ball python breathing problem

[pythontricker]

ok i took my bp to the bath tub today for a little soak. he was swimming around like normal. but all of the sudden he stopped. he opened up his mouth an then started squirming around like he couldnt breath. i quickly pulled him out and he stopped immediatly.
he then started yawning. at least twice. and i have been noticing that he has been doing that squeeky breathing thing again. i have noticed that its only when i handle him. but when i put him down to crawl around on the floor i will listen in and hear no abnormal breathing. also i hear little cracking popping sounds coming from his neck and mid body. this sound also does not occre when im not handling him. were i live its getting into the high 50's in temps. and its really hard to get the temps spot on. the humidity is fine but not the temps. i cant seem to get them up. its like 75 in the cage! im really worried and i think im gonna take him to the vet.
p.s. could the squeeky breathing be due to stress? please help!

[Patrick Long]

could be a lot of things. but you definately need to get those temps up. that is more important than anything. 75 is way to cold. you need like 90

[slartibartfast]

Your instincts are spot-on with a trip to the vet. What you are describing could be a respiratory infection, which would need medical attention.

Where are you having your difficulties with the heat? Cold temperatures are the primary factor in RIs. If you can't get your heat up in the appropriate ranges, it will be very hard for your snake to recover from this.

[pythontricker]

he had this be fore and i took him to the vet in sepember. he gave me some antbiotics to give to him. it seemed to go away. but i thinks its back and even stronger!

[fishmommy]

when you say he's 'swimming'....do you really mean that?
soaking should be done in water that doesn't really come more than half way up the snake's body when he's laying in it.

If he's really 'swimming' he might have inhaled some water by mistake.

Vet is definitely the right thing to do...popping/squeaking are not good noises for a snake to be making.

[pythontricker]

oh it wasnt deep at all. it was just wat u said.

[JASBALLS]

Bump hes heat up to 90-95 for now until you get him to the vet. Why did you soak him this time? Just a bath?

[pythontricker]

ya
i thought it might have been nice for his skin u know

[JASBALLS]

ya
i thought it might have been nice for his skin u know

Na, They dont need it. If you want to bath him/them do it when its hot outside. This time of year just recks them!

[SatanicIntention]

Bump his heat up to 95-96 on the hot side and 86-87 on the cool side, and also make it very humid(not wet). This will help until you can get to the vet.

Is the snake in a tank? If so, you're just working against yourself. Get a small tub, put the UTH on, and possibly cover the whole tub in an electrical heating blanket, or get a room heater.

Also, Balls don't need soaked UNLESS they are having a poor shed. Soaking them any other time just dries their skin out and predisposes them to having bad sheds, like how we get wrinkly when swimming.