So, as some might know (I posted in the new people area), I recently acquired a Ball Python, named Velox (Latin for 'swift' or 'rapid'). I'm wildly overcautious about everything it seems (I'll wash a pan before I put it away, and wash it again when I take it out 'just in case'), so I fully admit that I'm a bit silly sometimes.

So far, according to my ReptiJournal (and my own memory!), Velox had the unfortunate occurrence of spending a night in a 67 degree room, with no belly heat, the first night he came home (the heating pad I had purchased was defective, the pet store replaced it, and gave me a half refund to boot!). He seemed alert, friendly, and curious when I inspected him at the expo. He did not eat for about 4 days after I got him, though I'm under the impression they sometimes won't for up to a week or more after first moving, so I feel like that's pretty in order.

Currently, he hasn't been handled much at my house, giving him time to calm down and acquaint to his situation. Really only to feed him, clean his bedding a bit, and add a new hide.

However, I worry that he might have a RI. He seems to breath quite heavily sometimes, which might be my approach, I'm not sure. He doesn't seem to stargaze, or 'wheeze/click' outside the one time he huffed when I went to move him into the feeding tank.

I will say he was relatively 'baggy' when I got him, with a 'line' of excess skin on him, but with the travel, and what I thought was an impending shed, I didn't think much of it.

Now I'm wondering if the excess skin and heavy breathing are really bad signs? We have a vet appointment for Wednesday, which is the earliest I can afford (I get paid biweekly, unfortunately), and the vet doesn't offer a "Pay Later" system. I'm just looking for any idea what may or may not be happening, or if maybe I'm just being overly attentive to a creature that stresses easier than I'm used to.