RI's Going Around?

[Rat160]

This season seems crazy for RI's....

Ive seen several posts on my local craiglist for people getting rid of their balls with RI's. There is even a guy selling an adult female YB for $100 because she has an RI.

I personally have had to treat 3 of mine for an RI, and recently I have seen an increase in people asking about RI's.

What gives? Has anyone found a better way to treat than batryl. Ive been using batryl injections and increasing heat which seems to work ok but if someone knows a better way to treat im sure everyone would want to know.

[Skittles1101]

I've heard also using some diluted F10 in a fogger will help immensely. Knock on wood, I haven't had to do this yet, but if I found I had an RI in my collection I'd be doing the F10 treatments along with whatever antibiotics my vet prescribes.

[Luke Martin]

Tetracycline works wonders. You can usually get it from a pet store as a fish medication, but its a general antibiotic that truly works great. The instructions are usually 1 pack per 10 gallons of water, but I'll usually mix a small amount into a gallon jug and just mix it up. When the snakes drink their water they get the medication and most of the times it doesn't take long for them get over the RI.

[West Coast Jungle]

RI's happen every winter because many beginner keepers don't have their husbandry correct and let their snakes get way colder than they should. Forced air heating, lamp heaters can also dry air too much and cause RI's.

If you snake has an RI it is not because "its going around", it's because your husbandry is wrong, plain and simple.

Also don't try to cure it on your own unless you want to watch a slow death. RI's are caused by a variety of different bacteria. You need to go to the vet and do a culture to find out the specific bacteria your snake has and then he can prescribe the correct antibiotic for that specific bacteria, otherwise you are just taking a shot in the dark and treatment could be doing more harm than good as the shots are very stressful to the snake and stress is detrimental to their immune system.

RI"s are SERIOUS, GO TO THE VET!

[kitedemon]

So many also restrict air flow and build the perfect conditions for bacteria to survive.

Low humidity is generally poor conditions for bacteria and flora I have never seen any published research to suggest low humidity causes RI if you have any please post a link I'd love to see it. I know both DRs Klingenburg and Rossi both speak about high humidity and low air flow.

Tetracycline for fish is not a good treatment for RI you need to see a vet and have it properly treated. I would never recommend doses or treatments to others it is irresponsible. I am not a vet nor am I qualified to suggest anything past first aid and even then that is iffy (yes I have an emergency animal advanced first aid course)

[ball-pythons]

how do you know if the bp has ri?

[Skittles1101]

Commons signs of an RI are wheezing and/or popping, mucus inside the mouth, bubbles in the back of the mouth and nose, breathing with the mouth open, usually there will also be mucus smeared along the inside of the enclosure.