Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi there! I'm by no means new to reptiles, but I've never had a BRB before, and I only know what I've gleaned talking to one breeder and a few hours' worth of internet research. I found myself in an interesting situation though, and I need a bit of advice...

I work in a reptile shop, and one of our regulars was recently injured. He's been on disability for a few months, but that runs out next month. His BRB currently has a respiratory that she's being treated for, and he just can't afford to keep treating her.

He's offered to give me the snake with her setup. It's a seven year old female, and she's absolutely beautiful! I haven't seen his setup, but I suspect that a lot of the health problems he's been having with her stem from keeping her in a glass tank. The breeder I spoke to offered to sell me a used vision tank (which I can't afford on my poor college student salary. :-/ ) or help me to set up the glass tank so that it will stay humid enough for her. He did explain to me how difficult that can be though, and that's where I'm worried...I'm willing to do whatever it takes, I'm just worried that it won't be enough.

I'd love to take this snake off his hands, get her environment back to what it's supposed to be like, and get her healthy again. She's sweet as a kitten, and absolutely gorgeous. My biggest question is: is it worth it to try and keep her in the tank she's in now, or should I encourage him to find someone who can keep her in a more appropriate tank? Also, I've never had to treat a snake for a respiratory before...what does it entail and how hard will it be to get rid of?

I'll post more as I think of more...thanks in advance for any advice!

-Cathy

Cathy,
. I hate tanks for keeping BRBs but they can work if you make some modifications. Cover 95 to 99% of the screen with something solid. A sheet of plexiglass will work. Some people just place a damp towel over the screen. This will add humidity to the tank as well as keeping humidity from escaping from the tank. The other problem with tanks is that they do not allow the snake to hide. BRBs are nocturnal and secretive. It is stressful for them to be exposed to too much light. Stress can lead to a decrease in the snake's natural defenses against infection. They need a small tight dark hiding place. If the hiding place is in part of the cage that is too hot or too cold they will spend too much time being too hot or too cold and this can also lead to stress and a decrease in natural infection fighting defenses.
. Respiratory infections in BRBs are usually best treated with IM injections of Baytril or Amikacin. If the vet is using any antibiotic other than one of these and has not done throat or sputum cultures the vet should be questioned. Many vets have limited experience and poor outcomes treating reptiles.
Jeff

>>Hi there! I'm by no means new to reptiles, but I've never had a BRB before, and I only know what I've gleaned talking to one breeder and a few hours' worth of internet research. I found myself in an interesting situation though, and I need a bit of advice...
>>
>>I work in a reptile shop, and one of our regulars was recently injured. He's been on disability for a few months, but that runs out next month. His BRB currently has a respiratory that she's being treated for, and he just can't afford to keep treating her.
>>
>>He's offered to give me the snake with her setup. It's a seven year old female, and she's absolutely beautiful! I haven't seen his setup, but I suspect that a lot of the health problems he's been having with her stem from keeping her in a glass tank. The breeder I spoke to offered to sell me a used vision tank (which I can't afford on my poor college student salary. :-/ ) or help me to set up the glass tank so that it will stay humid enough for her. He did explain to me how difficult that can be though, and that's where I'm worried...I'm willing to do whatever it takes, I'm just worried that it won't be enough.
>>
>>I'd love to take this snake off his hands, get her environment back to what it's supposed to be like, and get her healthy again. She's sweet as a kitten, and absolutely gorgeous. My biggest question is: is it worth it to try and keep her in the tank she's in now, or should I encourage him to find someone who can keep her in a more appropriate tank? Also, I've never had to treat a snake for a respiratory before...what does it entail and how hard will it be to get rid of?
>>
>>I'll post more as I think of more...thanks in advance for any advice!
>>
>> -Cathy

Is there a better alternative to a glass tank that's less expensive than a vision tank?

large rubbermaid containers, or....
Link To Moonstruckexotics

-----
www.chrisolsonreptiles.com

I keep my BRB's in glass tanks. They have bred successfully in glass tanks. They seem to do just fine in therir enclosures. Cathy, you didn't mention anything more than glass tank. This could easily have mean several different things. My glass tanks are model 70 Lizard Lounges with dimensions of 3' x 18" x 24" with a completely incloseable top made of glass. It has 13 ventilation areas that can be capped to hold humidity/heat.

There are several varibles that have not been addressed before you make a decision on what will best suit the needs of you and your snake. As a rescue, I think it is important to be able to IMPROVE on the current condition of husbandry, not meaning that everything has to be absolutely perfect. It is quite possible that a disability would affect the time and normal care an otherwise healthy animal would receive and this could easily be a primary cause of disease whether the previous owner says so or not.

There are alternatives to a glass tank as have been mentioned, but since finances are an issue, I think the most critical point now is can you afford continued vet care and feeding?

For example: if the snake is housed in a 30 gallon tank, can you switch it to a 50? Or place it in a sterilite/rubbermaid ?

If the snake is on newspaper, changing substrate may easily provide more humidity.

Let us know more about the exact conditions and you will receive more appropriate suggestions.
-----
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance- that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer

You're right I apologize. She's in a 60 gallon right now, although I haven't seen the tank in person so I don't know much beyond that. I *believe* he keeps her on bed-a-beast, but I'll need to ask him to be sure.

I can afford her continued veterinary care because my awesome local herp vet got me signed up for CareCredit, which allows me to pay him off in installments when things get pricey.

I have had great successes so far keeping humidity above 80% for my neonate in a 10gl.

75% of top covered with cardboard. 2" of cypress bark substrate. 1/4 of substrate covered with moss. I keep the moss in two parts... on one side there is a dry hide and next to it is a thick pile of moss that my BRB can bury in. On the other side is thick dry substrate to bury in next to a hide with moss inside. I also have two waterbowls.

I keep the moss nice and wet.

Seems to do the trick so far, but it has only been 1 mnth for me.

Good luck.
-----
-Iman
1.1 Sugar Gliders (Gizmo and Nema)
2.0 Ball Pythons (Spot and Speck)
0.1 Colombian BCI (Belle)
1.0 Colombian Rainbow (Rex)
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow (Just arrived!!!)

Loving to Learn
Learning to Help
Helping to Love

Stimulate debates, stifle arguments.
Please be nice always.



Imans House of Herps