Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 2 yr old female brazilian rainbow boa. I have taken her to the vet 2 seperate times for what i had believed to be a respiratory infection. The vet also concluded this was the case and he immediately put her on Baytril injections which i administered myself. I dont recall the dosage since that was over a year ago but this did not solve the problem. I first brought her in due to a terrible wheezing noise when she breathes. This had then gotten worse and worse so it was time to have a vet look at it. At one point it did seem to get a little better but at the moment it seems to be getting much worse once again. She eats normal, she reacts normal, but she wheezes and her skin on her face looks INCREDIBLY dry. Her eyes look terrible. They seem like they need to shed but it doesnt seem to work out for her. I have been administering some snake oil onto her skin in the recent days to hopefully provide her with some comfort and moisture. I just dont know what has officially caused all this. I feed her 1 very large mouse each week, Her temp is consistently at 82-85 degrees, her humidity is always 80-85%. I clean her enclosure regularly and i give her new water every day. I guess i have come here to the experts. any help would be much appreciated. Thanks for your time!!

mefnikk,
....I think your cage temperature is too high. My adult BRBs spend most of the year in cages with a temperature gradient from the low 70s on the cool end to the high 70s or low 80s on the warm end. When I check on them they are usually maintaining a location in the cage so that their body temperature is around 73. If the cage is too hot they will dehydrate and that would explain the dry looking skin. Dry skin on the face and head would likely also indicate dry skin in the nostrils which will cause breathing noises. Is the water bowl large enough that the snake can submerge in it? Spending time in the water will rehydrate them. You do not want her in the water all the time but staying in for a day or two and then out of the water for a week or so is pretty normal for these snakes. Mine usually spend a day or two in the water several days before they shed. Dry stuck skin problems will resolve in a couple shed cycles as long as the snake is eating well and the temperature and humidity are okay. If you get the temperature right you should not need to put any oil on the skin.
Good luck,
Jeff

>>I have a 2 yr old female brazilian rainbow boa. I have taken her to the vet 2 seperate times for what i had believed to be a respiratory infection. The vet also concluded this was the case and he immediately put her on Baytril injections which i administered myself. I dont recall the dosage since that was over a year ago but this did not solve the problem. I first brought her in due to a terrible wheezing noise when she breathes. This had then gotten worse and worse so it was time to have a vet look at it. At one point it did seem to get a little better but at the moment it seems to be getting much worse once again. She eats normal, she reacts normal, but she wheezes and her skin on her face looks INCREDIBLY dry. Her eyes look terrible. They seem like they need to shed but it doesnt seem to work out for her. I have been administering some snake oil onto her skin in the recent days to hopefully provide her with some comfort and moisture. I just dont know what has officially caused all this. I feed her 1 very large mouse each week, Her temp is consistently at 82-85 degrees, her humidity is always 80-85%. I clean her enclosure regularly and i give her new water every day. I guess i have come here to the experts. any help would be much appreciated. Thanks for your time!!

Aside from the temp issues that Jeff commented on. My brbs like to spend time in the moss containers i provide them with. I use food storage containers filled with dampened sphagnum moss, i use the lid as well and cut an appropriate sized hole in it. I've never had a problem with shedding ever. Goodluck, Clint