Please, help....a wheeze?

[shelliebear]

Is a wheeze in a ball python ever normal?
I have been doing absolutely everything possible to keep my ball pythons healthy--the main problem is temperature, and humidity.
Due to circumstances beyond my control, 2 snakes (one ball python, one corn snake) stay at my boyfriend's parents house, which we visit about 2-3 times weekly. 3 snakes (2 ball pythons, one corn snake) stay at my parent's apartment where we spend most of our time.
I cannot put all 5 snakes in one place right now.
I have been doing EVERYTHING to keep them warm--heat lamps for the ambient temp, and a heat pad connected to a thermostat for the hotspot.
Under the light, the temp in Nergal's tank is about 80 degrees. In his hide, with the UTH, it's about the same. His tank is a 40 gallon breeder. I think what's happening is the entire length of the tank is not getting heated by the lamp like I intended it to.
Regardless, Nergal now has a wheeze that resembles a quieter version of a doggie squeak toy. I can only think of an RI causing this, but what else can I possibly do? I'm trying so hard, and I have money to spend if need be on a new setup. I just need help. I don't know what else to do. Everything is going wrong, and I'm trying so hard to make it right, but now one of my babies is sick, and I cannot figure out how to prevent it in the future.
Vet appointment--I will be calling first thing Monday. All the vets are closed for the night. I'll see if some clinics are open on Saturday, but it's a small chance.
What can I do? I can't turn on the main heater in the room, as it is broken, and my boyfriend's mother says a space heater is too dangerous for the room, as it is cluttered up being used for storage as well as the home of the snakes.
I need help. Please, any advice you have....I need it. I'll do anything to keep him healthy.
Nergal is about 2 years old now and weighs around ~1230 grams. He eats every week, and has been shedding once a month or so. He eats a small rat every week....including 2 days ago.
Thanks,
Shellie

[shelliebear]

Should I try a heat emitter instead of a light? Are those better for ambient temps? It's freezing in the house and the apartment--I'd say ~60 degrees at both, room temp.

[Ezekiel285]

Sometimes stuck shed in/around the nose can cause wheezing i think. Also RI has some clicking/popping sounds accompanying it. Another thing to look for is mucus. Somebody that has dealt with this more will post and give you better instructions soon

[shelliebear]

Oh, forgot to mention--I checked his mouth. It looks pretty normal; a bit of clear fluid like water is on his gums when I peel his lips back, but no stringy mucus, and nothing excessive. Gums are a light pink/white around the outer lips, and a darker pink/red on the roof of his mouth and bottom of mouth.

[Daybreaker]

Is his hot spot only at 80 degrees ambient as well? If so, you really need to get that up (if you have a snake with an RI bumping temps up is a BIG help for their recovery).

I would suggest getting him out of the breeder and into a tub where he can be warmer and able to control temps better: you can attatch the UTH/thermostat to it and cover it with a towel to keep in some heat. Even if the house is cold, he should be a little warmer in there.

If a tub is out of the question then bump up this UTH up and see how the temps are. How are you measuring them? But, I would imagine a heat emitter would work with ambients though but put the lamp on a dimmer as well and know that it will suck any humidity that you have in the tank.

In regards to an RI: did you open his mouth up entirely and check down into his throat or just pull back his lips? If you opened it all the way and his throat and trachea were clear of bubbles/froth and sticky mucus I would say he is okay (for now) but monitor him closely just in case it is in fact an RI (check for bubbles, mucus, rumbling, clicking, and wheezing). Better to catch RI's sooner rather than later.

Last note: when they try to expell water from their nostrils this could cause a click sound as well, did he just take a drink before you heard the sound?