Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted this in herp health as well...

My nearly 6', 4 year old jungle carpet python is, well he's blowing out more air than usual. I've read up ad nauseum on upper respiratory problems and can't decide whether he's developing one. He's in a 70 gallon enclosure with a (just recently made hotter) 90-98 degree hot spot. At night it gets down to about 75 in there, a bit warmer if he lays on the heating pad area. The water bowl evaporation provides any humidity, it's been pretty dry this year through the winter.

Before he shed (just a few weeks ago), he was inahling a little oddly and I could feel it in his lungs, but it seemed to stop after he shed, so I thought it might've been loose nose skin. HOWEVER, I only feed him once a month (the first day, usually), and he didn't eat his rat this month. (In fact, he took a nap. On top of it. On the hot spot. Superb smell, that.) His lack of eating is not enough evidence to me, though, because he might just not be hungry.

He's been blowing out puffs of air a lot (and sometimes sounds a teeny tiny bit wheezy when inhaling), but he isn't doing anything like holding his head up or leaking mucus. When he opened his mouth last night, it does look quite pale in there, but no mucus or anything that I could see. Am I being way too mommy here, or do you think it might develop into something worse?
Thanks for any help you might be able to provide.

Hi,
My ball python had a respiratory infection about 3 months ago. I got her from a dirty pet store and basically saved her life. Mine had like a crusty nose area and it was a noticable high pitch weezing noise. I paid 90 $ in total at the vet for the vaccine and a check up. I wouldnt be too worried if there is nothing coming out of his nose. But opening of the mouth could mean that he has pneumonia and that is deathly. Dont let it get to that point. But the cage seems like it is at a good temp. I wouldnt worry right now. Its a change of the season as well so that could be doing it. You should try to spray the tank once a day to keep the humidity up. But if nothing is coming out of his nose dont worry right now.

Hey, thanks for the advice. Neither he nor I can wait for summer to get here so that the humidity in the house goes back up. He does seem a bit better today. I raised him from a month old, so there's nothing about his life that hasn't been under my control.