Ri?

[Jaguar63122]

I know this picture is not good, but it was through the glass. My new ball has been slightly opening his mouth for a minute or 2 and then will stop. I thought he was getting an RI so I bumped up heat so hot is 90 and cool is 85. I hadn’t noticed him open his mouth for a few days, fed last night, and noticed tonight again? I am trying to bump up humidity but having trouble getting over 55. I can get higher but with all the heat it dries out quick. We only have 1 reptile vet in town and she only works 1 day a week? What do you think..... should I go ahead to vet or do I give more time since he was well enough to eat? This is a juvenile snake about 160 grams... I have had for about 4 weeks and he has shed and ate twice.... note... it was a bad shed, I got everything off with a soak except some on head. Please advise

Thanks
Letreze


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[mandymg86]

Are you noticing any change in the mouth, as far as salivary consistency? (A common marker for RI is thick, sticky saliva/mucous in the mouth). Also, the snake could "blow bubbles) through her nose and heat pits; this is how I made the decision to go to the vet.

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[Luvyna]

Try looking in his mouth -- tutorial here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK0Uvln4lY0

There should be no saliva visible if he's healthy, any mucus/thick saliva would indicate an RI. It could also be that he has a bit of substrate stuck in his mouth, which you would be able to see.

Try holding him up to your ear and listening, signs of RI would be clicking, popping, whistling, or wheezing, and a healthy snake should be silent.

If you do see symptoms of an RI and can't get an appointment soon enough, you could try the F10 Reptifogger method which has been said to help in treating RIs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlZ5eVaHiiI (however you should definitely still take the snake to the vet asap and not rely on this alone to treat an RI!)

[Jaguar63122]

No... I haven’t seen bubbles or seen any mucus. I am trying not to handle and stress since he is new, young, and possible sick. I can’t handle today, but tomorrow night I might try to get a closer look.

I’m assuming RI’s in ball pythons is similar if not the same to Boa’s. I had a boa that was blowing bubbles out his nose... that is when I knew something was wrong and took him to vet.

I don’t care to take to vet this week if it is a RI. I can’t think of anything else it could be.... but was hoping not an RI.... I thought maybe snakes opened mouth in overheat like my dragon does?



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[Jaguar63122]

The other thing is his mouth is barely open. When my boa had a RI, he would open his mouth much wider to breath. Bother are probably RI’s.... boa was just way worse


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[Jakejeckel25]

When our snakes had ri they didn't open their mouths very far I would be keeping a close eye for bubbles

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[Jaguar63122]

Try looking in his mouth -- tutorial here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK0Uvln4lY0

There should be no saliva visible if he's healthy, any mucus/thick saliva would indicate an RI. It could also be that he has a bit of substrate stuck in his mouth, which you would be able to see.

Try holding him up to your ear and listening, signs of RI would be clicking, popping, whistling, or wheezing, and a healthy snake should be silent.

If you do see symptoms of an RI and can't get an appointment soon enough, you could try the F10 Reptifogger method which has been said to help in treating RIs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlZ5eVaHiiI (however you should definitely still take the snake to the vet asap and not rely on this alone to treat an RI!)

So will it be ok to use at the same dose for snake less than 200grams? I can order all on Amazon and have in 2 days.


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[Bogertophis]

Did you get all the old shed off his head? (face? are his nostrils clear???) Mouth-breathing tends to indicate an RI...bubbles & mucus is not the first sign but
tends to worsen in time. But if his nose is plugged from a lack of shedding, you might be treating [for an RI] for nothing. First things first...

And no, snakes don't "pant" like beardies do.

[Bogertophis]

...

I don’t care to take to vet this week if it is a RI. I can’t think of anything else it could be.... but was hoping not an RI....

IF (?) it's an RI, sooner is better than later...snakes cannot cough & if his secretions suddenly worsened, he can choke to death...fyi.
Also, it's easier to treat an infection that hasn't gotten real bad. Meds work better when a snake isn't overwhelmed. So do look for mucus & bubbles, crackling & whistling
noises when he breathes, but first get the old shed off his head/face & check his nostrils.

[CALM Pythons]

You should of kept the same thread going. Naming 2 threads the same thing is confusing.
Id take all substrate out and keep him on Paper towel or Newspaper until this is under control. Sounds to me like you got him with a problem already. Usually younger snakes are not as probe to a RI unless they catch it from other snakes.
At this point if it isnt substrate stuck in his mouth id me making a Vet appointment asap.


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