Buyers Remorse?

[Shmoges]

Aside from the snakes I already had before my wife and I started to get into snakes (for real) We first got Kenyans. Cute little almost lizard like snakes great starters. We have tried various enclosures and substrates and finally ended up with one we like but slowly one by one they will notariously get RI's on and off and eventually die. After a few vet trips we realized the cost wasn't practical. So we started researching home remedies or things we were doing wrong and started nebulizing the snakes with f10 saline and albuterol. Really didn't seem to help even with the absence of moisture except for a couple days a week.

We had as many as five and are now down too two. Our flame girl who has had on and off RI symptoms but seems to push through and our smaller dudoma male who until recently has never had symptoms but is popping ans gasping as we speak. I think we are probably dong something wrong as enigmatic as it must be . I still really like Kenyans but we won't be getting anymore or even breeding. Kind of hanging my head in shame tward husbandry of Kenyans anyways.

[infernalis]

bummer.. Sorry that it did not work out better.

[jaleely]

Maybe there's a RI bacteria in your house somewhere or on your snake stuff that is reinfecting everyone. Poor things! Sorry!

[CDN_Blood]

How about some details on the containment used for them. Perhaps we can help save whomever is left if we had some info on that...

[CK SandBoas]

I am so sorry to hear about this! Kenyans are terrific and hardy little snakes, it stinks that the RI's just don't seem to want to go away. What are your temps like, what kind of enclosures are you using, substrate?

[stephanbakir]

How about some details on the containment used for them. Perhaps we can help save whomever is left if we had some info on that...
If you check his other posts, hes got a full list of the condition he keeps his animals in, rack pics etc.

[shaunyboy]

i dont know about sand boas but with carpets things such as pine oil,can cause respiritory infection symptoms that can lead to death

could there be something in the enclosure effecting your snakes ?

also i stopped using aspen as substrate because it was too dusty and causing mild respiritory infection symptoms

i hope you find out whats causing the problem mate

all the best shaun

[Shmoges]

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af309/Shmoges/pics002.jpg
I have belly heat for the right rack that the KSB's are in and its set at 95 only thing different is we use shaved aspen now not the crushed walnut stuff cause it would really stick to there faces when bubbling from Ri's

I probably shoudl have given this thread a different name lol like I suck at kenyans ro something, Infernalis?

[millertime89]

have you tried a de-humidifier? What are their humidity requirements and what is the room kept at now?

[Shmoges]

We live in Colorado so the relative humidity is very low like 15% I think. I do keep a small water bowl in his tub 24 7 maybe I should only offer water to the hognoses once a week like the rosys? The female has never had RI symptoms and is also in the rack. BTW that one tub had baby corns in it thats why its all steamed up cause they liked to dumb there water all the time but they are gone now.

[millertime89]

what's the humidity in the room/tubs?

[Desert]

I think your problem is low humidity. In fact I would bet on it. 15% will make other species of snakes sick. Woma pythons for example, will get sick with humidity in the 20's and low 30's even.

fwiw, I keep my sand boas in a room with 40-50 percent ambient humidity and they thrive.

[Caylan]

I've had no problems keeping them on paper towel even with 30% humidity, and water once a week. I prefer aspen Beta chip for them though, I think they do to.

[Desert]

Low humidity presents risks for snakes. Some specimens tolerate it, some don't. What happens is, it can cause locations on the oral or respiratory mucosa to become thin or dry enough that bacteria are able to get in there and set up.

[millertime89]

I think your problem is low humidity. In fact I would bet on it. 15% will make other species of snakes sick. Woma pythons for example, will get sick with humidity in the 20's and low 30's even.

fwiw, I keep my sand boas in a room with 40-50 percent ambient humidity and they thrive.

Check the post dates nooblet

[Desert]

Your childish post aside, (I registered here in 07, four years before you) it should be pointed out that the dates aren't relevant because someone will read this and his or her animals may benefit from it.

[millertime89]

what should be pointed out is that your post is irrelevant because he posted several other times about the subject acknowledging his husbandry mistakes. Something someone searching for info on sand boas would undoubtedly turn up.

[Shmoges]

I think your problem is low humidity. In fact I would bet on it. 15% will make other species of snakes sick. Woma pythons for example, will get sick with humidity in the 20's and low 30's even.

fwiw, I keep my sand boas in a room with 40-50 percent ambient humidity and they thrive.

Wow I should follow up on old posts.. They are Kenyans they are an arid species and Colorado should be perfect for them humidity wise. What confuses me is that a breeder we have bought from is located in Alabama so they must use de-humidifiers or something.

Unless there lying. This is from SandboaMorphs site

"Humidity & Water: Provide clean water in a small dish. Humidity should be kept low, or respiratory problems can result (however rare). Due to the variance in cages and home environments, some snakes may experience shedding problems, particularly the tail tip. If this is noticed, dampen a few paper towels with warm water and place them inside the snakes hide box over the hot spot. Or shedding problems can be rectified simply by placing the snake in a small deli cup overnight with a wet paper towel. Place the cup partially on the hot spot in the cage.This will allow the animal to shed properly. Stuck sheds may harden and constrict the blood flow to the tail (or other areas), causing loss of the tail tip."

I'm glad yours are doing awesome, I thought I was doing everything right with them...

[alessia55]

Your childish post aside, (I registered here in 07, four years before you) it should be pointed out that the dates aren't relevant because someone will read this and his or her animals may benefit from it.

...have you been lurking for four years without ever saying anything? :wacky: :laugh:

[Xanafein]

Lurking is more common than you might think :P

but in all seriousness, Desert did kind of necro this thread

[Aaron_S]

Wow I should follow up on old posts.. They are Kenyans they are an arid species and Colorado should be perfect for them humidity wise. What confuses me is that a breeder we have bought from is located in Alabama so they must use de-humidifiers or something.

Unless there lying. This is from SandboaMorphs site

"Humidity & Water: Provide clean water in a small dish. Humidity should be kept low, or respiratory problems can result (however rare). Due to the variance in cages and home environments, some snakes may experience shedding problems, particularly the tail tip. If this is noticed, dampen a few paper towels with warm water and place them inside the snakes hide box over the hot spot. Or shedding problems can be rectified simply by placing the snake in a small deli cup overnight with a wet paper towel. Place the cup partially on the hot spot in the cage.This will allow the animal to shed properly. Stuck sheds may harden and constrict the blood flow to the tail (or other areas), causing loss of the tail tip."

I'm glad yours are doing awesome, I thought I was doing everything right with them...


I keep my rough scale sand boas on the same rack set-up as my ball pythons. Same aspen chip bedding and a smaller water dish so less humidity pure bin. I don't have problems with mine. Mykee does the same with his 25 or so kenyans and he doesn't have any issues. I personally think maybe you've got too high humidity if you're still having problems.

[Desert]

They are Kenyans they are an arid species and Colorado should be perfect for them humidity wise.

Hi Schmoges, this species lives mostly underground. Underground, water doesn't fly out of the body at the rate it does in exposed locations.





What confuses me is that a breeder we have bought from is located in Alabama so they must use de-humidifiers or something.

Unless there lying. This is from SandboaMorphs site

"Humidity & Water: Provide clean water in a small dish. Humidity should be kept low, or respiratory problems can result (however rare). Due to the variance in cages and home environments, some snakes may experience shedding problems, particularly the tail tip. If this is noticed, dampen a few paper towels with warm water and place them inside the snakes hide box over the hot spot. Or shedding problems can be rectified simply by placing the snake in a small deli cup overnight with a wet paper towel. Place the cup partially on the hot spot in the cage.This will allow the animal to shed properly. Stuck sheds may harden and constrict the blood flow to the tail (or other areas), causing loss of the tail tip."

I'm glad yours are doing awesome, I thought I was doing everything right with them...


I'm sorry you had problems with yours, hopefully this will help and you'll give the species another go. They are a great snake. Anyway, during the bone dry months in areas like your Colorado, and my area, the desert, the snakes need either a constantly available humid hide area, or background humidity of 40-50 percent. If one has to, one can maintain a dampened area of bedding in their enclosure if in a pinch but they'll make a mess of it. Myself I prefer to control background humidity; it is easier and more effective than having to hurriedly check tubs when the dry winter winds are sucking everything and everyone dry. Voila. Zero shedding problems, and zero infections.

A humid hide for baby sand boas can be as simple as an open 8 oz cup placed face up with some dampened Tek Fresh in it.

[Desert]

Lurking is more common than you might think :P

but in all seriousness, Desert did kind of necro this thread




The last post in this thread is dated 29 October; is five months the definition of old around here? LOL!!

In answer to alessia55, no I don't read here and lurk regularly. Elsewhere, there was a link back to a thread on Woma pythons here. I remembered I was a member here, so I made some posts.

[millertime89]

yes, 5 months is old unless its your own post and you're updating it with new info.