i am semi-new to ball python care. my bp, severus, is about 6 or 7 months old, and ive hade him for a few months. he has always had good feedings, and from day one was a very social yet calm snake. then a few weeks ago, he snapped at me when i went to get him out. i assumed he was shedding, and left him alone for a while and upped the humidity in his cage. however, as time went on, it became clear it wasnt a shed. he was more jumpy than normal and didnt want to be held, but was eating pretty normally (once, i did have to leave the thawed mouse in his tank overnight though.) everyone kept telling me hes shedding and leave him alone. i listened to them, and didnt follow my own instinct. i left him in one of his 2 caves. he only came out to eat or soak in his water dish (another thing i wasnt comfortable with but everyone swore was normal).

turns out, his uth was working fine, but i had way too much substrate over it so it was staying cold. the probe thermometer was junk, and giving me way off readings. i didnt find out until last night, when i finally said forget what everyone else said, this doesnt feel right, and i took him out to check him. he was making a sneezing noise, but wasnt making bubbles or opening his mouth to breathe. i did not waste any time and immediately called the vet to get him an appointment for this morning.

turns out, he has a bacterial infection and was dehydrated (even though i kept a large-ish water dish in his tank). he got the typical antibiotic shot. then the vet saw a mite on his head. when he went to pick it off, my snake defecated on him. he said that his stool looked strange, so he put it under the microscope and said there are 2 parasites in it. UGH! poor baby! he said most likely it either came from the pet store or even the wood in his cage?? he said that next time, to be safe, boil the wood first before putting it in. has anyone ever heard of that? thoughts?

he prescribed profender for the mites and the shots for the bacterial infection. what are your experiences with the profender, if youve even heard of it?

i really feel horrible right now. i should have followed my instinct instead of listening to others just because they used to have snakes. but i cant dwell on it. i am trying to move forward and get everything going to keep him healthy. and i am desperate for tips.

i have a glass tank with screen top. i keep a towel over half of the top. i have this thermometer and humidity gague (didnt know when i bought it that it was bad) http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...AvailInUS%2FNo what would you recommend for temp/humidity regulation. some people say to use foil/wet towels/plexiglass for the top of the lid, but there are a lot of mix reviews for that. should i get a humidifier? he is in a walk in closet because its the only room with no vents and my roommate keeps the apt cold. he has a red light on one half of his cage and uth on the other end. i know now to keep the wood a lot thinner (i read about 1/2 inch max, does that sound right?). i know the best stuff is online, but can i get stuff at walmart/petsmart/petco/etc. normally i wouldnt mind but i dont want to put him in a cage that isnt perfect for him and waiting a week or more for stuff seems cruel when hes sick.

i really thought i had everything figured out with him. i feel horrible because now he is sick because i didnt listen to my instinct.

please be sure to keep an eye on the comments. i know i am probably going to have to add more details since this post was mostly just rambling.