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Help!!!my Boa ??

R

richie671

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came home and my heat light went out in my boa's set up and the temp went done to low 80's and she was sneezing and when she hissed she had flem in her mouth i got the temp back up and i don't know how she is but i will see later tonight!!
what should i do should i take her to a vet to get meds or is this due to the heat drop?? what should i do???HELP!!!
 
Re

What kind of Boa are we talking about? How long was the heat off? Sounds like she has a RI and needs to see a vet, RI is nothing to play around with if your seeing liquid in her mouth she's been sick for a while.
They blow to clear the mess out of their throat so they can breath.. Keep us posted on how she does...Randy
 
It does sound like RI and I agree it must have been around for awhile. Temps falling to the low 80's wouldn't have caused it. My boas are constantly kept in the low 80's.
 
thanks i'm going t look for a vet today
she's a 10 foot female argintine boa i just got her a few days ago
from somene on the board.
the heat lamp was only off for a few hrs,but the heat pad is always on.
she had clear flem come out her mouth last night but not today (yet)
what can i do for her till i get her to see a vet?
can i get her anything to help her out?
 
So you have a heat lamp and pad. Is there any way for this boa to get out of the heat? Do you have a cooler end to your set-up? What the temp you're keeping it at?

You may want to answer these question in the boa discussion forum. People that can help you may miss it here. Argentines aren't aboreal.
 
well i just want to put a update out.
i took big d (my new female argentine boa) to a reptile store and they looked at her and said i should have seen the swelling on her mid back she has 2 humps and they told me she has a bad r/i and she is low in weight for a snake at her size (her skin kinda hangs off) and david the store owner GAVE me FREE a heat lamp and 60watt heat light and told me to keep her at 90*.he said with my heat pad and the light she should be good intill i get her to a vet.so monday i'm taking her first thing to the vet.
i don't know if the guy that sold me her knew that she was sick or not but he seemed like a real good guy.everyone at the store told me if the bill is hight to ask the person i got her from to split it or tell him to pick her up and get a refund. but i liker her and i would like to help her get better.so i will call him and ask him for help.i will keep ypu all informed thank you for your help//
 
For now keep the temps up and lower the humidity a bit. The mucas needs to dry up in her nostrils. Put a smaller water bowl in and keep the water on the cool side. Good luck and keep us updated
 
I'm not an expert. IMO if you've only had her a few days then I doubt this is a result of conditions in your cage. Not to say that the owner knew about it, but it sounds to me like the problem started way before you got her.
 
I would entirely agree with Tex. My snake is also kept at the low-mid 80's. There's no way your snake would get to be as sick as you're describing in just a few days. What was it like when you first got it?

- Damian
 
PM me the name of the guy who shipped this to you please. I just received an argentine from a guy on this board that had a bad RI AND was loaded with mites!

Griz
 
when i first got her she was in shed so i left her alone after she shed this is how she was.i got the tank at 90* and a water bowl thats about 6" and 3" tall and filled it half way.all the heat is on one side and the cool end has only the water bowl.i also put a sheet over the front of her cage so she won't stress out.GRIZ i pmed you
 
Good luck with her. Hopefully the seller will be willing to work something out with you. Let us know how it all turns out.

- Damian
 
I hate to be repeating everyone but the more info the better I suppose. My boa's too are kept in the mid to low 80s. Especially in the summer here in So-Cal where the heat in there cage can easily reach 100-110 if not closely monitored.,
 
i got her set at 90-91* as i was told to. i watch her all day well as much as i can. when i'm home i look in her cage every hr to check the temp,i went to a vet and he said with her age and size he told me to try to just heat her up and keep her at 90* so she can dry out (as he called it)but he said to try that first before a spend a good amount of money on meds if she can heal up on her own,but friday if she doesn't sound better i'm going to bring her in.well this is her full set up :vision 400 cage,desert heat pad (the biggest one) on the left side with a 60 watt heat lame on the back left side on a heat control,then on the right side is just a water bowl.
so i'd say 2 feet hot side 2 feet cool side.do i need to get her in a bigger set up?
i'm building her one thats 8'L x 3'W x 4'T out of melamine wood with a sliding glass front but it's on hold right now intill i find out if she's going to get better on her out with the heat up or if i need the money for the vet.i just don't want to need the money and not have it.but to have the money to get her what ever she need's to get better.and for bedding i just got news paper for now till she gets better.
I THANK EVERONE FOR THEIR HELP WITH BIG D'S PROBLEM..
if you need any more info on her set up i'll post it just let me know what to post thank you again.
and the guy i got her from hasn't return my calls or pm's yet i think it's due to 4th of July weekend he seemed to be a great guy i don't think (i hope) he didn't know about her illness.but i hold no grudges at least i know she will get better now thanks to you all.AND HAPPY PRE 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE DON'T LET YOUR REPTILES PLAY WITH SPARKLERS..LOL
 
well it's been a lil bit of time now and i tried to feed her and now she won't eat i'm going to take her back to the vet to see what's wrong with her now :(
 
Give it a little time. You already know the snakes sick. A well fed boa can go a long time without eating. IMO the stress of bringing it to the vet is more harmful. I'm not say don't do it exactly. Just don't do it only because your snake didn't eat. If he is otherwise showing signs of improvement ie. more alert, not wheezing, no mucous, then I'd wait awhile.

Kevin
 
How is the snake doing now? Did you ever get her in to see a vet? Not to discredit or contradict anything that has been offered so far, but IMHO a vet visit should have been the first thing, (besides raising the temps), not a pet shop.
If it is indeed an RI and it has advanced enough to start causing flem and mucous, than it is in the advanced stages of infection, and now yer concern should be pneumonia, and so antibiotics are definitely in order.
Leaving her to try to battle it on her own may work out, but it will definitely take a lot longer, and mean while, she is still not eating. Food will help her body to fight it's own battle naturally. Antibiotics will help to get her cleared up, and may help her appetite as well.

If it was me, I would get the temps up a couple °F higher during treatment as well. Closer to 95° on the basking side, high 80's on the cool. But that's me. I just got My big girl back from a breeder loan and she caught an RI and mouth rot, and this is what I did for her since she was gravid and couldn't do meds till she let go her load. She is back in her usual excellent shape now.

I cannot stress the VET VISIT enough. Also keep in mind that these things take some time to get a grip on due the reptile metabolism being slow. You may be treating her for the next couple of months. Be patient.

Anyway, just My $0.025
Rick
 
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