RI's

[GuRu427]

i bought my boa and about 3 days later he started showing signs of a RI...as many of you responded to in one of my other threads...well i just got a new python last week - and he now is wheezing a lot showing signs of the same thing. i was wondering if it was something i was doing, both their cages are around 90 during the day and 85 at night, i change their water everyday at the same time and their bedding every other day, and their humidity stays around 40 to 45.
also once they start showing signs is there anything i can do to help them fight it because i am finding it VERY difficult to find a vet that will look at them. Thanx

[CARLiTO_]

all the caresheets i have read for boa constrictors have said to keep them at 50-60% humidity.

[GuRu427]

well i brought that up in another thread and got quite a few responses from ppl saying that 20% sufficed quite well for them as long as it was bumped up during shed....

[timfriesen32]

From my understanding....if it is a repiratory infection, or the start of one...up the heat by a few degrees and lower the humidity. Once everything is back to normal, you can raise the level of humidity a little bit.

I had a snake that started showing signs once, and that's what was recommended to me by the breeder. And it worked for me.

TIm

[GuRu427]

thanx tim

[timfriesen32]

If it is a RI and it is quite progressed already, you may have to get some antibiotics from a vet.

Try the heat and lower humidity though. That may work for you. Keep us posted.

TIm

[CARLiTO_]

Boa Constrictors come from tropical parts of the world that are humid. I believe 20%-30% just won't cut it. Good luck!

[orianth]

If it gets to the point where he is throwing up his meals or has not taken a meal in awhile then I say take him to the vet. My BRB developed RI when we bought her and it got to that point. A vet visit and a month of injections of Fortaz every 3 days along with tube feeding got her right back.

[sc00t]

my vet said that sometimes RI can be contagous, so you might one to put him in a different room if ur planing on getting any more snakes soon

[GuRu427]

they are already in different rooms- well they have both already been to the vet- i was just wondering stuff i could do next time. im kinda a noob at this so they were at the vet about 2 hours after they showed the smallest sign of an RI:cool: .

[Linds]

Proper temps and humidity are the most important factors in preventing RI in any animal. Make sure you have a proper gradient, not an overall same temp. As for humidity, ~50% is good to aim at. 20% is way too low.... why would you want to keep your snake at less than ideal conditions and bring them up to par only when they shed?

[GuRu427]

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=68996

i was told it was ok by numerous people...

[sc00t]

Well sounds like you got it all taken care of good luck with you snakes:D
ps I just found out form my doctor that i have a RI:rolleyes: lol