Pretty Please Tell Me It Isn't An RI

[hotelvoodoo]

Good God I thought the nightmare had ended.

We brought a snake back from the show in Hatfield and we noticed around 6 hours later that she was popping and wheezing and all that nonsense and sure enough a few days later, FULL BLOWN RI. As we'd never dealt with anything like that, we decided the best thing we could do for her was to take her back to her breeder. We had no way of knowing how advanced the infection was.

Needless to say, once she left us we scrubbed the bejesus out of the tubs, dishes, everything, and as I'm sitting here on my bed I hear a little wheeze coming from my rack. Turns out, my black pastel, my favorite little angel of sweetness, is popping. He's got no bubbles, no mucus and he's been eating mice without an issue. He's fine interacting, he's not lying with his head up, he's totally normal other than that little noise.

Our temps hover around 92 hot side, 83 ambient, and the humidity around 65% (not 100% certain, but we spray every day and everyone sheds in one piece). I really, really hope it's not another RI. I don't know what to do about it. I've read advice saying that bringing him to a vet is a mixed bag and that a lot of their procedures are obselete and ineffective. I just want my baby to be ok. I thought we were finally getting this under control and now, another problem.

I bumped the temperatures up around 2 degrees and sprayed his tub down as usual. What else can I do? I read so much mixed information while we were dealing with the last one, I just don't know the right thing, the right action to take.

Help? *defeated*

[Lair of Dragons]

There are several different types of infections a Ball Python can get...some you can treat and it will go away but can and will lay dormant....but most never go away...
Your best bet is to contact local breeders in your area and ask them if they know any good reptile vets....take it to the vet and have them do a culture to test what is the underlying cause....some infections are cause by poor husbandry...some by stress and some by serious illness...most can be treated with doses of Baytril some need Flagil or Amikacin but from what you are describing it sounds air born which has been known to wipe out partial or whole collections with no cure....you should in the future always quarantine new additions for several months before adding to you collection for the reason you posted this question.
Good luck...
Travis
Lair of Dragons

[Lair of Dragons]

By the way you are in PA and so am I .....a good vet that can do the required test is Dr. Pendleton on Harrisburg Pike in Lancaster or Dr Steed at Manheim vet Clinic on Manheim rd in Lancaster or Smoketown Vet clinic has a traveling reptile vet that covers all their locations....just got to call and see where he is on that day.
Travis
Lair of Dragons

[dr del]

Hi,

Is the black pastel starting, or in, a shed cycle?

Have you opened his mouth to make sure there is no excess mucus?


dr del

[hotelvoodoo]

He is certainly due for a shed. It's been a little over a month and though he isn't blue, he's starting to feel stiff and has gotten super shiny. We, with a lot of arguing, pried his mouth open and nope, no excess mucus, just these little wheezy pops.

[dr del]

Hi,

Then I'd just keep a very close eye on him for now.

But definitely take a note of the recommended vet above ^^^

Also keep an eye out for any signs of mucus smeared on cage furniture or in the waterbowl.


dr del

[hotelvoodoo]

Ok, so he's totally in for a shed. Just went about cleaning cages and he's totally blue. Still popping and wheezing a little, but still no mucus. Does the shed cycle have an effect on these things?

[Evenstar]

He could have a piece of shed stuck in his nose which can make them wheeze and pop. That's why Dr Del said just watch him for now. Once he sheds, take note if he's still wheezing. If he is, and/or if you notice any mucus around his mouth or nose or smeared in his tub, take him to a vet.

A good vet should not be a "mixed bag". There are antibiotics that can be quite effective. Most of us will deal with an RI at some point in time or another. It's not the end of the world if treated promptly and properly. A good vet will do a culture in order to choose the most effective antibiotic to use the first time. If your vet does not do that, request it. Keep the temps bumped up that teeny bit for now and try to relax. Even if it is an RI, you've most likely caught it early and everything will be fine. Keep us posted!

[hotelvoodoo]

Well we watched the snake bytes tv episode on snake illnesses and decided we'd follow a little of Brian's advice. We bumped the temps two degrees and after reading the sticky on RIs I quit spraying everybody down and just included a lump of damp moss under the cool hide.

So we're waiting on our F10 to be shipped in and built a fogging chamber. Brian said 10 days of treatment and then if they're not getting any better, vet time. I think it's probably a good strategy, and hey man, if it's good enough for BHB... I'm hoping he sheds before the F10 comes in so I can see (fingers crossed) if that's the problem, but I'm so worried about him.

Tomorrow's feeding day. Hopefully he keeps on eating for us, poor baby.

[masonhall]

im in Philadelphia! Yay PA!