Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm taking in my friends sickly BP. Poor guy keeps getting RI's and bad sheds. She will get him better, he eats like a little piggy and he gets sick again. This fella is over a year old and weighs in at about 350 grams. He is open mouth breathing under his heat light. He has been on Baytril several times, but repeatedly gets RI symptoms. I am thinking it is a husbandry issue, but from what she tells me, I can't pinpoint the problem. I have not seen her setup.

Anyways, she asked me to see what I can do with him. I plan on putting him on paper (currently cocoa husk), keep his temps up, humidity around 50% and try to keep him warm and dry. I'm taking away his heat light and putting in a CHE and/or a UTH. Also, isolation from all other critters with exceptional hygiene practices.

Am I forgetting anything?? A fecal has not been done yet, but I do plan on getting one done.

This is such a pretty fella I really want him to get better so we can prove him out. Due to an accident when he was a babe, he only has one eye. Poor guy has had it rough.
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2.1 Albino BP
0.4 100% Het Albino
2.1 100% het Caramel Albino BP
1.0 100% Het Clown
1.0 50% het clown
2.12 Normal BP
0.0.1 Western Hognose
alot of cornsnakes
0.1.0 Dumeril Boa
3.6 Bearded Dragons
1.0.1 Sulcatta tortoise
2.0 Russian Tortoise
1.0 Cockatiel
0.1 Rottweiler
0.2 Boston Terriers
0.1 White Boxer
0.1 Paint Mare
bunch of geckos
0.1 Teenage daughter
1.0 Husband who puts up with all my critters.

I guess he's had it rough! Was his cage near a drafty area by any chance? AC vent?

She keeps his tank covered with a towel and I think she sprays him often. I believe the spraying is causing too much humidity and setting him up for the RI. This fella has stuck sheds, so she continues to spray. IMHO, the shed issue is secondary to the RI symptoms. I'd like to clear up the RI issues and then tackle whatever his shed issue is. I'll get pics of this fella tomorrow. She says he is not bubbling.

So when I pick him up tomorrow he is getting;

Paper instead of cocoa mulch
CHE and/or uth instead of uth and light bulb
NO spritzing
Temps about 90Hot side to 80 cold side
complete isolation including covering of his enclosure to reduce stress.
no food for a week
a warm water soak if he is dehydrated
rest, warmth and more rest
depending upon the severity of his symptoms, a trip to the vet

did I forget anything??
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2.1 Albino BP
0.4 100% Het Albino
2.1 100% het Caramel Albino BP
1.0 100% Het Clown
1.0 50% het clown
2.12 Normal BP
0.0.1 Western Hognose
alot of cornsnakes
0.1.0 Dumeril Boa
3.6 Bearded Dragons
1.0.1 Sulcatta tortoise
2.0 Russian Tortoise
1.0 Cockatiel
0.1 Rottweiler
0.2 Boston Terriers
0.1 White Boxer
0.1 Paint Mare
bunch of geckos
0.1 Teenage daughter
1.0 Husband who puts up with all my critters.

If he has an RI, I would make sure your hot side temps are more like 95-100F, just make sure if you use a UTH, that the surface doesn't get hot enough to burn. A course of panacur never hurt and can eliminate a lot of internal parasites.
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