Upper respiratory or not?

[Mickey56]

Hello,
Hope someone has an idea of whats going on. Here goes, I have been caring for my sons ball python for 4 years now (she is almost 6yrs). I have recorded her behavior so that my son has this when he returns from the service. She has a period from Nov to March where she goes off feed. The final month she sheds and has a small poop. This time she was make a loud rattling noise when she would breath. So I took her to the vet and she received antibiotic shots every three days. Well she shed and the noise stopped and she looks great. The noise stopped after the shed so Im guessing the skin loose skin around her nose was causing the noise. It is now May and I tried feeding twice since and still no eating. Now the question is I can hear a very slight noise every so often when she breaths, similar to a soft air release. Other then that she has no other symptoms of an upper respiratory issue. No irritation around her nose, no fluid or bubbles, she active.Everything about her home is exactly the way it has been with no change. Temperatures are right and the humidity is correct. So is this an upper respiratory? Can you occasionally hear a B.P. breath? Can someone give an idea of whats going on. Thanks in advance

[Albert Clark]

Well, what are the temperatures exactly? Snakes get ill very slowly consequently they heal slowly as well. If they are getting over a illness that may be the reason the appetite hasn't returned. As long as they have fresh water and you monitor the weight you could be on top of things. The specifics of the enclosure would help though.

[Mickey56]

Well, what are the temperatures exactly? Snakes get ill very slowly consequently they heal slowly as well. If they are getting over a illness that may be the reason the appetite hasn't returned. As long as they have fresh water and you monitor the weight you could be on top of things. The specifics of the enclosure would help though.

The low side of her home is 76-78F and the high end is between 83-86F and right on top of her heating pad is 92-94F under the bedding.

[BeelzeBall.]

The low side of her home is 76-78F and the high end is between 83-86F and right on top of her heating pad is 92-94F under the bedding.

humidity?

[Rob]

Sounds like the shed was making that original concerning sound and now you are just overly worried about any little breathing sound. Breathing isn't absolutely silent, but if you need a piece of mind a vet trip again would do the trick.


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[For Goodness Snakes]

The low side of her home is 76-78F and the high end is between 83-86F and right on top of her heating pad is 92-94F under the bedding.

The lower temps are just a little to low for me, I would rather see the snake's body temps not get below 80 degrees, and ideally stay between 80 and 90 degrees. One thing that most of us forget in the big scheme of things is what is the snake's temp, the best way to measure this is with a temp gun, in my opinion having a temp gun is imperative for measuring the snake's body temperature. If the ideal temp to incubate the eggs is 89 degrees then this must also be the same ideal temp for the adults. The eggs are usually laid underground in termite mounds and rodent holes where the adults also live.

It is more likely for a ball python to get a respiratory infection if the temps are too low, during the lower temps our snakes become stressed. If the snake is in stress it's normal ability to fight off infections is impaired, In my opinion warmth (80 to 90 degrees) is more important than food. If you are only working with one heat source I would double that. Ideally snakes kept in a terrarium in the home should have a under tank heater and an over the tank heater inferred, ceramic or heat pad all heat sources should work from a thermostat and all probes should be making intimate contact with the heat source.

If you think the snake has RI a trip to your local vet might be the best way to go.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me my phone # is 408-981-6694 and my email address is fgsnakes@sbcglobal.net

Good luck

Brian / For Goodness Snakes

[Mickey56]

Sounds like the shed was making that original concerning sound and now you are just overly worried about any little breathing sound. Breathing isn't absolutely silent, but if you need a piece of mind a vet trip again would do the trick.


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Thanks! I think thats what I'll do. Your right about being overly worried.

[Mickey56]

Humidity is a gauge that ranges in color and her humidity is always in the green area. Not sure exactly the number. I mist her daily and she has a large water dish just in case she want to get wet. Occasionally I'll see her slid thru it.

[Mickey56]

Thanks for your help. I'm going to take her on a trip back to the vet just to be sure.

[Rob]

Humidity is a gauge that ranges in color and her humidity is always in the green area. Not sure exactly the number. I mist her daily and she has a large water dish just in case she want to get wet. Occasionally I'll see her slid thru it.

You should go grab an acurite digital gauge. Those little stick on ones with the colors don't tell you anything. You can get an digital one pretty cheap at wal mart.