Heavy breathing?

[xKxLxHx]

I've been trying to leave my snake alone so it can get used to it's new home lately, so I haven't been handling it much at all, but I checked up on it tonight when I got home and it seemed to be breathing heavy. I checked for any noise coming from the snake, or leaving its mouth open or mucus, but it showed none of the signs. My temperatures and humidity are correct, but PLEASE tell me it's not an RI.

It's still under the "14 day warranty" from Petsmart for a few days and I really, REALLY don't have enough cash for a vet bill right now, could it be anything else, maybe just from being startled?

[tweets_4611]

What do you mean, breathing heavy? Just that his sides are moving faster or farther? You can spook them when you pick up their hide, or check on them, so you may have spooked the little guy.

[xKxLxHx]

What do you mean, breathing heavy? Just that his sides are moving faster or farther? You can spook them when you pick up their hide, or check on them, so you may have spooked the little guy.

Both, just looks like a struggle. And I noticed it acting a little different, ever since I put "better" hides in, it never really comes out, but earlier it was laying in the middle of the tank, balled up. Maybe I'm just paranoid?


I'd feel so much better if it would just eat.

[8Ball]

Mine had RI. A sign was that he would put his head straight up in the air and leave it there for a while;"star gazing"; and he would yawn often. Also I could hear a weezing or crackling in his breathing and see bubbles around his mouth. Hope this info. helps. Maybe he's just getting used to his new home. Good luck.

[tweets_4611]

A vet visit never hurts. I would take the snake and a fecal sample to the vet just to be sure there isn't any physcial reason he isn't eating. If he doesn't ever come out that is a good sign, he likes his new hides. Him being in the middle of the tank I wouldn't worry about too much, they do sometimes just want to look around.

But instead of worrying all the time, I would just take him to the vet, get a fecal test done, and have them check for an RI. If he comes back from the vet clean, then let him settle and he should start to eat.

[xKxLxHx]

Mine had RI. A sign was that he would put his head straight up in the air and leave it there for a while;"star gazing"; and he would yawn often. Also I could hear a weezing or crackling in his breathing and see bubbles around his mouth. Hope this info. helps. Maybe he's just getting used to his new home. Good luck.

I've only seen it yawn twice since I got it, and both times were when I kind of woke it up to check on it.

A vet visit never hurts. I would take the snake and a fecal sample to the vet just to be sure there isn't any physcial reason he isn't eating. If he doesn't ever come out that is a good sign, he likes his new hides. Him being in the middle of the tank I wouldn't worry about too much, they do sometimes just want to look around.

But instead of worrying all the time, I would just take him to the vet, get a fecal test done, and have them check for an RI. If he comes back from the vet clean, then let him settle and he should start to eat.

I figured it just wasn't eating because it's not used to its new home, since I've only had it for a week and a half. I tried to feed it again, and it was completely disinterested in the food, it wouldn't even look at it, and actually avoided contact with it. Should I take it back to Petsmart, since it still is under that 14 day thing, and I spent the money expecting a healthy snake?

[Toronto Python Gurus]

I've been trying to leave my snake alone so it can get used to it's new home lately, so I haven't been handling it much at all, but I checked up on it tonight when I got home and it seemed to be breathing heavy. I checked for any noise coming from the snake, or leaving its mouth open or mucus, but it showed none of the signs. My temperatures and humidity are correct, but PLEASE tell me it's not an RI.

It's still under the "14 day warranty" from Petsmart for a few days and I really, REALLY don't have enough cash for a vet bill right now, could it be anything else, maybe just from being startled?

hey i had the exact same problem with my 07 male pastel, i read a thread made by Corey Woods or a comment in a thread by him that suggests you boost the temperature to around 95F maybe even a little higher and just cook the breathing problem right out of em . . . . so i did this i boosted the temp on the hot side to about 95ish and within a day the problem was gone and he has been fine ever since, good luck hope everything works out!

[tweets_4611]

I don't want to come off as rude, but the fact that you are so willing to just take it back instead of fixing what is wrong bothers me. Snakes will get sick. They will get stressed out. They will go off feed. They will need vet visits. If you aren't willing to take the snake to the vet at some point, I, personally don't believe that you should keep one yet.

Now, the snakes from PetCo are not exactly considered the healtiest of all animals. They are treated like a stock item there, and not like an animal. Noone on this forum can tell you what is wrong with your snake. Only a vet can do that. We can only guess and kinda poke at what is wrong from our own experiances. Especially since we can't see the animal. If you really want to start off with a healthy animal, you *could* take it back to PetCo and contact a breeder. There are many on this site that really care for their animals, and don't sell sick snakes. But the thing is, even if you start with a completely healthy snake, it could still get sick. Say you take this guy back and get another one? What happens with the new one gets sick or goes of feed? You can't just keep taking them back when they break.

Now if you keep this snake, it is a real possiblity that it has an RI, or parasites. But like I said, noone can tell you online if that's what it is or not. If it is an RI, there are some people that believe if you catch it early enough you can just raise the temps and it will go away. Others believe that it can only go away with antibiotics. Parasites will only get worse until they make the snake really sick. If you choose to not take it to a vet, there is no way to know. It will either get better and start eating, or it won't.

I'll get off my soapbox here. I really hope your snake starts eating for you. It is worrysome to have a pet that isn't eating. But like with any animal, it's either going to need the vet now, or later, and you need to be willing to take it when it's needed.

[xKxLxHx]

I don't want to come off as rude, but the fact that you are so willing to just take it back instead of fixing what is wrong bothers me. Snakes will get sick. They will get stressed out. They will go off feed. They will need vet visits. If you aren't willing to take the snake to the vet at some point, I, personally don't believe that you should keep one yet.

Now, the snakes from PetCo are not exactly considered the healtiest of all animals. They are treated like a stock item there, and not like an animal. Noone on this forum can tell you what is wrong with your snake. Only a vet can do that. We can only guess and kinda poke at what is wrong from our own experiances. Especially since we can't see the animal. If you really want to start off with a healthy animal, you *could* take it back to PetCo and contact a breeder. There are many on this site that really care for their animals, and don't sell sick snakes. But the thing is, even if you start with a completely healthy snake, it could still get sick. Say you take this guy back and get another one? What happens with the new one gets sick or goes of feed? You can't just keep taking them back when they break.

Now if you keep this snake, it is a real possiblity that it has an RI, or parasites. But like I said, noone can tell you online if that's what it is or not. If it is an RI, there are some people that believe if you catch it early enough you can just raise the temps and it will go away. Others believe that it can only go away with antibiotics. Parasites will only get worse until they make the snake really sick. If you choose to not take it to a vet, there is no way to know. It will either get better and start eating, or it won't.

I'll get off my soapbox here. I really hope your snake starts eating for you. It is worrysome to have a pet that isn't eating. But like with any animal, it's either going to need the vet now, or later, and you need to be willing to take it when it's needed.

Hate to go on the defensive here bro, but I meant take it to the hospital at Petsmart. Since it's under warranty, it should be checked out freebies. I am very capaple of keeping animals, I just think it's stupid that I should shell out MORE money on a snake that should have been completely healthy when I bought it. Since this post it's been acting normal, and hasn't had any breathing problems, but you shouldn't really get on my back like that. I work there, I know procedure, and I wouldn't ever take it back to get another one, it's just a burden on everyone, and I'm already attatched to the snake as it is. I didn't at all mean take it back and leave it, just to the hospital, banfield, that petsmart offers. But even if I couldn't take it to their vet, I'd take it to a real vet if need be. I'm just saying, why take it somewhere and shell out $200, when I can possibly get it done for free. Not at all saying that Petsmart is superior to a special herp vet, but at least I'd have an idea of what I'm dealing with. Apparently by the thanks you got, you're not the only one that had this opinion. I just want to make myself clear that I would NOT sell a sick animal, nor neglect to take it to the vet, and it does kind of offend me that you'd just go on the offensive and assume that I'm like that. This isn't a flame, or hate post, but I'm not like that, and I wanted to set it straight.

[Toronto Python Gurus]

Apparently by the thanks you got, you're not the only one that had this opinion.

just for the record the thanks was for what he was sayin in general for anyone else who reads this thread, it wasnt a "thanks put you in your place", i hope the little guy/girl gets better and things work out, if you have questions then feel free to post them alot of people are on here to help, because alot of people buy ball pythons without proper knowledge . . . . .alot of us are on here to help those people for the love of snakes, i myself am a breeder and i'd rather everyone be happy and have proper knowledge of their pets opposed to gettin money put into my pocket, again i hope your snake is fine and he gets the treatment he needs to be healthy and live as long as he/she can