It has been a Terrible Day :(

[clipclopclip]

So this morning I woke up and:

1. My Helix had stopped working (actually happened last night, so I have my snakes on an alife thermostat that I borrowed) and was reading error messages that even the guys at Helix cannot explain so I am sending it back.

2. My rescue BP, who already has a lowered immune system had chosen last night to drag her paper towels into her water bowl, thereby making her tank into a cold wet nasty tank. So, basically, she had no heat and was wet all night. I expect that even though her temps are up to normal and she is now in a dry tank that she is going to get an RI and possibly die from this. I had to take her out of quarantine because since Helix broke down last night I had to put the ball pythons on one Thermostat, so they need to be close together. I am expecting that if she gets sick, the rest of my snakes now will too. I am looking at big vet bills if this happens.

3. The little rescue BP has not hidden all day, even when her temps were perfect. She has been crawling around like a maniac, and is breathing rapidly. This doesn't make me feel any better. I wish she'd just hide and rest. I will be amazed if she survives the night, actually. I am just trying to keep her temps up high and keep her dry.

4. My corns are on heat lamps on a rheostat,and I hope I don't end up frying them because of my crappy rheostat.

5. of course this happens on a SUNDAY. No vets, no stores, nothing going for me.

Right now temps are OK, but I am sooooo worried about the little BP baby. I feel like this could have been prevented if I had just woken up last night and checked on her. I feel like such an awful keeper and I feel sure that my troubles are not over.

I actually spent all day driving to and from a guy's house south of Denver to buy a used herpstat from him, which I am currently testing to make sure it works OK. If it does, it will replace my friend's alife and my helix.

I have been so stressed today that I feel like I am getting sick, and my papers that are due this week are not written like they should be. I cannot function, and I probably will not sleep.

Plus my cats are yelling at my door for attention, and right now I just want to scream and scream.

Sorry for the rant, but this is just a terrible day for me

[amystours]

Lotsa times, it helps tremendously just to rant! Take a deep breath, count to ten, and take one thing at a time!!!!

[wolfy-hound]

First, calm yourself.
A lot of what you are stressing over hasn't happened yet.
A lot of what you are stressing over already has happened, and you can't change that it happened.
So weed it all out to what you CAN affect.
You have the heat adjusted now? If you feel you need to spot check, then set your alarms to remind you to check.
Cover the rescue up with towels or something, so she can calm down and rest. Make sure that she has air flow, and that nothing is contacting whatever heating elements you are using. Making it the proper temps, and dark and quiet will help her the most. Spot check for temps.
Use quarentine procedures as much as possible with your rescue and your other snakes. Mess with all other snakes first, washing hands in between each. Leave the rescue for last, so you don't transmit anything to the others, IF she does come down with something.

By concentrating on what you can do to fix things, you'll manage. Try not to worry about what's past, it won't help to stress over it now.
I hope all your guys are fine.

[clipclopclip]

Thanks guys!

I have the herpstat I bought hooked up now, so temps will be fine tonight. Phew...

[wolfy-hound]

Awesome.

[Laooda]

Awww!!! I HATE days like that...

((((Sending good vibes))))

[clipclopclip]

Awww!!! I HATE days like that...

((((Sending good vibes))))

Thanks!

[ADEE]

The good news is things will get better. ((hugs)) We have all had days when things just dont seem to go right and I feel your pain. I hope all your animals do ok. Try to take a deep breath for now and put things in perspective.. things could be worse

[clipclopclip]

Well, as an update, I am now using a herpstat that i got used. It is working OK, and I checked on the little rescue and she is breathing fine for now, so that is good. I couldn't interest her in food the other night, so I'll wait a while and try again in a few days, once she has stopped being so frantic.

So long as she does not get an RI, that is good. I really need to get food into her though, she is very skinny. I'll wait and try in a few days and hope that she can be interested in food then.

The weird thing is she seems energized at night, trying to escape and climb her tank for hours on end. When I peak in she is nonplussed, and doesn't shy away or get scared.

I guess she must be unhappy about being closed in but feeling OK if she has that much energy?

I hope she rests though, and gets hungry haha.

[SatanicIntention]

She just sounds stressed out to me. Why not put her in a small 6qt shoebox tub for awhile and see how she does. 6qts don't require much heating at all to be maintained.

I have one 07 male normal who is always out and about, but he's one that will take off your face if he even gets a whiff of mouse. For some it's just normal roaming, for others(like yours), it's caused by stress and looking for a safe place to hide.