View Full Version : gaping mouth?????
So I've had my royal python, Sneezy for just over 2 weeks now. He ate a rat on his second week of being home, had some retained shed on his head and neck, he went blue a few days ago, and he shed it overnight. I've noticed a few times that when he's coiled, hell sometimes leave his mouth gaping a little bit. How worrried should I be? (No near by vets that treat snakes around here) is it worth the stress to take him to a vet asap? Or is it not an issue? He's been acting totally normal, no other symptoms of a health issue.
infernalis
04-27-11, 03:12 PM
pictures???
I'll try to get some tonight, he's coiled up in his hide right now, hiding his little face. His mouth only gapes occasionally, like every few days for an hour or so. Well that I've seen, I don't spend 24 hours a day watching him obviously
Hmmm Sneezy? is it bc he sneezes?
No lol, no sneezes from him!
Actually, that reminds me, my bf heard a sneeze-like sound from him yesterday....
Boss Heterodon
04-27-11, 04:23 PM
Quite possibly an Respiratory Infection, which requires vet treatment (the vet should prescribe you an antibiotic like Baytril). He's also relatively new, so stress could be playing a role here as well. Stress weakens the immune system, which can make the animal more suceptible to parasites and infections.
How far away is the closest vet to you? Many vets that don't specifically state they specailize in exotics will still see the animal, and an RI is quite easy to treat. Our vet we take all our reptiles to isn't a specialized exotics vet, but is trained on it. Should a problem arise he's unsure of he calls down to the nearest exotic veterinary practice for advice and information.
Lankyrob
04-27-11, 05:56 PM
If the mouth is staying open for an HOUR at a time that is not natural, i would be getting him checked asap. Let us know how it goes.....
Yes, I'll get him checked, with him being so new, I'm worried about stressing him out by taking him to the vet, but I guess that's what I'll have to do.
shaunyboy
04-27-11, 07:25 PM
Quite possibly an Respiratory Infection, which requires vet treatment (the vet should prescribe you an antibiotic like Baytril). He's also relatively new, so stress could be playing a role here as well. Stress weakens the immune system, which can make the animal more suceptible to parasites and infections.
How far away is the closest vet to you? Many vets that don't specifically state they specailize in exotics will still see the animal, and an RI is quite easy to treat. Our vet we take all our reptiles to isn't a specialized exotics vet, but is trained on it. Should a problem arise he's unsure of he calls down to the nearest exotic veterinary practice for advice and information.
i don't think the snake is stressed the first thing a stressed snake tends to do is stop eating
its hard to say without pictures
re baytril
baytril is a broad spectrum anti biotic its always best to get a tracheal swab or winpipe flush done to see if the lab can identify the specific bacteria therefore prescribe the exact antibiotic for the snakes needs
is your snakes throat puffing out like what a frog does when he croaks (not as puffed up but along those lines)
it could be a ri but it could be just the way he's sitting
pictures would help a lot
cheers shaun
Well I just got home from work, and he is 'dancing' around, playing in his tree and going all over his tank, so he seems pretty content! He's having a rough time shedding though, I've been misting twice a day now since he's been blue. His head shed, but his body is coming off in strips. I'll try to get a good pic of him doing the mouth thing soon. Any other symptoms I should look for?
sickvenom
04-27-11, 09:20 PM
what are your temps?
I have only seen him do the mouth gaping thing when he was coiled up in his hide during th day time. No other strange or different behaviors that I have seen. Wow you guys sure know your stuff!! I just don't want to make unnecessary vet trips (lack of $, and don't wanna stress out Sneezy)
My temps are just below 90 during the day and about 80 at night. I just got a bigger UTH and will be building a new enclosure soon.
Lankyrob
04-28-11, 05:10 AM
IF the temps and humidity arent spot on then his sheds will be bad. You mention that you spray but what % humidity do you raise it to and how low does it drop?
There are no pet stores close by, so I don't have a humidity gauge yet. I know I need to get one asap, just gotta find the time.
I gave him a bath tonight, he liked it. Shedded in strips still, but I'll make sure the next shed has perfect conditions :)
shaunyboy
04-29-11, 08:48 AM
Well I just got home from work, and he is 'dancing' around, playing in his tree and going all over his tank, so he seems pretty content! He's having a rough time shedding though, I've been misting twice a day now since he's been blue. His head shed, but his body is coming off in strips. I'll try to get a good pic of him doing the mouth thing soon. Any other symptoms I should look for?
its only carpet pythons i work with so cannot comment on your royal pythons needs but a bad shed is usually down to some husbandry requirements needing adjusted (not trying to be cheeky)
i'm sure some of the ball keepers on here will be able to help you out and get your guy shedding properly
cheers shaun
"My temps are just below 90 during the day and about 80 at night."
If you're not breeding him, why are you dropping his temps at night?
Completely unnecessary.
They drop at night because I turn off the basking light. I was told that the temps should drop at night?? I've only had him a few weeks, and he came with the tank and everything, so I'm just trying to figure everything out. As I've said before, all information I've researched about ball pythons conflicts with other info...
Lankyrob
04-29-11, 11:13 AM
OUr BP has hot spot temps of 91f 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
"They drop at night because I turn off the basking light. I was told that the temps should drop at night?? I've only had him a few weeks, and he came with the tank and everything, so I'm just trying to figure everything out. As I've said before, all information I've researched about ball pythons conflicts with other info... "
It sucks that you took the bad advice from all the advice out there.
I breed most of my balls and even then I don't drop the nightt ime temps anymore.
It sucks that there is so much conflicting advice.
It was a smart move was to come onto a forum like this with a bunch of experienced, intelligent keepers who can set you straght.
That said, get rid of the overhead heat source and get that snake an under tank heat source. Ball pythons (top the best of my knowledge) spend their entire lives on thier bellies. It would stand to reason that their heat should come from below, not above. Overhead heat sources also dry out the air like crazy, and if I am right to assume that you are keeping this snake in a fish cage, then you're already behind the eight ball when it comes to proper humidity.
Cool side: 80-ish
Warm side: 90-95
Ambient air temps: 80-84
Relative humidty: (normallly) 60% (when in shed) 90%
I'm going to build him a wooden enclosure as soon as I can get on a computer to have a good look at the ideas on here. He does have a under tank heat pad on his warm side. I got the temps all right, but I went to every pet store within 45 mins of where I love and none had humidity gauges!! So I'll be getting one on ebay asap. Right now, he has a strip of skin on the top of his body that hasn't come of yet, most of it came off after his bath last night. I know its my fault :( I'm learning lots though and eager to learn all I can
sickvenom
04-29-11, 05:24 PM
That said, get rid of the overhead heat source and get that snake an under tank heat source. Ball pythons (top the best of my knowledge) spend their entire lives on thier bellies. It would stand to reason that their heat should come from below, not above. Overhead heat sources also dry out the air like crazy, and if I am right to assume that you are keeping this snake in a fish cage, then you're already behind the eight ball when it comes to proper humidity.
que the carpet guys toting their ches.
shaunyboy
04-29-11, 05:45 PM
que the carpet guys toting their ches.
^^^^^
what ?
sickvenom
04-29-11, 05:50 PM
^^^^^
what ?
oh i was just being silly, cracking a joke. it seems like the carpet guys love ches and will recommend them for balls. balls owners don't like ches and use belly heat instead (for the reasons mykee mentioned.) i have used ches in the past and loved them. but, it took an extra effort to maintain humidity so now i use belly heat exclusively. all of the herps i currently keep that require high humidity levels, have a fogger attached to their cages.
shaunyboy
04-29-11, 05:59 PM
oh i was just being silly, cracking a joke. it seems like the carpet guys love ches and will recommend them for balls. balls owners don't like ches and use belly heat instead (for the reasons mykee mentioned.) i have used ches in the past and loved them. but, it took an extra effort to maintain humidity so now i use belly heat exclusively. all of the herps i currently keep that require high humidity levels, have a fogger attached to their cages.
sorry i did not realise ches was heating chs ceramic heaters (im assuming)
i've never used them i use ceramic bulbs with guards except with the diamonds they get natural sunlight basking bulbs and 2.0 uvb tubes
thanks for explaining
cheers shaun
sickvenom
04-29-11, 06:05 PM
sorry i did not realise ches was heating chs ceramic heaters (im assuming)
i've never used them i use ceramic bulbs with guards except with the diamonds they get natural sunlight basking bulbs and 2.0 uvb tubes
thanks for explaining
cheers shaun
che = ceramic heating element. ches = ceramic heating elementS. same thing as a ceramic bulb. i really don't remember who it is, but there are a carpet guys who suggest using ches for balls. different strokes for different folks.
stephanbakir
04-29-11, 06:16 PM
Ball pythons (to the best of my knowledge) spend their entire lives on thier bellies.
Mine went on its back when it was about to lay eggs, still didn't have a lamp though
che = ceramic heating element
i always thought it was emitter
sickvenom
04-29-11, 06:52 PM
i always thought it was emitter
both words are used to describe the same thing. technically, it's a heat emitter with a ceramic element. also called a ceramic bulb or ceramic lamp.
Lankyrob
04-30-11, 04:32 AM
In a wooden viv and using a CHE there is no issue with keeping humidity levels at whatever you want to maintain - my carpet and corns are at 50%, balls at 60%, Retic 65%, GTP 70+%. I can understand taht in an aquarium with a screen top where humidity is already didfficult to maintain then a CHE would increase this issue substantially.
So back to the gaping mouth thing, he's eating every 2 weeks, hell be getting a 4.5 foot long wooden viv soon, he's acting normal, he's a pretty active guy, does lots of climbing and exploring and I have not seen his mouth gaping for a while now. I'll keep watching for it though and try to get a good pic when I see him do it again.
shaunyboy
04-30-11, 06:55 PM
che = ceramic heating element. ches = ceramic heating elementS. same thing as a ceramic bulb. i really don't remember who it is, but there are a carpet guys who suggest using ches for balls. different strokes for different folks.
i thought you were talking about the little heaters with inbuilt thermostats all in one complete heating units.the ones i've seen were roughly 7 inch long by 5 inch width and 2 to 3 inches high
re balls
i always thought they were mean't to do better with ground heat via a heat mat.i've heard the larger pythons can be susceptable to thermal burns with ground heat sources,so your better gooing down the ceramic route.i have no idea how big a royal python gets as i've only seen hatchlings in the flesh.(feel free to correct anything i may have been miss informed on as its only morelia i research)
cheers shaun
sickvenom
04-30-11, 07:50 PM
i thought you were talking about the little heaters with inbuilt thermostats all in one complete heating units.the ones i've seen were roughly 7 inch long by 5 inch width and 2 to 3 inches high
we call those 'portable heaters' or 'space heaters.'
re balls
i always thought they were mean't to do better with ground heat via a heat mat.i've heard the larger pythons can be susceptable to thermal burns with ground heat sources,so your better gooing down the ceramic route.
burns will only happen if your temps are not controlled.
i have no idea how big a royal python gets as i've only seen hatchlings in the flesh.(feel free to correct anything i may have been miss informed on as its only morelia i research)
cheers shaun
males - 3', females - 4'. give or take 6" or so.l
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