Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am going nuts, maybe it is just me, but how do you people treat an RI?? I have always raised heat and LOWERED humidity and never had a problem. Now it seems everyone is saying to raise humidity. Have I been doing it wrong all these years? I have only had 1 RI in the past 5 yrs,(KNOCK ON WOOD) it was during breeding. I raised her temp dropped humidity and she recovered quickly. If you have heard to raise humidity, can you give me a source for this info,please I know with mammals it makes sense. Any input would be appreciated, I am wrong alot so one more time wont hurt my feelings. I just know lowering humidity has worked for me. A vet like 10 yrs ago told me this and that is what I have done. Thanks, Craig Kade

I have always believed to lower the humidity and keep them at slightly higher temperatures when treating a respiratory infection though I have heard arguments for both,my Vet told me that if the humidity is lowered too much and the air in the cage is dry and hot,it causes more of the discharge to dry in the snakes nostrils and around the mouth so you wouldn't want to lower it alot to "hot and dry" but I do believe it should be lowered.
I have heard of too high humidity causing respiratory infections,meaning too high in relation to the cage temperature,cool and damp is not good so it's important to make sure that your humidity is in proportion to your ambient temperature.
I generally deal with respiratory infections in rescued animals,once they start treatment with antibitoics and kept in slightly higher ambient temperatures with lowered humidity and a good warm basking spot they recover well.

StormyHall

np.