Help!! Lung Infection!

BIGT FROM F.B. · 01-01-14, 11:22 AM

My Brazilian Rainbow is making a popping sound when he exhales and has to open his mouth sometimes. There are no bubbles yet, but I need to know what to do. I have the tank properly heated at one end with a heat lamp and a heat pad underneath. I use the Aspen bedding and have soaked it during the last week to help his shed. Could this have made him sick? I had a Ball Python once that did the same thing and even took it to a herp vet. It still died. I don't want to lose this one the same way. PLEASE HELP!!

Sharlynn93 · 01-01-14, 11:39 AM

my CRB was doing the same thing...get him to a vet and get an antibiotic...one thing i did that really seemed to help until the vet appt was i took boiling water and put some vicks vaporub in it (i used the baby vicks) make sure it is somewhere he can't touch it, but the vapors cleared her up so well the vet had trouble hearing her wheeze by the time i got her there...

Terranaut · 01-01-14, 12:15 PM

There is a great diy on here for doing just that. It worked on my BCI perfectly. You need a large tub and a small one full of holes to do it correctly. I won't say not to go to a vet but I chose this over the vet and it was 2 years ago and my snake is very healthy.

kwhitlock · 01-01-14, 12:16 PM

Ditch the heat lamp, and you need to get you BRB, off of aspen. If you can keep 80%+ humidity in that setup, Youd make a believer out of me! Still take your animal to the vet, but my guess is that your humidity in the enclosure is far from where it needs to be. Can you post temps that your keeping your BRB at?

Sharlynn93 · 01-01-14, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwhitlock

Ditch the heat lamp, and you need to get you BRB, off of aspen. If you can keep 80%+ humidity in that setup, Youd make a believer out of me! Still take your animal to the vet, but my guess is that your humidity in the enclosure is far from where it needs to be. Can you post temps that your keeping your BRB at?

^^^this too! I switched all my rainbows to eco-earth...holds the humidity in the 90's consistently as long as you don't have a screen lid...if you do, put plexiglass or something over the screen and that will build the humidity...aspen sucks the humidity right out of everything, including the snake...

kwhitlock · 01-01-14, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharlynn93

^^^this too! I switched all my rainbows to eco-earth...holds the humidity in the 90's consistently as long as you don't have a screen lid...if you do, put plexiglass or something over the screen and that will build the humidity...aspen sucks the humidity right out of everything, including the snake...

Exactly, I have my Hondo on Ecoearth with a screen top covered with two towels and a heat lamp, most I've ever had is 50%, my house is incredibly dry though.

MDT · 01-01-14, 12:44 PM

Vet gonna need to do culture of respiratory secretions to identify if bacterial (antibiotics) or viral (supportive care)...get to a vet asap.

BIGT FROM F.B. · 01-01-14, 04:20 PM

Thanks for the responses, everyone. How in the world can I keep the humidity that high with a lamp and pad? Don't I need to keep the heat up on one end? I have a 20long with a screen top and the temp stays about 85-90 on the one end during the day. The lamp is off at night with just the pad on. My snakes seem to keep to the cool side to begin with. How do I keep humidity up with the heat source to keep from drying out? Also, a few days ago, I treated him for mites and totally cleaned his cage out with new bedding and all. I put repti-safe in the water as well. I did clean the cage with windex before I wiped it all down and put him back in. I hope that didn't cause it. Hope I've given enough info. Keep responding!!

Sharlynn93 · 01-01-14, 04:29 PM

cover the screen lid with damp towels...I would ditch the aspen bedding and put paper towels in, saturate them with water...keep those towels damp...what kind of thermometer are you using? the sticky analog ones are consistently wrong...they don't measure the temp of the substrate...

BIGT FROM F.B. · 01-01-14, 04:38 PM

Yes, just the analog one. Obviously, these Rainbows need more dramatic conditions to be kept in. Do I need to get one of the "cube" type enclosure with the doors on the front? Don't they have humidity foggers/pumps to attach to those kinds?

kwhitlock · 01-01-14, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIGT FROM F.B.

Thanks for the responses, everyone. How in the world can I keep the humidity that high with a lamp and pad? Don't I need to keep the heat up on one end? I have a 20long with a screen top and the temp stays about 85-90 on the one end during the day. The lamp is off at night with just the pad on. My snakes seem to keep to the cool side to begin with. How do I keep humidity up with the heat source to keep from drying out? Also, a few days ago, I treated him for mites and totally cleaned his cage out with new bedding and all. I put repti-safe in the water as well. I did clean the cage with windex before I wiped it all down and put him back in. I hope that didn't cause it. Hope I've given enough info. Keep responding!!

Your temps are to high, over 85 starts getting deadly for a BRB. for a BRB about 80 is perfect. You need to cover the top with either damp towels, cardboard, acrilic, or glass. You HAVE TO LIMIT THE AIR FLOW. I would recomend ditching the 20 gallon long and get a big rubbermaid tub and get some eco earth or reptibark. Get rid of the heat lamp, causing more harm then good. Drill some holes on the sides for some air, just a couple not alot. If you want I can post my enclosure and show you. You have to at the least have 80% or higher. If your afraid of it still drying out, get a box your snake can go into and put damp sagph moss in it.

BIGT FROM F.B. · 01-01-14, 05:03 PM

So, basically, get rid of the heat lamp but keep the pad. Cover the screen completely with damp towels. Will Eco earth keep humidity better than Aspen as mentioned before? How will the high humidity keep mold/mildew from growing, compounding the problem? Will a vet be able to help him to begin with? Obviously, I am used to keeping snakes like kings, corns, milks that may not require such drastic conditions. I may even get a bio cube with a humidity pump if it leads to that. All suggestions from you guys will be helpful to me.

shaunyboy · 01-01-14, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDT

Vet gonna need to do culture of respiratory secretions to identify if bacterial (antibiotics) or viral (supportive care)...get to a vet asap.

^^^^^
this is the best course of action regards the resparitory infection

i only keep Carpet Pythons so i cannot help you with your brb husbandry...

that said,you have had some great advice from others in this thread

i would correct any husbandry problems,then take the snake to the vets

cheers shaun

kwhitlock · 01-01-14, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIGT FROM F.B.

So, basically, get rid of the heat lamp but keep the pad. Cover the screen completely with damp towels. Will Eco earth keep humidity better than Aspen as mentioned before? How will the high humidity keep mold/mildew from growing, compounding the problem? Will a vet be able to help him to begin with? Obviously, I am used to keeping snakes like kings, corns, milks that may not require such drastic conditions. I may even get a bio cube with a humidity pump if it leads to that. All suggestions from you guys will be helpful to me.

First off a vet is firstly required. But the vet is only gonna help so much if you odnt have the right conditions. But yes cover the top limit ventilation, and ecoearth with keep the enclosure very humid, on ecoearth you have to keep an eye on molding. I use reptibark and the lowest my humidity is 90% constant, my house is about 9% RL humdity. During summer and spring I suspect it to be at 100. But another option would be cryprus mulch, holds humidity well and it will NOT mold. My opinion is to if you want to keep the 20 gallon, get a piece of acrylic to cover the top if you chose to put only a few small holes for air ventilation. I would personally ditch the tank and get a professional cage or a $10 plastic tub.

Goodluck man keep us posted. Ask any other question you have.

Saber402 · 01-01-14, 07:01 PM

Having two BRB's I have to agree to #1 ditch the lamp. Does nothing but kill any humidity you may have. Second, the Aspen does not hold moisture at all. It quickly loses any moisture you put in. Also, if you keep soaking, it will develop mold quickly as well. Use a substrate meant for holding humidity such as coconut husk or echo bark for example.

When very young the humidity should remain around 90%. I keep mine around 75 - 80% and have no problems, bumping it up towards 90% when shedding. Sheds are always good.

Next, as mentioned above do not have your temp's exceed 85 degrees as it is indeed lethal to BRB's. Try to keep your warm side around 78 - 82 and your cool side between 75 - 80.

Do you have a humid box for him? This will give him a humid place to go. Use a small shoebox size sterilite tub with a hole on the side big enough for him to go through. Put 3 or 4 "small" holes in the top for some ventilation. Put a handful of damp sphagnum moss inside. Check it every day or so and mist lightly if it is becoming dry.

Placing your water dish over the UTH will increase your humidity as well

You said you have a screen top. Is it a slide-in or one that drops onto the top? If it drops over the top, replace it with 1/4 inch Acrylic/Plexiglas. You will need to carefully put a half dozen 1/4 inch holes in it, again for ventilation.

You can get a glass tank to work! I have used this setup for both of my BRB's for over a year. And once I got the husbandry set up right, it is no harder to take care of than any of my ball pythons. You just have to watch the conditions and adjust accordingly.

Most importantly get your snake to a vet to make sure it is going to be OK.

Good luck!