I recently acquired my first ball python from a local reptile expo on Sunday. I brought him home and put him in a 10 gallon terrarium, lined with the green "Reptile Carpet/Liner" with two different hides, one a small cave and the other a half log propped against the wall. He also has a water bowl in the middle of the cage, and the back and right walls are blacked-out with a piece of sheet. He has two lamps, on the right side, one red for night, and a regular 60W for daytime use, he also has a UTH under the right side, but it does not touch the glass bottom directly to prevent any overheating. Half of the screen top is covered by a piece of glass to keep some humidity inside. He also has a bendable vine that he climbs over while out and about.

The terrarium is currently 86-92 on the warm side and 78-82 on the cool side. The humidity tends to float around 50%.

Now here's where the problems arise.

1. He was a bit dehydrated when I first brought him home, he found his water dish and started drinking. My question is, I know that skin folds are a sign of dehyrdation, but is this in any direction? I have not noticed any vertically, just some horizontally when his body is curved.

2. Respiratory Infection. I have seen him yawn twice in the 4 days he has been home, and just this past evening I saw him rubbing his face at an angle, but only in his "less explored" area of the cage. I have not heard any wheezing or popping nor mucus from his nose, but I am assuming respiratory infection none the less and he will be visiting the vet. I have already increased the temperature, is there anything else I can do to help him before I can get a scheduled vet appointment?

3. Now this is where I get really scared. He was climbing up one of the side walls as I was watching him and noticed a bit of reddish-tinge on his belly. I looked to my "Ball Python Manual" by de Vosjoli and found out that this was a symptom of necrotic dermatitis/scale rot. Is there anything to help with this? I will be talking to the vet about this as well.

4. As he is just a baby and just recently moved in, I have not attempted to feed him. I tried a small pinkie but gave up quickly as I figured all the stress would prevent him. My only problem that I will be changing some of the set-up (replacing the half-log hide with an identical cave, etc) and he will likely be going on very stressful medication/care, and now I am worried that he might not be all up to eating. Do I wait to change cage set-up? Do I feed him a couple of days before he might start treatment? I feel bad for this poor guy.

I know this is quite a lot of questions, and pictures would be a big help, but its late and pictures will be put up tomorrow in order to clear up some confusion.

Thanks a ton in advance,
Nic