I have two female ball pythons that are currently gaping. I have other ball pythons as well that I have that do not seem to be gaping as well, but they hide all day so I cannot be too sure.

They currently are showing no other symptoms. Mouths are still nice and pink, not making any noises, active, no mucus, just the gapping. What is weird and if I had nothing to worry about is that there is two of them doing it. Nothing in their enclosures have changed except moving them from news paper bedding to aspen. Their temperatures are 90F on the hot side and the cool side fluctuates between 75-85F.

I can bring them to the vet if needed but they have no other symptoms and here it is a $280 visit per snake plus treatment if needed so I do not want to spend that kind of money for nothing so I would like to be sure before doing so.

Their feeding day was two days ago, but planned on feeding them today (shipment of F/T came in late and arrived yesterday instead of last week). Is hunger a possibility of gaping?

What else could cause gaping and what is the first to last signs of an RI?