Uh-oh...possible RI?

[WarriorPrincess90]

Hello everyone!


So, as many of you know, I just received my new BCI a little over a week ago. She ate for me on Monday and seems to be a feisty little thing. (Acts like she's going to strike at me every time I move near her tank. lol)

I have her in a 20L with an UTH and a heat leap for raising the ambient temps in her enclosure since my house is kept around 75-78 at all times. The coolest spot in her tank is 75.1 degrees right now even with the heating elements because we had a cold snap last night and it's in the 30s today.

At any rate, I thought that now she's had a few days to digest, and seems to be fairly mellow, I would hold her FINALLY!

Well, when I took her out, she - being the feisty thing she is - spent a good couple of minutes following my every movement, coiled in the S-position. She then began to climb around but I noticed a popping from her nose when she breathes. I realize this is a sign of RI, so I'm freaking out! I know I offer advice on these, as I dealt with one in a BP before...but that time did not end well as others are aware. (It ended up being viral pneumonia and there was nothing more we could do. :tear: ) I can go pick up another heat lamp with a 100W bulb if necessary to up her ambients more, but is there anything else I can do to stave it off if she is coming down with something?

She arrived freezing cold from the breeder, so I've been looking for something like this. But when I took her out on Monday to feed her, I didn't hear a thing.

Is there anything else it could be besides an RI? She hasn't shed for me as I've only had her a little over a week, so it shouldn't be stuck shed. Plus, the noise wasn't there a few days ago. :/ GAH! Everything changes when it's your snake that has the issue.

Any advice would be most appreciated. I'd also rather avoid taking her back to the vet that treated my BP since all he seemed to want to do was every expensive procedure he could think of. -.- I'm going to start looking for another one right now, just in case.

[WarriorPrincess90]

So it didn't take long...I found a vet MUCH closer to my house. Sadly she works at Banfield (ick! Petsmart!). How long should I wait to take her to the vet if this is a potential RI?

I may be overreacting a bit...but I don't want a repeat of the last time I had a snake with an RI. (Granted, it's probably not viral if it's temperature induced...but I'm still paranoid.)

[WarriorPrincess90]

I would also like to add my newest observation which I suspected to be true...she isn't making the popping sound when breathing in her tank. Only while I had her out and was holding her.

Could it have been stress? :/

[Scimthar]

You should definitely turn the temperature higher and try to take her to the vet as soon as possible.

Also, have you contacted the breeder? I've never had snakes shipped over to me, but in my opinion, no snake should be arriving 'ice cold'

[WarriorPrincess90]

Anyone else with any ideas? She only makes the sound when out and being held. Thoughts?

[RestlessRobie]

My Pied girl makes a Poping noise sometimes while being held or around my neck I thought the same thing but it turned out that she was just rubbing scales together while around my hand or neck. We had a check up at 6mo before coming out of QT and no signs of RI so this may be what you are hearing?

[WarriorPrincess90]

My Pied girl makes a Poping noise sometimes while being held or around my neck I thought the same thing but it turned out that she was just rubbing scales together while around my hand or neck. We had a check up at 6mo before coming out of QT and no signs of RI so this may be what you are hearing?

Thank you Robbie. I was wondering about that. I'll keep a close eye on her. There are no other signs or symptoms as of yet, but if anything else pops up I'm taking her to the vet immediately.

[RestlessRobie]

Aye I would just make sure you have no other signs such as excess drooling or bubbles in its mouth ETC. I honestly think RI scares everyone and we all (myself included) jump to the my snake has an RI fear rather than just take a deep breath and calmdown and look. My big Normal semi Rescues owner is always finding something wrong with her sake everytime she is over and well I just see a nice healthy snake

[piper]

If you can, try to open the snakes mouth and check for mucous or bubbles. I have one right now who arrived with one and the first time I had seen bubbles was at the vet so don't wait for that stage.

[WarriorPrincess90]

Thank you guys! I will try to use an old AAA card or something to open her mouth tomorrow. I don't want to stress her out more than I already have today. I held her head and checked around her nose and mouth for crusties or bubbles or drool. When my BP started showing signs she was drooling and "coughed". (I know they can't actually cough, but that's the best description for it).

I know I'm especially paranoid because I lost my first BP within a few months of getting her. She came to me at a particularly difficult time in my life and I was VERY attached to her. My friend was a small time breeder. She was a rescue and she already had the RI when I got her. I just didn't know what it was and he didn't tell me or didn't realize she had it. :/ I was very upset with him to say the least.