Reptile & Amphibian Forums

need some advice on how to attack this problem:

I am an experienced keeper who currently has 8 bp's of various morphs. All of my collection is over 1000 grams and my females range from 1500-2000 ( all but one raised from hatchlings).

I had a breeder loan go bad and received one of my males back with a minor respirator infection. Despite my efforts it spread to another male. Both were treated with antibiotics and really did not recover. I simply maintained proper conditions and they seemed to improve. One (the spider) totally recovered. The other male (pastel) seemed to make a full recovery but then relapsed. Unfortunately, the problem spread to one of my large breeder females and the female and that male refuse to make any headway on recovery.

the room(large walk in closet) is heated with a space heater. I think this may have intiallly made the problem worse being as it dries up everything. I have since been using a humidifier which keeps the room at no less than 55% humidity. and dropped teh heater.

the animals are kept in an ARS rack.

my faith in vets and anti biotics are a bit faded. The animals, if kept under teh right conditions should be able to recover on their own? ... the other 6 critters are healthy and breeding so I am very confused.

Removing the sick animals is your only chance, if it isn't too late.

Was a culture done by a vet or did you self-prescribe meds? If the RI did not clear up, chances are it was either caught too late, it's antibiotic-resistant (viral?) or your husbandry is "off".
A culture done by a vet, with the proper antibiotics prescribed from those results, administered for the correct amount of time and the correct dosage should resolve EVERY bacterial RI.
If the above was done, your issue is husbandry.
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www.strictlyballs.ca

Get a trachea swap and culture to find out what antibiotics to use - could be a combination that will work better - should be continued for several weeks. When the anit-biotics are done, go back and get them swabbed again. If it's reoccurring your not wiping it out it's just hiding.
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Tosha
JET Pythons
The Blog
nihil facimus sed id bene facimus

I'm sorry i forgot to mention that i DID in fact quarantine them but I did not do it soon enough(just trying to save SOME face on that effup).

I DO take every bit of input seriously but i doubt its husbandry. The other snakes are thriving and breeding and dealing with the cool down no problem.

I took them out today and had a real good look at them. They could be better but seem WAYY improved from original condition. Still looking up a decent exotic vet in the area.

Thanks again guys i appreciate you all sharing your experience...pics for payment? hehe http://pets.webshots.com/album/573707286hRxqvc

oldies but goodies