Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I think my JCP has a respiratory infection. She has never hissed at me in her life, and now she's hissing with every breath. She doesn't look aggressive at all, not attempting to strike or anything, but she's wheezing real bad.

I know if it's a respiratory infection, it's because the temps are too low. I just realized today that her cage is close enough to an outside wall that it should have another heat source on it, and pulled out a ceramic heat emitter for it tonight. Now, I pull her out to feed her, and I hear wheezing.

So, there is now a heat pad under the cage (standard heating.. has been for two years now), plus a 120V 60W ceramic heat emitter over the cage, and during the day, either a 60, or 70 watt bulb. From everything I've read (I've never actually dealt with a respiratory infection, in 6 years of keeping snakes, and 12 years of keeping reptiles in general), this should be enough.
If she doesn't improve over the weekend, we'll be making a trip down to the vet Monday.

Is it OK to feed her with a respiratory infection? Or should I pass on this week's rat, and avoid stressing her? I'm kind of worried that if she's stressed already, she might regurge.

thanks,
Ronnie Nocera

Most animals won't eat with a resp. infection.
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