problem after problem

My poor little Kyros has had the worst winter. first his lamp went out and while i was out to get one he somehow got out and dissapeared for about 2 weeks. I found him last thursday coiled up by a heating vent in my room. when i came home today to check him out i noticed that his heating pad shorted out and his light only comes on when it needs too and his thermostat wasnt registering. now he is having trouble breathing and he is making a whistling sound. I am trying to warm him up and since he has been by my heater he hasnt whistled again so it lookes like its helping. Another problem is his eyes... i cant tell if he has old eye caps on or not... and i am worried about his eyes... i have no vets around for him so i have to be his vet. i have done it before successfully i just cant tell if there are caps on or not. the biggest problem however is his size. when i got him he was 18 inches long now he is 22 and that was about a year and 17 days ago should he be bigger?

I'm sorry to hear this. Do you have proper thermometers to measure his ambient humidity? I always recommend an Accurite thermometer from walmart.

If his humidity is too low his eye caps will look wrinkled and dented. If he is starting to wheeze and whistle when breathing, a vet trip is in order.

Here a small list of known herp vets in Kansas
http://www.anapsid.org/vets/kansas.html

Also another place to look is a state herp society, they may have a listing of other herp vets in the area.

In the meantime, describe your set up for us in detail, and we can give suggestions on how to raise the temps and humidity in your set up.

Keep him warm, and just boost the humidity for the eye caps.

You can also soak him in warm water for a bit as well to help with hydrating and warmth.

Hi,

Was trying to think of ways to find you a decent herp vet.:(

I take it no one on this list is anywhere near you? **edit ** already posted as I hit "reply" :oops: **/edit**

Are there any reptile shops or zoo's nearby you can ask for recomendations? Or even vetinary training hospitals ?


dr del

He grew only 4 inches in a year?

What kind of setup do you have? Thermometers? Hygrometer?

Temps/Humidity/Hides etc?

What do you mean "since he has been by your heater"?

Does he have a funtioning UTH or flexwatt?

Can you provide specific details about what is making you think there is a problem with the snake's eyes? BP's eyes normally look wrinkled and "dented". Are they clear? Swollen? Pale, but not shedding?

Also, what and how often are you feeding your snake? Are you providing him with a hide? What type of enclosure are you using?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BPBeth

BP's eyes normally look wrinkled and "dented".

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None of mine are. The only time I've seen a wrinkled or "dented" eye was on rescues who were dehydrated. Proper hydration, proper humidity and a shed and eyes were no longer wrinkled or "dented".

BP eye look a tad wrinkled, or crinkly, but still clear. Have you looked using a magnifying glass? You will notice this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BPBeth

BP eye look a tad wrinkled, or crinkly, but still clear. Have you looked using a magnifying glass? You will notice this.

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Have you look with a magnifying glass? Why? I am really interested on your experience with Ball Pythons. You have 8 posts here sofar And none of them I agee on..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BPBeth

BP eye look a tad wrinkled, or crinkly, but still clear. Have you looked using a magnifying glass? You will notice this.

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No, and I doubt anyone else has either. You said:

Quote:

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BP's eyes normally look wrinkled and "dented".

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That reads to me that they normally look that way - not they normally look that way if you use a magnifying glass.

None of my snakes eyes are wrinkled, none of them are crinkly, none of them are dented. In my experience, none of those conditions are "normal" for a healthy, well hydrated ball python.

One of mine had a dented eye for about three days. Upped the humidity and it filled back out. I would agree that dented, crinkly eyes are not normal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BPBeth

BP's eyes normally look wrinkled and "dented".

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Beth, the difference between seeing the structure of a snake's eye under many times magnification compared to the normal visual appearance may be great (though quite honestly I've never needed to examine an eye in that detail, I'd leave that to my vet). However, when a member is asking about how an eye looks they are generally speaking about the outward appearance on normal examination.

A normal BP eye is clear, bright, not dented in nor wrinkled. Conditions like impending shed, dehydration, retained caps will change that appearance and often indicate some issue that needs addressed (other than the normal shed cycle of course).

i have my heat lamp shining at an angle close to the water bowl helps me keep the humidity up right know it is at 58% temp 86 if the humidity drops i give the tank a mist spray if needed