I Think My BP has RI

[agl017]

I've been researching about RI in BP lately, because I think mine is acting strange. He yawns A LOT when I hold him, he won't eat, I've caught him stargazing, I hear popping noises when he sticks his tongue out, and he has sneezed twice since I got him on Xmas. I'm really worried for him, as this is my first pet snake. I want to know if there is an easy fix I can do, or if I have to go to the vet.

Notes:
I have a lamp and a heat pad at 90 degrees
He's on EcoEarth
He gets fresh, dechlorinated water
I try my best to keep his humidity around 60%, and it is there most of the time (I even have tin foil on the lid)
He has two hides- one on the cool side, and one on the heat pad
I gave him some climbing decor
He is in a 20 gallon atm, but he will be moved to a 40 gallon once he settles in

[tttaylorrr]

if this behavior has been happening since before xmas, i would consider scheduling a vet appointment as soon as you can.

when you first got your snake, was he exhibiting this behavior as well? an RI can happen for a few reasons, but it mainly has to do with humidity and ambient temperature. how are you measuring/reading your temperatures, and what are you using the read humidity?

[agl017]

if this behavior has been happening since before xmas, i would consider scheduling a vet appointment as soon as you can.

when you first got your snake, was he exhibiting this behavior as well? an RI can happen for a few reasons, but it mainly has to do with humidity and ambient temperature. how are you measuring/reading your temperatures, and what are you using the read humidity?

I think I'm going to take him to the vet.

I actually got my BP as a Xmas present, so I would not know what he was like before that. I regret that he came from Petco, but I don't think he was very well cared for there. I'm reading my heat mat's temp. with a metal thermometer with a probe (I don't know how to explain it). I measure the humidity and ambient temp. with those stick-on ones. I know they aren't good, but I don't what to get instead, so could you show me some that you use?

[L.West]

To measure the humidity in the cage - alot of us use this:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/AcuRite-D...00325/16888914

Very cheap at walmart. Just put one in his cage or two if you can afford. You should probably invest in a temp gun in order to get accurate reads on the temps of your heat mat also.

[zina10]

I do believe that may be a case for a vet.

All the symptoms together could very well mean Upper Respiratory Infection. They can also do all this while in shed, but then you would have noticed him going through some of the shed cycle.

The non eating would be mostly due to being sick, but eventually you may have to tweak your setup a bit to entice him. Can you post a picture of it? Seems you are on top of the temps and humidity and that is very good !!! Now you have to make sure you have a very private setup, not wide open. For example, black out the sides and back by taping construction paper or something on the outside of them. Make sure the hides are small enough, and have identical ones on warm and cold side. Clutter it up some.

If you have to treat for an illness, you may actually have to set up a "quarantine/sick tub". They are smaller and easier to keep sanitized. If you cannot do that, you will have to remove everything out of your cage, esp. substrate and extra deco (for now). You need to keep a sick snake on paper towels, something you can clean and sanitize daily. You don't want to keep deco, unless its the kind that can be sanitized.

Since the cage will need to be rather "bare" make sure the sides and back are blacked out, the top mostly covered, and a few hides throughout. Easy to clean hides.

The rest will be up to you and the vet.

Petco snakes aren't ideal, like from most big box store, but it is what it is. You have the lil one now and kudos for doing the right thing

Good luck, and keep us up to date..

[tttaylorrr]

L.West is right; a lot of us use AcuRite brand thermometers/hygrometers because they're accurate and affordable.

if the snake came from PetCo i would absolutely take him to a vet, and don't be surprised if you learn he as other issues. do you keep any other snakes?

also, is your heat mat regulated by a thermoSTAT? just asking, as a thermostat is an essential, if not the most important piece of equipment you can get for you beep.

keep us updated on your little buddy! i hope he makes a quick recovery.

[tttaylorrr]

I do believe that may be a case for a vet.

All the symptoms together could very well mean Upper Respiratory Infection. They can also do all this while in shed, but then you would have noticed him going through some of the shed cycle.

The non eating would be mostly due to being sick, but eventually you may have to tweak your setup a bit to entice him. Can you post a picture of it? Seems you are on top of the temps and humidity and that is very good !!! Now you have to make sure you have a very private setup, not wide open. For example, black out the sides and back by taping construction paper or something on the outside of them. Make sure the hides are small enough, and have identical ones on warm and cold side. Clutter it up some.

If you have to treat for an illness, you may actually have to set up a "quarantine/sick tub". They are smaller and easier to keep sanitized. If you cannot do that, you will have to remove everything out of your cage, esp. substrate and extra deco (for now). You need to keep a sick snake on paper towels, something you can clean and sanitize daily. You don't want to keep deco, unless its the kind that can be sanitized.

Since the cage will need to be rather "bare" make sure the sides and back are blacked out, the top mostly covered, and a few hides throughout. Easy to clean hides.

The rest will be up to you and the vet.

Petco snakes aren't ideal, like from most big box store, but it is what it is. You have the lil one now and kudos for doing the right thing

Good luck, and keep us up to date..

spot on zina, as per usual.

OP, this is excellent advice and i hope you follow it.

[agl017]

I do believe that may be a case for a vet.

All the symptoms together could very well mean Upper Respiratory Infection. They can also do all this while in shed, but then you would have noticed him going through some of the shed cycle.

The non eating would be mostly due to being sick, but eventually you may have to tweak your setup a bit to entice him. Can you post a picture of it? Seems you are on top of the temps and humidity and that is very good !!! Now you have to make sure you have a very private setup, not wide open. For example, black out the sides and back by taping construction paper or something on the outside of them. Make sure the hides are small enough, and have identical ones on warm and cold side. Clutter it up some.

If you have to treat for an illness, you may actually have to set up a "quarantine/sick tub". They are smaller and easier to keep sanitized. If you cannot do that, you will have to remove everything out of your cage, esp. substrate and extra deco (for now). You need to keep a sick snake on paper towels, something you can clean and sanitize daily. You don't want to keep deco, unless its the kind that can be sanitized.

Since the cage will need to be rather "bare" make sure the sides and back are blacked out, the top mostly covered, and a few hides throughout. Easy to clean hides.

The rest will be up to you and the vet.

Petco snakes aren't ideal, like from most big box store, but it is what it is. You have the lil one now and kudos for doing the right thing

Good luck, and keep us up to date..

I just took a pic and covered the sides with notebooks for now. I might have to move him since he is on my desk, where I hangout a lot.

If the vet finds something wrong with him, I will set up that qaurentine tank. I have most of the supplies so it should be easy.

Also, I don't understand how to send you an image, but I can explain it to you.

I have a 20 gallon long aqaurium with a screen lid, and tinfoil covering half. On the left side, I have his waterbowl (big enough for him to fit him) and a hide that you always see the baby leoporard geckos in at petco, except I flipped it on its side (lots of tight spaces). On the right side, I have a log hide under a 60 Infrared Bulb, and over a heat mat (Which has a thermometer). I use EcoEarth substrate. I have two thermometers and a hydrometer sticking to the wall. I try to mist the tank a few times a day, and fill his water back up when needed.

Thanks for the helpful tips. I'm really worried about this guy. I hate seeing my pets sick.

[agl017]

I do not own any other snakes, but I do have alot of fish and reptiles.

[tttaylorrr]

On the right side, I have a log hide under a 60 Infrared Bulb, and over a heat mat (Which has a thermometer). I use EcoEarth substrate. I have two thermometers and a hydrometer sticking to the wall.

a thermoSTAT and a thermoMETER are two completely different things.

are the heat mat and the bulb regulated by a thermoSTAT or rheoSTAT? ALL heat sources MUST be regulated! this is non-negotiable, as it will prevent your pet as well as your house from being burned should the heating element run too hot or fail open (on, full-blast)