Vet Visit

[MMReptiles]

Can we make an exception for the guy that's owned a snake for all of three days now and take Monty to the vet if I wanna' waste a little bit of money?

I'm honestly hoping that the wheezing is actually just heavy breathing. I don't hear him doing it all the time, generally just sometimes when he's active or when I've had to pick him up. When I got him from my buddy, he didn't have a UTH, just overhead. It also seemed like his cage hadn't been cleaned in quite some time, some of the aspen bedding was stuck to the bottom of the tank, I'm assuming because of urine. I've fixed that up and husbandry is pretty good. Just went ahead and put him in a new tank since I was planning on getting a BP anyway, but I ended up getting him for free along with his cage. Humidity might be a little high, haven't quite got that exact yet, but warm side sits around 89-92 and the cool side is about 77-79.

Should I feed him tonight or wait until after the vet visit tomorrow or wait for a few days? I was told that he hasn't eaten in about 4 weeks. He doesn't appear too skinny to my untrained eyes though.

If he's actually a male, a mature one at that- I wouldn't be shocked if he refused food for the breeding season. I've had males go 6-8 months striking on food because they are so intent to breed. If the snake is only doing a little wheezing, it could be a number of things. Some snakes do it when very active. Some for stress, some saying "leave me alone".

If all the previous owner had was an overhead light, it's very possible the air was very dry, and he's simply not hydrated enough, and there is a small piece of shed skin/dust in his nose causing the wheezing as well. Frankly, I'd give him time and wait to see if he improves or if the wheezing gets worse. Based on what you've said, nothing is screaming RI to me right now- and frankly- if I took every snake I've ever heard wheeze or hiss to the vet, I may as well just house my collection there.

I wouldn't feed him anywhere near a vet visit, the stress could induce a regurge and end up being worse overall for the snake. Either feed him now and hold off on the vet, or wait until after the vet for feeding.

How would one go about getting Baytril without first going to a vet? Baytril also has failed before at curing RI's. Why, you ask? Because the type of bacteria causing the RI is immune to that type of antibiotic. Thus, going back to the first point of needing a culture. See how this works?

Congratulations on being a cure all handy man. I, for one, would not put my snakes health at further risk, and even their life, for the simple fact of saving a few dollars.

Many people become good enough friends/have worked with a vet enough that if they need Baytril can simply go and ask for it, and get it at cost from the vet. Sure- Baytril has failed at curing RIs, I never recommended it in the first place now did I? I said in general it does a pretty good job if you go that route. Frankly, 99% of RIs can be fixed at home with simple husbandry issues.

I'm not being a cure all handy man, I'm speaking from years of experience treating RIs, and what has proven to work time and time again for me to treat every single RI I've come across. Frankly, in my eyes, you "further risk the snake's health" by stressing it out so much with an unneeded vet visit. I don't go to the doctor every time I get a cold do I? Or take my cat every time he gets a sneeze.

As the OP stated- the original husbandry was way off, if there is an RI, it's minor. Proper husbandry can and will probably fix it.