Hello!

Apologies if this is the incorrect section to ask this:

I feel quite terrible - I had to leave my python unattended over the long weekend (about five days), and when I came back I had found that some poop had escaped the rat she was eating when I left.
There were traces of mold on the ceiling of her tub enclosure, it must have been there for about 3 days.

I threw out that enclosure and set her up in a tank I was planning to move her to - a giant 4' x 3' high glass terrarium, and disinfected anything I had touched while cleaning her and tossing the tub.
She currently was whistling occasionally, but it may have just been due to stress from me giving her a bath and lightly scrubbing down her whole body.

I was wondering how long I should give her to clear up the symptoms on her own before booking an appointment with a herp vet?

Here is the sticky questionnaire:
1. How long have you had your ball python?
3 Years, since she was a baby.

2. How old
see above

3. Does it eat on a regular schedule?
Usually once every two weeks, sometimes she skips a meal or two

4. How long since its last meal?
About three - four weeks

5. What type/size prey is being offered?
Medium rats, frozen

6. How often do you offer food?
Once a week if she hasn't eaten for over four weeks, otherwise once every two weeks

7. What type and size of enclosure does it live in?
Just moved her to a large 4'x 3'high glass terrarium about 1 hour ago.

8. What are you using as substrate? If it has depth, how deep is it?
Currently, paper towel. Gonig to the store tomorrow to buy melaleuca.

9. What type of heating do you use?
Basking lamp with a herpstat probe on top of the paper towels, set to 85f at night and 88f during the day. (Actual temp is about 2f above the set temp)

10. Do you use a thermostat to control temperatures?
Yes

11. What do you use to measure/monitor temperatures?
Herpstat 2 Red

12. What are the surface and ambient temperatures in the enclosure?
Not sure just yet, haven't had a chance to measure as I just moved her in tonight.

13. What is the average humidity level?
Not sure yet, see above

14. How many and what type of hides does the snake have?
Currently none - tank is empty with only water and a hot spot. Going to set up the tank tomorrow morning.

15. Is water readily available at all times?
Yes

16. Does the snake live alone or does it share the enclosure with anything else?
Alone

17. How often and for how long is the snake typically handled?
Once every few days for 10-15 minutes, longer if I'm cleaning the enclosure

18. Does the snake have any medical history (old injuries or illnesses)?
No

19. Do you have any other reptiles? Have you brought in any new reptiles recently?
No

20. Is there anything specific or unique about your situation that we should be aware of
Snake was exposed to small amount of mold over the course of 2-3 days. I instantly removed her from that enclosure, threw it out, and cleaned her before placing her in her new, clean tank.


Thank you -

ashamed