Not sure if panic'd because first snake or if serious problem.

[GooBisDead]

I bought my first ever snake a ball python today, and I did some research before buying said snake. So basically, he/she is constantly dipping himself through his/her water bowl and opening his mouth like he/she yawning a lot as well, I've been checking his scales out and have no real idea of how to tell if he/she has mites aside from looking up and down the scales and trying to see what if it does, and checking it's water bowl for black specks, as for the yawning I know that COULD be rot mouth/ respiratory problem. I'm just wondering if there's a problem or if that's normal with a baby ball python. Thanks ahead of time, Rob.

[infernalis]

Greetings Rob.

I will start with the usual questions.

What are the temperatures inside your cage? how do you measure them?

Is it in a "fish tank" ? screen top or solid top?

What are you using to heat your cage? do you have the "usual" heat lamp bulb in a dome over a screen?

If so, please turn off the lamp, this almost sounds like you are cooking the snake.

We need details on how you are keeping it to better asses what the snake is trying to tell you is wrong.

[MoreliAddict]

Pics of the snake and enclosure will help us get a better idea of what could be wrong...

[alessia55]

I bought my first ever snake a ball python today, and I did some research before buying said snake. So basically, he/she is constantly dipping himself through his/her water bowl and opening his mouth like he/she yawning a lot as well, I've been checking his scales out and have no real idea of how to tell if he/she has mites aside from looking up and down the scales and trying to see what if it does, and checking it's water bowl for black specks, as for the yawning I know that COULD be rot mouth/ respiratory problem. I'm just wondering if there's a problem or if that's normal with a baby ball python. Thanks ahead of time, Rob.

Welcome to the forum. And congrats on getting your first snake!

We really need more information about how you are housing him. What does the enclosure look like? How are you heating it? How are you measuring the temperatures? How are you measuring humidity?

We want to help you but we need more detailed information so we can better assess what might be going on.

[rmfsnakes32]

I ran into this with my boa and we are treating for upper respritory infection, if in doubt take the snake to a qualified vet for a check up! Better safe than sorry imo!

[GooBisDead]

I'm using this zoomed Multi dome lamp on one side of the tank with a 75w basking light during the day and a 50w red UV light at night, the humidity is too low which is bad I know, it sits at 50-55, i'm using repti bark as the substrate the fir tree bark stuff and I have a log a hide and a water bowl in the tank at the moment, I'm using a thermometer and hygrometer to measure temp and humidity. I'm going to pick up a spray bottle to try and fix the humidity problem today. The hot side of the tank sits at 85-87 for the most part and the cool side I have no way of telling yet I still gotta go grab another thermometer. oh yea and the tank is one of those sliding screen terrarium tank things by zoomed with the locking mechs ontop.

[brylecc1989]

In the meantime you can try to cover the top of your tank in seran wrap, or even just put a towel over it. Any humidity that is not being evaporated by your heat lamp is escaping through the screen top. Also in a pinch, wet a paper towel and swing it around the cage. This should boost the humidity a bit. You could leave the wet paper towel in the tank afterwards.

[GooBisDead]

My humidity should be around 65 correct?