Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I need help with my Blood Python. She had a respiratory infection and I took her to the vet and got her antibiotics. It seemed to go away.

She has been eating just fine... like a pig! Tonight, I took her out to soak her and she started salivating really bad and I can hear her breathing. Not raspy like it was when she had the resp. infection, but a definate exhale or inhale of breath. She looks healthy and her skin looks great. i am worried and would like opinions of what this could be or if anyone has had this experience with their bloods.

Thanks for the help

Christine

This is only my personal experience with my own bloods...
I would drop her humidity a little and this all depends on what it is at now and what its usually at..I've had some snakes that liked theirs a little higher and some that liked it a little lower. I would also turn her heat up a few degrees. BUT..if she is eating I would not worry. I have never taken a snake to the vet for a resp. infection (mostly because they happen in the winter when its 0 or below outside so it would probably do more harm than good)and have never had a problem. Also, do you live in an area thats getting cold right now? I often find that the first few weeks after it gets really cold out I hear a stuffy nose or two which clear up on their own. Does it look like she's struggling to breath? If she's not then I personally would not worry but just keep an eye on it. I also clean like a freak when a snake is sick to keep their enclosure as bacteria free as possible. Is she in shed? I've had bloods that would often get a runny nose when in shed which disappeared after they were done. Again, this is just coming from my limited personal experience (only 4 yrs).

Is the mucous thin and watery and running from the mouth, or is it thick and stays within the mouth. Any dried mucous around the mouth or nasals? Also, how do you humidify the cage and do you know the percent humidity within the cage? Thanks,

Kelly

POSSIBLE, that it finished with a drink of water that wasn't all down yet..??

Ever since I have had my blood (Kevin) he has done this. I got him when he was a couple months old, that was about two years ago. Now, He is about 5 feet and is the nicest tempered snake I have ever had.
Back to the problem- He has had a slight little whistle (exhale, inhale) ever since he was delivered to my house. About a year into it I was concerned so I took him to the vet and they gave him antibiotics for a resp. infection. Now, probably a year after that, he still has the whistle, and he is nearly 3 years old now. He has never shown signs of sickness, never missed a meal, just has a little whistle. 'Weird.'