Does this sound (and look) like a respiratory infection? Help please :(

[Spoons]

Disclaimer: I have a vet appointment for tomorrow at noon. But I still want your guys' opinions

I just got my baby Kenyan Sand Boa two weeks ago. She is 12 grams. On 3-4 inches of crushed walnut. Hot side above UTH is 92 degrees, ambient hot side is low 80s, cool side is mid 70s. She came from very improper husbandry. She ate for me last Wednesday, a f/t pinkie.

Today I picked her up and could hear the clicking and popping Hallmark of an RI. I could also feel it in her little body. She keeps puffing her throat out, and adjusting her mouth. Yawning a lot, as well as sitting with her mouth open a little bit. She seems perky and alert otherwise, but I know that she's sick. Does this seem like a standard RI?

Here are some pics I took holding her today. Ones with her mouth open, etc. Unrelated- I just noticed her lower jaw is shorter than her upper jaw. Is that a normal sand boa thing? How did I not notice that before? (My mind immediately jumped to mouth rot, but her open mouth pics says it's not!) Also, do you think this is something that could have been brewing since I got her? My husbandry is spot on for KSBs, idk how I could have caused it

Please look, and tell me what you think. What is the usual treatment? Just wanna know what I'm in for.

https://imgur.com/a/1QdETQJ

[Bogertophis]

Poor baby, so glad her appt'mt is tomorrow, she seems to need help to breathe. Looks like a classic RI to me, & likely the result of her prior "very
improper husbandry". Her lower jaw looks a bit like maybe her teeth are caught up? Sometimes when they grab prey roughly or strike the glass,
their jaw can roll inward just enough that they snag their mouth with their own teeth...they can be gently unhooked if so, but I'd wait & let the vet
have a look & do it, if so. (it's hard to tell, but the vet, in person, will be better able to see & will be checking her mouth anyway) Likely she'll be
on a course of antibiotics & "TLC" (warm temps, minimal stress) I'd avoid handling her, as that makes her breathe harder & she already has enough
trouble from the RI. Remember that snakes cannot cough, so if left untreated, an RI can kill them if they cannot breathe. She'll likely make a good
recovery following the vet's care.

[Fastfish]

I sure hope the little guy pulls through for you

[Spoons]

Just got back from the vet. When I took her out to get her ready, she sounds like rice Krispies when she breathes. I was also right yesterday with the mouth discomfort- she's got a touch of mouth rot starting. Nothing visibe yesterday, but today starting to be visible. I attached a pic of the affected side of her mouth I took when I was walking out to my car. I'm very glad I not only caught this early but was able to get her a next day appointment.

She's too small for actual blood work, but the vet listened to her lungs and checked her out and put her on a course of antibiotics. Injectable, every 3 days for 21 days. Vet said that would help both the RI and the mouth rot. Everyone at the vets vet's office loved her. She's still perky and curious, which is good. No lethargy at all. I have high hopes she'll pull through with a little TLC.

Just preparing a small clean tub for her while she gets better, just paper towel, a hide and some water. Vet said I can keep feeding like normal, so while yesterday would make the 1 week mark I'm going to wait til Monday and feed her with my ball python to get them on similar feeding track, especially with all the stress today.

Here's a pic of her mouth from today:

https://i.imgur.com/h4HWYyT.jpg

[Bogertophis]

Good job on getting her help quickly, & thanks for the update. You're a great "snarent"! Hopefully she'll make a good (quick) recovery from all.

[Spoons]

I try to be! She's only been mine two weeks but if I'm going to be her caretaker, and this have her rely on me for *everything,* I'd better pony up when she needs it! I'm already so attached to her already (even if she doesn't have a name yet!)

I'll keep updating as she progresses. Fingers crossed! I'm glad this forum exists, it's the main reason I was able to recognise the signs of illness right away.

[Spoons]

I'm having a little trouble deciding how warm to keep her. I have her in a small 1 gallon Tupperware tub with a vented screen lid, nestled into the sand in her big cage for warmth. This is both for cleanliness while she fights her infection and so I don't have to dig around and unbury her to check on her and stress her out. Originally I put it at the hot side, where the temps in the Quarantine Tub were around 90. But, I thought that was maybe too hot, since she then doesn't have an option to seek cooler temps. Right now she's in the middle where the ambient temp is mid-high 70s, and the half with the hide is sitting over the UTH so the floor of the tub is probably a little warmer than ambient.

How hot is too hot? How cool is too cool? Can't do much to give her a thermal gradient so I'm trying to find a happy medium.

[Skyrivers]

She must have a name. It will help her heal faster. LOL. Happy you caught it quickly.

I try to be! She's only been mine two weeks but if I'm going to be her caretaker, and this have her rely on me for *everything,* I'd better pony up when she needs it! I'm already so attached to her already (even if she doesn't have a name yet!)

I'll keep updating as she progresses. Fingers crossed! I'm glad this forum exists, it's the main reason I was able to recognise the signs of illness right away.

[Spoons]

She will! I am just terrible at naming animals and it takes me *forever!* I want something desert-inspired. Not required, that's just what's bouncing around in my head. I've always been bad at naming!

[Jmarshall]

She will! I am just terrible at naming animals and it takes me *forever!* I want something desert-inspired. Not required, that's just what's bouncing around in my head. I've always been bad at naming!

How about the name Sage? or Sandy? Those are desert inspired I am happy to hear you got her the help she needed promptly!