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  1. #1
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    BP heat pits and nose issues? Any help please

    Hi i think there is something wrong with my ball python and i would appreciate any help. I bought her 2 weeks ago and i noticed she was red or her front heat pits, but didnt think more of it. I didnt do the mandatory check on her before taking her home which was stupid. I put her in her enclosure and last week i started to notice that her nostrils, heat pit/mouth area was a bit dirty/red, but she do like to move under her substrate a bit and put her nose everywhere, which i thought was normal because it was a new home for her and i thought that might be why she is red around that area. I did feed her last week and she ate, so i thought everything is good. But a couple of days ago i was gonna clean her enclousure and i took her out and my girlfriend noticed she was wheezing when she was breathing. I checked her out and she didnt have any mucus on her mouth or nostrils so i thought maybe she might just be stressed out. I took her out again yesterday to see if she have any mucus, she did not have any and now she was not wheezing(had her out for 15min just to listen to her breathing) but i took a closer look on her face and took some photos, it does look like her nostrils are sore and her heat pits are not as red but it seems like they are sore also, discoloured at least. Also i noticed some mucus for lack of a better word on her left eye, i need to check this again though. I did bring the temp up a bit in her enclousure just to make sure because i did worry she might have a beginning of a respiratory infection. The humidity was a bit high last week at about 80-85% so i brought that down to about 70-75%. She always comes out at evening and strolls around her enclousure and she is not breathing with her mouth open. I wonder if anyone else have experienced the same thing and if i should worry or take her to the vet. Thanks

    She is 4 years old and she is a Leopard butter fire pastel pinstripe, 50% poss het pied, about 1500 grams






  2. #2
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    Re: BP heat pits and nose issues? Any help please

    I don't know what, if anything, is wrong with your BP. The discoloration may be caused by digging in the substrate, but I'd take it to the vet to be sure. Treatment outcomes are better when you address a problem early.
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  4. #3
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    Re: BP heat pits and nose issues? Any help please

    I took my bp to the vet at the earliest sign of a respiratory infection. We discussed my husbandry. He suggested that I get a bigger heat mat and report back if it didn't clear up. It did clear up. No antibiotics needed. Vets are most effective during the early stages of a problem.

    I had a parakeet with similar darkening around the nostrils. A vitamin shot cleared it up. So, when in doubt, take them to the vet.
    Last edited by Homebody; 07-10-2022 at 08:51 AM.
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    What substrate are you keeping her on? And what was she kept on before you got her? (ie. what COLOR is the substrate?)

    Some minor noisy breathing can be "normal" IF a snake's nostrils are plugged- snakes cannot "blow their noses" as we do. Also, besides substrate getting packed into their nostrils & heat pits, when BPs are kept with inadequate humidity, they may also fail to shed the outer linings of their nostrils, which will also result in some noise & difficulty breathing, as you might expect, simply because their "nose is plugged".

    Good sign she's eating & not mouth-breathing, bubbling or constantly wheezing, but if you're still worried, do see a qualified & experienced herp vet, as there's only so much we can tell "from here". This site may be helpful if you aren't sure who to see: https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
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  8. #5
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    I'm a bit confused by the mucus on the eye part...
    Was it mucus from her mouth? Because ball pythons have a scale layer of protection over their eyes so they aren't 'moist' unless something severely damages the eye itself. Her eyes are beautiful. Was it maybe the blue haze they get before shedding making her look cloudy? Sometimes they do wheeze a bit before a shed.

    If we can see pictures of the whole setup, it might help. The little bit of substrate I can see looks almost like a coco fiber and chip mix? The fiber is fine enough to lodge in her nostrils and irritate them a bit if she's really pushing. It definitely looks like she's rubbing because I can see two small marks on her forehead. Her heat pits are a more normal looking color to me because her nose is so pale. If it looks more red at times it can be because of the pushing and rubbing.

    I agree with Bogertophis that if you are concerned, there is only so much advice we can give on a medical area and a vet is the best option.

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    @ Armiyana- I'm only guessing but maybe it was just a bit of water (near her eye) & not actually mucus? I noticed the other minor head injuries too- glad you brought up possible issues with the enclosure furnishings too.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
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    Re: BP heat pits and nose issues? Any help please

    I have her on coco husk substrate and there is definitely some fine coco underneath the bigger chunks, she was also on coco husk before. I will take some pics of her enclosure but basically I keep her on a glass tank with coco husk, plastic plants decor, hides, water bowl and a large tree stick. I don’t know if it was just a drop of water on her eyes or “mucus” but I will take a closer look on her eyes, I never noticed anything before so might just be a drop of water, definitely not blue/cloudy eyes.
    I’m definitely not as worried now and leaning more into that her nostrils are sore/irritated by pushing through the substrate, I will keep a close eye on her and keep her temps and humidity as they should. I will definitely take her to the vet if I notice anything more or worse. Thanks for all the answers! I will update more

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    Re: BP heat pits and nose issues? Any help please

    Quote Originally Posted by Blitzyballpy View Post
    I have her on coco husk substrate and there is definitely some fine coco underneath the bigger chunks, she was also on coco husk before. I will take some pics of her enclosure but basically I keep her on a glass tank with coco husk, plastic plants decor, hides, water bowl and a large tree stick. I don’t know if it was just a drop of water on her eyes or “mucus” but I will take a closer look on her eyes, I never noticed anything before so might just be a drop of water, definitely not blue/cloudy eyes.
    I’m definitely not as worried now and leaning more into that her nostrils are sore/irritated by pushing through the substrate, I will keep a close eye on her and keep her temps and humidity as they should. I will definitely take her to the vet if I notice anything more or worse. Thanks for all the answers! I will update more
    I'm glad you're paying close attention, & when we see reddish-brown on most any creature, it's natural to worry that it's dried blood. While we cannot rule it out, let's just say that the odds are well in your favor that it's just the colored substrate being used in your snake's enclosure, or irritation from it. Let's just say we've seen this situation before- your snake isn't the first one to pack some substrate into their nostrils & heat-pits. We all turn into "detectives" when we keep snakes, or at least, it helps if we do.

    As far as the other marks on her head- make sure there's no sharp things poking out of your fake plant decor- for example, if they're the kind with coated wire stems (for shaping & sturdiness) they sometimes lose leaves & become a danger for a snake that runs into unshielded wires. That's the snake-equivalent of us stepping on a nail- something you want to prevent, because of the danger of infections.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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