Hello, all. My new PRB that I purchased about a week and a half ago at a show in Orlando has been acting a bit strange the past couple days. He's just seemed a little slow to react, like when he's climbing around on my hand if he gets turned upside down he just stays that way for a few seconds before righting himself. And when he explores out on the air off my hand with half his body, his head is sometimes tilted to the side a bit more than it looks like it should be. That's about it, just the spending time upside down and tilting. Other than that he seems healthy. Good color. Hasn't eaten for me yet, but am going to try again tonight. The temp in his cage is holding between 78 and 82, and it is definitely very humid in there. Any thoughts? Or am I just being paranoid? 
Heather
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neonate acting a little "off"
Replies (10)
I don't want to over react, but I don't like the sound of that. You've described symptoms of a central nervous system disorder. For now, keep that animal separate from your collection and practice impecable hygene. Do an internet search for paramyxo-like viruses or inclusion body disease in snakes. If you have access to a good reptile vet, get your snake in. If you don't have a reptile vet, start looking for one. I have also seen these symptoms associated with extreme high temperatures. In both cases, the outlook isn't good. Again, I don't mean to scare you. It could be nothing. But don't wait to start looking onto it.
I hope it's nothing. Keep us posted.
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com
..I agree with EVERYTHING Mike has posted about this. I would just like to emphasize temperatures. If you keep these snakes as hot as Boa Constrictors or Burms or Retics they will quickly dehydrate and neurological symptoms would be likely with dehydration. If you live in the Orlando area Dr. Bruce Bogoslavsky is good with reptiles.
Good luck,
Jeff
>>I don't want to over react, but I don't like the sound of that. You've described symptoms of a central nervous system disorder. For now, keep that animal separate from your collection and practice impecable hygene. Do an internet search for paramyxo-like viruses or inclusion body disease in snakes. If you have access to a good reptile vet, get your snake in. If you don't have a reptile vet, start looking for one. I have also seen these symptoms associated with extreme high temperatures. In both cases, the outlook isn't good. Again, I don't mean to scare you. It could be nothing. But don't wait to start looking onto it.
>>
>>I hope it's nothing. Keep us posted.
>>-----
>>Mike Lockwood
>>www.tooscaley.com
for the babies should be 75 ish, up to 80 but definately not over.
BTW, Listen to Mike, get it into a vet and by all means, keep it strictly quarantined!!
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Thanks,
Dave Colling
www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com
0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
10.22 BRB
10.15 BCI
And those are only the breeders 
lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats 
I also agree with all that has been suggested so far. Sounds to me like something could have been "off" all along. First being not eating since it's arrival. Have you had problems maintaining the temps of "between 78 and 82"? You stated that they are "holding". does this mean there is a possibility that they have gone higher than that for any lenght of time? Have you treated for mites or exposed this new one to any chemical of any sort? If the vet check is unconclusive, maybe you could describe in greater detail your set-up. We are trying to help, so any other info you have might be the trigger for us to be able to further help.
Good luck.
Linda
>>Hello, all. My new PRB that I purchased about a week and a half ago at a show in Orlando has been acting a bit strange the past couple days. He's just seemed a little slow to react, like when he's climbing around on my hand if he gets turned upside down he just stays that way for a few seconds before righting himself. And when he explores out on the air off my hand with half his body, his head is sometimes tilted to the side a bit more than it looks like it should be. That's about it, just the spending time upside down and tilting. Other than that he seems healthy. Good color. Hasn't eaten for me yet, but am going to try again tonight. The temp in his cage is holding between 78 and 82, and it is definitely very humid in there. Any thoughts? Or am I just being paranoid?
>>Heather
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what are you using to control the temps, a thermostat or something else. If a thermostat, what kind and how/where is the probe placed/secured?
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Thanks,
Dave Colling
www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com
0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
10.22 BRB
10.15 BCI
And those are only the breeders
lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats
I am using a heat lamp on one side of the tank with a digital thermometer to determine the temp. We are in the process of trying to find a good reptile vet in our area. We tried feeding him a live pinky again last night, with no success. He acts interested for a few minutes, then moves away.
Heather
Heather,
...I think you should try a couple different things. If you are using the air-conditioning to keep your house in the 70s you should turn off the heat lamp. You do not say what kind of heat lamp you are using. If it produces light you should definitely turn it off. These snakes are nocturnal. They also are secretive and like to spend daylight hours in very small tight dark hiding places. Next time you try feeding get a hopper mouse that will run around. All of my newborn Rainbow Boas will eat a hairy mouse that runs around before they will eat a pinky. Their favorite meals seem to be big hopper and small adult mice. A newborn PRB is plenty big enough to eat even a very large adult mouse. However an adult mouse could injure the snake so be sure to pick one out that is not too big. And do not leave the snake unattended with any mouse that is large enough to bite.
Good luck,
Jeff
>>I am using a heat lamp on one side of the tank with a digital thermometer to determine the temp. We are in the process of trying to find a good reptile vet in our area. We tried feeding him a live pinky again last night, with no success. He acts interested for a few minutes, then moves away.
>>Heather
l>>Heather,
>>...I think you should try a couple different things. If you are using the air-conditioning to keep your house in the 70s you should turn off the heat lamp. You do not say what kind of heat lamp you are using. If it produces light you should definitely turn it off. These snakes are nocturnal. They also are secretive and like to spend daylight hours in very small tight dark hiding places. Next time you try feeding get a hopper mouse that will run around. All of my newborn Rainbow Boas will eat a hairy mouse that runs around before they will eat a pinky. Their favorite meals seem to be big hopper and small adult mice. A newborn PRB is plenty big enough to eat even a very large adult mouse. However an adult mouse could injure the snake so be sure to pick one out that is not too big. And do not leave the snake unattended with any mouse that is large enough to bite.
>>Good luck,
>>Jeff
>>
>>>>I am using a heat lamp on one side of the tank with a digital thermometer to determine the temp. We are in the process of trying to find a good reptile vet in our area. We tried feeding him a live pinky again last night, with no success. He acts interested for a few minutes, then moves away.
>>>>Heather
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I've been fortunate thus far and honestly haven't had many problems so I'm not really experienced in solving them. I do have some suggestions for you....this is what I'd do in your situation.
I will be guessing at what you are doing with the enclosure since you have only posted limited details. I would lower the temps by 5 degrees on both sides if possible. If you have a daytime light as your heat source I would change it to a nocturnal bulb (red or purple)or better yet use an undertank heater of the warm 1/3 of the tank. Assuming you are using a 10 gallon tank, I find it difficult to beleive that you are able to get an accurate temp reading even with a temp gun because to hold high enough humidity almost the entire top (minus the bulb reflector) must be covered. As soon as the top is removed massive amounts of heat will escape and at 82 immediately upon cover removal, it must be much hotter in there than you might think. The humidity should be no less than 90% always.
I would use a plastic container of some sort no bigger than a shoebox size and soak the snake by using 78 to 80 degree water (temp gun the water) and fill the container 1/3 full for 20 to 30 minutes then replace the water with moist paper towels and a large enough bowl of water for the snake to coil in. Don't try to feed again for 24 to 48 hours and place that plastic container back in the bigger enclosure with it's reduced temps and leave it alone until feeding again an hour after dark (live fuzzy mouse) leaving the mouse in all night. A word of caution....if your temps are too high the inner container could get even hotter, so be very careful about watching those temps.
If that doesn't help, I would repeat the same steps in 2 more day. Be sure to handle the snake as little as possible until it begins to eat well and regularly.
Hope something in this will be useful for your PRB.
Linda
Oh NO!! I just reread that whole thing and see that your are using a digital thermometer instead of a temp gun. What was I thinking?? Oh well, I'm gonna post it anyway....maybe there's something useful somewhere. I don't have time to edit it now anyway.
First time I've ever posted here, but I might be able to help! If you purchased the PRB from Brian Dierking in Florida, you might try feeding your animal a live pinkie rat. I just purchased a trio from him last month and they won't touch mice but love pounding pinkie rats. I guess that is all he feeds his Peruvians. As for the wierd behavior, it sounds to me like your animal is getting to hot. I'm not an expert, but I hope this helps!
Jeff Kuhl
Nebraska
