Help!!! Sick snake..

[Ground_Level]

I need some advice on a few things I’m hoping you guys can help..

Two weeks ago.. i noticed my Murray darling wasn't sounding right.. after I feed her, she was acting weird for a few days afterwards i noticed that she was making popping noises and wasn't opening her mouth, so I took her back to where I got her from as he said any problems bring her back and he will let me know, anyways so i did that the next day he gave her a full check over. and said that she was fine and the reason that she was acting this way was because she was about to shed so leave her to shed and then if it's still the same bring her back.. Anyways I had a thought that she might be having a Respiratory infection, anyways week later she had shredded, and thought everything was normal went to feed her again.. Which was fine.. Put her back in her home.. Left her for 3 days at this stage she normally comes out around the second night, she still hadn't come out.. so I went looking for her.. Found her under her hide, which then i noticed she was even breathing much at all.. She couldn't open her mouth bubbles coming from the side her mouth and she was wheezing so at this stage I’m freaking out and rushed her back to the place i got her.. Where they said she has a small respiratory infection.. so they called the owner of the shop which then had a look at her went on to tell me that yes she did have a small respiratory infection two weeks ago. (but he went on to tell me that she was fine and was clear of everything only two weeks ago) and said he will keep her over the next few days and make sure she doesn't get worse.. my few questions are should i believe anything this guy is saying..and take her to a vet or should i listen to what he has to say and let him do his thing i was very pissed off that he had the balls to say she was fine when she wasn't he was saying that they need to give her a injection to clear the respiratory infection but is this something that just clears up afterwards or is this still a very sick snake. i don't want to loose her, or is the snake now more likely to keep getting this problem now that she has it, anyways i don't want to keep take her to this guy or pay stupid amounts in vet bill any advice would be good..

 

[cwebb]

get her back and take her to the vet.. he obviously didnt clear it up the first time around so get it to a good reptile vet that can treat it once and for all..
what is your set up like ? is she getting enough heat?

 

[Ground_Level]

Well the tank setup is only small as she only about 80cms, she has one 75watt heat lamp.. which keeps her tank around 28 to 30 up the top and around 24 to 26 down the bottom.. as it been fairly warm lately i was thinking about getting her a heat rock or even a heat matt for winter time.. but hasn’t dropped alot in temp lately he was going on to say that it was to do with her tank temps but it has always been on the temps he has told me to keep her at.. as i have a diamond python as well his tank is much bigger and is always around the same temps and he is fine.. but he said the diamonds are more adapted to our temps here and the murray needs more heat..

 

[Chris1]

if an RI is taken care of quickly, the snake will make a full recovery, if its left to get bad, and damage is done, it will most likely be recurring....if i was noticing symptoms like that i woulndt hesitate to get her to a vet for antibiotics, additional heat alone can help, but i wouldnt rely on only that.



how long have u actually had the snake?

so they called the owner of the shop which then had a look at her went on to tell me that yes she did have a small respiratory infection two weeks ago. (but he went on to tell me that she was fine and was clear of everything only two weeks ago)

i wouldnt think that 2 weeks is enough time to fix an RI, maybe a 2 week course if thats the antibiotic part, but additional heat would still be important for longer than the antiB's



28-30 is too cold for a MD, especially a recovering one,....

if the snake had only just finished treatment for RI, i think its bad form that you werent told, because recovering snakes need more heat.

 

[KaotikJezta]

The temps are to low on the hot end, Diamonds need lower temps than other snakes, the hot spot needs to be above 30. Get her back and take her to a proper herp vet, yes she does need injections, no it won't just go away on its own. I would also be keeping an eye on your Diamond if they were in close proximity to each other. Also, don't get a heat rock, they are terrible things.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

What do you mean by "stupid amounts" for a vet bill? Having any animal means you have the responsibility to provide for it in good times and in bad times. Get the thing to a vet asap to get the professional treatment it needs before it dies.

Jamie

 

[JAS101]

What do you mean by "stupid amounts" for a vet bill? Having any animal means you have the responsibility to provide for it in good times and in bad times. Get the thing to a vet asap to get the professional treatment it needs before it dies.

Jamie

i couldnt agree more , if your not prepard to fork out for vet trips - then dont get ANY animals .

 

[TreeHugger]

i couldnt agree more , if your not prepard to fork out for vet trips - then dont get ANY animals .

Hey Guys I'm Sure Ground_Level is trying to say, should he fork out the vet bill, or trust the owner of petshop and achieve the same outcome (hopefully snake getting better), which sounds entitled to him as it seems that you only recently bought the snake (G_L and it was possible R.I could have developed before your bought it?). Correct me if I am wrong.

But to be honest this petshop owner sounds like a complete tosser, as others have already said, I would take to a rep vet ASAP. Make sure you choose a good rep vet. So glad I traveled to my current rep vet, and didn't take the less knowledgeable one close to home because my vets extremely thorough and goes above and beyond.

TreeHugger Out

 

[Jande]

... But to be honest this petshop owner sounds like a complete tosser, as others have already said, I would take to a rep vet ASAP. Make sure you choose a good rep vet. So glad I traveled to my current rep vet, and didn't take the less knowledgeable one close to home because my vets extremely thorough and goes above and beyond.

TreeHugger Out

Most vets are like this. It's the ones who are fearful of an animal, don't have the education/ knowledge or who don't love all animals as equals that tend not to be the best in my experience. If the vet you go to doesn't seem thorough or interested in the animal's well being, get the hell out of there and find another one.
To Ground_Level: Pet shop workers aren't experts on animal health. He may buy the reptiles from a breeder and the most he knows is how to keep them alive long enough to sell them to someone. Not true of all pet shops by any means, but I'm just saying that he isn't necessarily the right person to take advice from.
All the best with it. I hope you work out what's wrong and can get it fixed asap.

 

[12-08-67]

Sadly they did the wrong thing by you and the snake to start with so why trust them again with its health and by not taking it to a vet now - it may cost you more in the long run if they give her back to you still unwell, she deserves better care than they gave her, i would be taking her to vet and sending them the bill

 

[Jamie_Leanne]

First priority in my books if any of my pets were to be this sick i wouldnt even bother with the person who sold it to me, i would take it straight to a vet asap. Then give the bill to the person who sold it to me.

 

[Chanzey]

Sorry if i missed it but, he didn't say it was from a petshop?

 

[Jande]

I need some advice on a few things I’m hoping you guys can help..

Two weeks ago.. i noticed my Murray darling wasn't sounding right.. after I feed her, she was acting weird for a few days afterwards i noticed that she was making popping noises and wasn't opening her mouth, so I took her back to where I got her from as he said any problems bring her back and he will let me know, anyways so i did that the next day he gave her a full check over. and said that she was fine and the reason that she was acting this way was because she was about to shed so leave her to shed and then if it's still the same bring her back.. Anyways I had a thought that she might be having a Respiratory infection, anyways week later she had shredded, and thought everything was normal went to feed her again.. Which was fine.. Put her back in her home.. Left her for 3 days at this stage she normally comes out around the second night, she still hadn't come out.. so I went looking for her.. Found her under her hide, which then i noticed she was even breathing much at all.. She couldn't open her mouth bubbles coming from the side her mouth and she was wheezing so at this stage I’m freaking out and rushed her back to the place i got her.. Where they said she has a small respiratory infection.. so they called the owner of the shop which then had a look at her went on to tell me that yes she did have a small respiratory infection two weeks ago. (but he went on to tell me that she was fine and was clear of everything only two weeks ago) and said he will keep her over the next few days and make sure she doesn't get worse.. my few questions are should i believe anything this guy is saying..and take her to a vet or should i listen to what he has to say and let him do his thing i was very pissed off that he had the balls to say she was fine when she wasn't he was saying that they need to give her a injection to clear the respiratory infection but is this something that just clears up afterwards or is this still a very sick snake. i don't want to loose her, or is the snake now more likely to keep getting this problem now that she has it, anyways i don't want to keep take her to this guy or pay stupid amounts in vet bill any advice would be good..

@Chanzey - I assumed he got it from a shop, but my response was for the most part a vote towards going to a vet/ expert instead of a shop owner if the snake is as sick at it sounds. Probably shouldn't assume but oh well. My opinion in the above post still stands for what it's worth.