Just wanted to speak to the RI issue....I am convinced that "bacterial respiratory infections" are over-diagnosed in reptiles. There are a lot of viruses out there that attack the respiratory system and the mucosa of the upper GI tract (esophagus, oral cavity) that cause similar signs as RIs. However, it is extremely rare that the client is willing to spend $125 to have a sample sent to UF for viral testing, so it is never accurately diagnosed. These viruses are contagious.

Also, even though bacterial respiratory infections are almost always due to normal commensal bacteria over-growing in a compromised snake, they still can be contagious. Animals (including humans) are always in balance with their environment and the microbes in it. If an animal is challenged with a high enough load of bacteria, it is likely to get sick. Snakes with RIs are carrying and shedding more bacteria into the environment than normal, and in this way can be contagious to other snakes.