Retic ill :(

Cez1150 · 10-05-10, 03:51 PM

i have a reticulated python, he's a java and about 8 months old, around 7 and a half foot long.
but recently he has been sneezing randomly.
he hasn't done it for a good few weeks now but i just wondered if anyone on here knows what could be up?
he's in a 6 x 4 x 3 viv with a micro-pulse thermostat and a ridiculously huge UV bulb.
also in his old viv he managed to get a burn on his side, this was about 2 months ago and he has shed since then but still has a pretty nasty looking mark on his side, is there anything i can do to help him heal a bit faster?
i feel proper sorry for him, its not causing him any pain but he's such a pretty snake and i hope his natural colour will come back!
i dont even understand how he managed it seeing as there is wire mesh over the heat lamp!

marvelfreak · 10-05-10, 10:10 PM

Hello and Welcome! You can put Neosporin on it to help it heal. That's one thing most people don't know is trple antibiotic Neosporin can be used on reptile to help them heal and fight infection. What are your temps at for the hot and cool end of your cage?

Cez1150 · 10-06-10, 06:13 AM

Cheers

hes kept at around 31 basking spot and 29 cool side

Reptile_Reptile · 10-11-10, 03:28 AM

8 months old and 7 1/2 foot long???? is that their growth weight or is that a typo

percey39 · 10-11-10, 03:55 AM

You would be surprised how much a snake can grow with consistant feeding.
Also iwould try and give him a hot spot of 33 and acool end of 26 or so. As he will need to drop his body temp more than 2 degree's to cool down if he wants to.

Reptile_Reptile · 10-11-10, 04:03 AM

wow thats just too much there is no need to feed a retic that much. my friend has a retic that is 3yrs and is just now hitting 13ft

percey39 · 10-11-10, 04:06 AM

I have a olive python that is not even 2 years old and is only 40cm off their average male size. He has just has his feeds dropped down and is perfectly healthy. Has not become over weight and is still lean for his length.

Reptile_Reptile · 10-11-10, 04:10 AM

i like it when snakes are lean. not unhealthy just on the less fat side of the coin

marvelfreak · 10-11-10, 06:29 PM

Retic can grow from 3 feet to 13 feet in the first year.

Cez1150 · 10-12-10, 06:36 AM

yeah, i was reading up on them, they can grow up to and around about 1 ft a month!
and up to about 6 months i was feeding him medium rats once a week, and from then till now its every 10 days.
he's not over weight at all, if anything he's really slim, just growing so fast!

Will0W783 · 10-12-10, 08:08 AM

Retics can and do get HUGE fast. I am snakesitting two retics for a friend, and let me tell you nothing can prepare you for how big these buggers get until you actually see one and try to work with it. Fortunately for me, both of my charges are well-behaved, but it's not easy moving around a 100lb+ animal.

Retics will get their length first. A healthy, well-fed animal can grow up to 10-12 feet in the first year. Once they achieve the majority of their length, usually in about two years, they will begin putting on girth. They can get as big around as a small keg, depending on how long they are. They are intelligent for snakes, and get used to and benefit from a routine. At 7 1/2 feet long, yours is about the maximum length for one person to handle. You should start implementing help or at least observation while you are working with him, if you are not already. ANY snake over 7-8 feet, no matter how docile or "tame", should never be handled without at least one other person in the room. All it takes is one time and one mistake.

Steve'O · 01-30-11, 10:39 AM

I agree with Kim. Normal growth for a retic. Retic growth is dependent on sex, locality it originated from, and feeding. Six to ten feet for a male and even greater for females in the first year is normal. But the sneezing issue can indicate a respiratory infection. Watch for bubbling or frothing around nostrils or mouth. It is also concerning since the snake has had a recent injury. Burns can be devastating to snakes. If the animal has already shed since the injury, that is a good sign. It would not be a bad idea to have it seen by a vet just in case though. Is the wound still open or just scarred over since shed? The scar will most likely always be there forever.

bighog85 · 01-30-11, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cez1150

i have a reticulated python, he's a java and about 8 months old, around 7 and a half foot long.
but recently he has been sneezing randomly.
he hasn't done it for a good few weeks now but i just wondered if anyone on here knows what could be up?
he's in a 6 x 4 x 3 viv with a micro-pulse thermostat and a ridiculously huge UV bulb.
also in his old viv he managed to get a burn on his side, this was about 2 months ago and he has shed since then but still has a pretty nasty looking mark on his side, is there anything i can do to help him heal a bit faster?
i feel proper sorry for him, its not causing him any pain but he's such a pretty snake and i hope his natural colour will come back!
i dont even understand how he managed it seeing as there is wire mesh over the heat lamp!

More important than heat with retics is humidity. You need to maintain a constant 60-70% in the enclosure or most retics will get respiratory problems like you are seeing. Misting doesn't usually do the trick because that just creates a spike but then it drops down quickly after. Soak them often and get the humidity up and the sneezing should go away.