new bp problems

(Back story)I recieved a baby BP from a friend of mine about a week and a half ago. He cleans out houses that have been forclosed by banks. the snake was in a 10 gallon tank with a small heat rock, newspaper substrate, and a small bown of water. electric was still on so it didnt get cold. Anyway it was infested with mites all around its eyes and its nostrils were almoast completely filled in with past sheds. I wish i could get a piece of the SOB that had it previously.!. anyway, when i first got the snake it seemed to be breathing from its mouth every once in a whyle. i treated the mites and its eyes are looking great. i have been soaking it in a small plastic terarium for an hour and a half every other day and peeling any loose skin from around its nostrils with a pair of fine point jewlers tweezers. i have got one completely open and the other a little open. it still apears to breath through its mouth once in a great whyle. it is about to shed so im hoping the rest of the nostril will clear out with this shed. i am looking for any comments or suggestions or comments as this is my first BP. i own 4 corns but i have never had any problems like this with any of them.

Breathing through the mouth is a syptom of RI

It's pretty much impossible to say if it's a budding RI or just a reaction to having it's nostrils and so forth encased in stuck shed. Really it's probably best, considering this snakes iffy past care to have a vet check done (and a fecal float as well) when it passes some poop. It's best if you can find an experienced herp vet and just have them give the snake a good check over as their hands on exam will give you the best information about whether this is an RI or just a reaction to all that messy stuck shed.

check for flem or fluid in the mouth, that means RI. The retained sheds could be blocking the nostrils causing mouth breathing. A vet trip is your best bet. that many mites could have caused other illnesses. Great save, my hat is off to you:gj:

What is a fecal float? Is it just what it sounds like?

when your vet checks out fecal samples i think

Put some fresh poop in a ziplock, then refrigerate it until you can get it to the vet, or drop it off the same day (at least thats what I've been told to do should I need a fecal float for LD) Is that correct Raul or Joanna?

My snakes seem to poop at night. So when I see it I put some in a ziploc bag and place it in the fridge. Get it to the vet that day, or the next day. They won't last too long in there. And don't freeze it!

They pretty much mix it in a solution and let stuff float to the top. Then test that top stuff for parasites.

They'll also do a direct smear onto a slide.

Cost is 15 dollars at my vet.

Hope this helps :)

Quote:

---

The snake was in a 10 gallon tank with a small heat rock

---

You aren't still using the heat rock are you?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by missi182

Put some fresh poop in a ziplock, then refrigerate it until you can get it to the vet, or drop it off the same day (at least thats what I've been told to do should I need a fecal float for LD) Is that correct Raul or Joanna?

---

Basically it's what was described....they take a little feces, mix it with a solution (sorry can't remember what it's called right now), put a coverslip over that and let the parasites float to the top where they stick to the coverslip and can be viewed under a microscope. It tends to be better for seeing some parasites than a fecal smear is.

Some vet clinics can do it while you wait if you phone ahead. Usually costs less than $30.00 Bag the feces, refridgerate don't freeze and get it to the vet as soon as possible. It's money well spent with some snakes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sneakerpro

You aren't still using the heat rock are you?

---

no threw it out and gave the 10 gallon away. its in a 35 long with a heat rope taped under half of it. controled with a reostat.

it shed a little whyle ago, spent a little time with the clogged nostril and it hasnt been breathing from its mouth. looks like its gonna be all right. taking it to the vet monday just incase. thanks for the posts.

Update
vet checked him and no RI. he may end up loosing an eye:mad: because of the magnitude of the original mite infection. he has eaten twice since my last post, 1st live and today a F/T. he swiched fairly quickly using the paper bag technique.:D he has become a whole new snake in the past fiew weeks, not jumpy and loves to be held. Thanks again to all that posted help, I am verry greatfull.

Sorry to hear about the eye but he should be fine even with one eye. Great job saving him:gj:

Well it sounds like the poor thing is on the road to recovery. Too bad about the eye (hopefully it can be saved) but since they rely far more on their other senses and aren't big sight hunters, the snake should do quite well with that.