I am glad you are taking your ball to a vet. Even if increasing the temp is helping, a bad enough infection can really take alot out of your ball and it may never fully recover if proper treatment isn't done. Also, with a weakened immune system (from fighting infections from a URI) can allow other ailments to infect the ball, or even increase the chances of internal parasites taking a hold.

It is really one of my personal pet peeves every time I read a post about somebody who has a sick animal but are reluctant or unwilling (or unable to afford) to take it to a vet, posts here or other forums (both on kingnsnake.com or other reptile/animal sites I visit regularly) asking for a 'home cure'. Sometimes it is possible to correct a minor health issue when its directly related to something wrong with the husbandry. (ie temps too cold, too hot, no hides, improper diet etc) which could remedy the situation quite quickly... But what many people don't seem to realize is animals don't advertise a weakened or sick state. In the wild, such weaknesses being shown pretty much means 'I am sick and weak, come eat me!" Thus, by the time you notice signs of sickness its at the point it is seriously affecting the animal's health.

When anybody buys a pet, whether that pet costs $5 or $50,000 you are taking on a responsibility to that pets care, comfort and all its needs, including taking it to a vet when its sick. Every pet owner should set aside $20 a pay check to go for vet care, should the worse happen. After a couple years of no health issues with your pets, maybe you can take half of what is saved and use it to buy some nice cages, or a new pet...or just keep it all till you have no more pets, than that money could go to something else. But the main point is to always have a reserve just in case something happens. Also, every pet should see a vet once or twice a year just for a general checkup. It allows your vet to know what a nice baseline of what a healthy animal of that species is like (especially good if your vet isn't familiar with that particular species. He knows a 'healthy' baseline to compare future checkups to see what has changed which could help diagnose it.)

Since I am on the subject of pet peeves, another one is all those people who come to forums with a sick/injured animal and claim they 'rescued it' but are just as reluctant or unwilling to take it to a vet. To me that isn't rescuing the animal...its just moving it to a bad situation to a slightly less bad situation. Every person who brings in an animal in poor health into their care, the FIRST thing they should be doing is taking it to their vet. An animal that has been in substandard or even neglected care and is skinny, lethargic etc. is almost always going to have something wrong, some may even be on their last legs and even if they are put into ideal conditions, they may still need medical help to give it what it needs to survive long enough to fully benefit from better care. Afterall, it may live a week with the new owner in perfect conditions, but if it stayed with the old owner, it may have died in a day or two, but the lack of proper medical care (ie boost of fluids, nutrients, antibiotics etc as needed) won't allow it to survive even in idea conditions.

Sorry for the Soap Box rant...

I applaud all those who try and help animals who are in bad situations and do everything they can to help such animals, be they ball pythons or anoles, including taking them to vets. Rescue work is not a profitable business, which is why all of them are non profit and the majority of their funds are out of pocket, with some money made back from donations and 'adoption' fees when animals are rehomed. Don't insult these people who work hard and more importantly, spend alot of money out of their own pockets, by claiming you are rescuing an animal but are unwilling to pay for vet care and anything else it needs to provide the animal with the best care possible. (and 'you' is used in the general sense, not in reference to the person who started this particular thread)

Ok,I am really getting off the soap box, honestly
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PHLdyPayne

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