What's wrong with my SD Retic?

[meekjz]

My Male SD Retic has been acting very strange of late. He's been abnormally active, and digging his head in the doors of his Animal Plastics cage trying to get out. I've noticed that this behavior has resulted in some cuts around his mouth, and was curious as to if this is mouth rot? He's kept in a 4' x 2' x 12" Animal Plastics Cage. 90F hotspot, 84F coolside and about 64-70% Humidity. He turned down food last night for the first time in the 3 1/2 years I've had him. What Can I do? Is it mouth rot?

[bcr229]

I would drop his cool side down to 81-82*F.

He's grown up and wants a girlfriend. I have a male platinum tiger who is also smooshing his face. Throwing some large loosly crumpled-up pieces of paper into the enclosure helps - at least until they get peed on - as it gives the snake something to push around. We've also starting taking our male outside for 30 minutes a day to exercise in the yard when the weather is decent, which seems to let him work off excess energy so he's more settled in his enclosure.

You can try applying Vetericyn to his mouth and any cuts but until he stops rubbing it's just going to get worse.

[reptileexperts]

Yeah, this is normal behavior - agree on the temp drop, heck if you're ambient in the room is not too bad you can even try to drop your cooler side to 78, my SD's favor their cool sides unless they are cooking off a large meal. As they mature they are going to be looking for a mate, and they will start the pushing behavior. Not all exhibit it, but many do. Face cups, lips smashed, all are things that are just common place. Keep the cage clean, and it heals quick.