Mold Everywhere.. should I worry?

[GiddyGoat]

Hello everyone! Hope you’re all well & safe. I had went on vacation for about a week and left my bp in the care of my aunt and grandmother, however upon returning home I found his terrarium full of mold, substrate, decor, everything. The substrate was saturated to the point where it was dripping and left the glass underneath wet, so I’m assuming my family members went ham with the mister not aware that they were overdoing it.

It was a long night of completely disinfecting the tank and everything in it that was safe to do so, however it’s a few nights later and Dewey will not eat. He is beginning to get a pink belly, but I usually don’t have issues with him taking food at this stage of shedding.

I am unsure whether or not his reluctance to eat is because of shedding, stress from the sudden and time-consuming cleaning, or illness.

Should I be worried that Dewey has fallen ill as a result of the mold and excessive moisture? Should I take him into the vet? How would I even check if he was sick due to mold? I leave for college in a couple of weeks and I just want to make sure he’a safe before I go. I’ve never had an issue with mold nor have I had to deal with it before but there are so many other potential reasons he’s not eating.

Thanks in advance for any help and replies. Sorry if I sound a bit paranoid, just uncharted territory for me LOL

[nikkubus]

In that span of time, it's most likely that he is responding to the disruption rather than getting sick unless there is really poor ventilation in the enclosure or room the enclosure is in. I'd pay attention for signs of RI and scale rot just in case, but refusing food isn't something I'd make a big fuss over considering the stress of husbandry change and then having to go in and mess with his environment.

Edit: I forgot to explain how to check. Watch for blistering, discoloration, or flaking of belly scales. Watch his mouth for bubbles, excessive saliva, or excessive yawning. Listen for raspy breathing, sounds similar to hissing but not as loud and more constant.

[GiddyGoat]

In that span of time, it's most likely that he is responding to the disruption rather than getting sick unless there is really poor ventilation in the enclosure or room the enclosure is in. I'd pay attention for signs of RI and scale rot just in case, but refusing food isn't something I'd make a big fuss over considering the stress of husbandry change and then having to go in and mess with his environment.

Edit: I forgot to explain how to check. Watch for blistering, discoloration, or flaking of belly scales. Watch his mouth for bubbles, excessive saliva, or excessive yawning. Listen for raspy breathing, sounds similar to hissing but not as loud and more constant.

Sounds good to me. Thank you so much for the reply and advice! I’ll keep an eye on him.

[Bogertophis]

I agree with nikkubus. And keep in mind that snakes are exposed to mold in nature too- this was at least a fairly short exposure & I think he'll be fine- just monitor & be patient.

[GiddyGoat]

I agree with nikkubus. And keep in mind that snakes are exposed to mold in nature too- this was at least a fairly short exposure & I think he'll be fine- just monitor & be patient.

He’s looking good so far. Thank you both for your patience and help.

[nikkubus]

Glad to hear it!