loved pets, then it should have been to the vet as soon as the wheezing started. :mad: :fork:


Even "old timers" can learn and do better husbandry!!!!!

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You're preaching to the choir. Remember, I don't know anything because she's had them for 10 years.

She also claimed that she never heard the wheezing. I guess I was just hearing things.