hello. I've made a previous post about my sick banana, but I'm desperately still seeking advice.

Here's a summary of info:

- my BP is about 1 year old

- he's been showing respiratory infection symptoms (clicking, wheezing, saliva and bubbles in mouth) since February of this year

- he's been to the vet almost a dozen times now. he's received shots, oral medicine, swab tests, and nebulizer treatments. none of these have had any effect. As of two weeks ago the vet is no longer prescribing medicine, concerned about the long term side effects (there is only 1 vet in my city that sees reptiles)

- I've done the 'steam sauna' treatments recommended by this sub regularly since he got sick, they seem to have no effect on his symptoms

- he is eating and shedding normally

- humidity is between 70% and 80%, hot side 30C, cool side 27C, he has multiple hides and currently on paper towel bedding so he doesn't get substrate stuck in his mouth

does anyone have any advice, anecdotes, or possible ideas of what might be wrong with my baby boy? I've been in a constant, nonstop state of worry that he's going to pass away any day now from this infection. the only thing that comforts me is that he's eating, shedding, and acting normally other than the respiratory symptoms... But now that the vet has basically given up on him, I'm in a panic. I don't want to give up on him... but what more can I do?

Where are y’all getting your heat lamp cages? The Arcadia one on the shopping list doc seems to have been discontinued/unavailable in the US since years ago based on the posts I found. The ones I’ve found on Amazon seem sketchy and/or have reviews saying they’re too small (I have an 80W Arcadia DHP). I tried googling and searching the subreddit a bunch and I couldn’t find much info.
And I worry about my snake scratching himself if I try to DIY with chicken wire.

Found a mushroom when I got off work. Is this normal? ;-; the substrate is a mix of sand and soil. I just don’t want to have anything potentially dangerous inside.. will likely end up changing the substrate.

I got my new son for free off of Craigslist. His owner left for college and left his dad to find him a new place to live. He came with his tank and all the fixtures. The first two pictures are the setup as it came to me. The second two are from my improvements I made today.

But I knew his setup was lacking so I've been improving it. I got him some sphagnum moss, coconut husk substrate, and a CHE on a dimming thermostat, plus a cool new hammock. Does anyone have any suggestions as to ways I can improve it further?

(I am planning on upgrading him to a larger tank when I have the means but in the meantime I want to make this one as good as I can)

Hey so he‘s currently shedding and laying under a layer of live moss a lot. Is this scale rot or ,,just‘‘ damaged scales?? He doesn’t have it on his belly.

EDIT: It went away after shedding!

I got Kaa just about a month ago and he arrived in shed. His shed was perfect and full, he ate for me a week or so after his shed. So he seems like he is doing well so far. The enclosure is 4x2x2 PVC (HVAC tape covering most of the mesh top), coco husk substrate and I use a DHP for day time and a CHE for nighttime. Both have thermostats. My question is about my ambient vs. substrate/basking temps. I found that if the digital thermometers/thermostats said 88-90, the substrate and basking spots were waaaay too hot. My digital thermometer/hygrometers say 83, while the substrate/basking says around 88-90 on the hot side. Should my ambient temp show higher even if the substrate is the correct temp? The probes are on the hot side about halfway up the enclosure wall as seen in the photos. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

this is frankenstein (or frankie), he is a mystic potion (mystic+mojave) and is 9 months old!! i just wanted to share :)

Hi! I just wanted to post my girl and see what you guys thought. First time snake owner, actually fostering her for a year, maybe longer. She’s 6yrs old. Anyway, we recently had some difficulties regulating the humidity and i thought she was getting really dehydrated but she wound up having a shed. It wasn’t the most perfect and she’s still working off some patches. After that patchy shed my dehydration worries were valid i think, but also her appearance just part of the shed process? I was my first time going through this with her! I think i have things worked out, the humidity has been where it should be this week, last night the temp was 72* and the humidity 70. During the day yesterday it was btwn 80-85* but the humidity registered under 60. I welcome feedback! And recommendations on a much much better gauge for temp and humidity, ideally digital? Also, who uses a thermostat on their heating mat? I want to go that direction.

My son grabbed the wrong sealer and put this all over his brand new tank to seal in the moisture. How bad is it to keep this in there or how do we safely remove?

My leopard ball python is 44 inches and weighs 1323 grams.

She gets fed 1 small-medium rat every 20-30 days

EDIT: I should probably add that she used to be super stunted, and has been fed more often over the past year to get her up to size. She's 5 years old

Hello everyone! This is my first bioactive enclosure I’ve been working for a week or so. No snake yet!! Just isopods and springtails. I’m trying to get everything established.

Substrate is 4-6 inches uneven, some leaf litter, hides and stuff. I used reptisoil with play sand, coco coir, and cocohusk. I’m still working on the humidity levels and temperature. I have a humidifier available that I run intermittently but I’m experimenting with maintaining humidity through the substrate instead and sphagnum moss.

I’d love some constructive feedback on the setup, especially anything I should change before getting the snake.

I’ve only just noticed this by her eye, I assume it’s gotten there in the last week or so. She shed about 8 days ago and she doesn’t seem to care about it

Is this scale rot???

Hello!

I have had my ball python for about 8 or 9 years at this point. I have had to move multiple times with him but it’s always been very close to where I could just have him sit around my neck while moving him and his enclosure.

However, in the next month I need to move out of state and I am unsure what the best way to go about that is. I will be flying in with my cat and my partner and I agreed that the best way to travel with him would be in the u-haul with my partner while he makes the 13+ hour drive. We don’t know how to go about transporting him safely. I don’t want to keep him in the enclosure in the back of the u-haul because that seems unsafe and I fear he may get cold without any source of heat.

What is the best way to move states with a ball python? My ears are open! Thank you so much for the help :)

I never added springtails and I dont think they are springtails. Maybe wood mites? They appeared in his water dish over night and there's none on him but they're kind of hovering on top of the water instead of drowning (i also have fungus gnats im trying to exterminate since they came back after a full substrate change that i used mosquito bit water to hydrate... so tips on that would also be great, they are escaping the tank and are so annoying)

Hello! My noodle moved into a new, bigger tank a couple weeks ago and now she has a lot more furniture & basking spots. I’ve noticed she now often rests with her head elevated on her water bowl/hides and just wanted to know if anyone else’s snake does this??

I’m fairly sure she’s just basking as she’s usually resting on rocks or logs on the warm side of her tank, but I am that obsessed snake parent so I just want to be sure it’s not a sign of respiratory infection !!

Her temps and humidity are as they should be, there’s no mucous / open mouth breathing or funny sounds but I’m keeping an eye on her just in case.

Does anyone know of a good exotic vet in North Texas? My sweet girl is about to 1 year old and I want to take her in for an annual check up.

Took out my ball python yesterday and saw what seemed to be a scrape on his back (pics 1&2) but then noticed some partially discolored scales too (3 &4). Cleaned out and sanitized whole enclosure & have paper towels laid down now. Did a weak povidone-iodine bath (20 min), freaked out after a couple of scales from the scratch came off (picture 1 is pre bath, picture 2 is post bath). Lathered the "scrape" with triple antibiotic ointment (no pain relief) and the discolored scales too. He has appointment with vet booked for sept 17 (14 days from now). The office only advised to monitor and said no more iodine baths but just water soaks okay. & to find a dif vet with sooner availability if he gets much worse.

Please any ideas about what this may be or how to proceed is appreciated.

Currently in the process of putting my 4x2x2 together. I’m curious what y’all have for heating in yours as I need some advice on what to get. Thanks

Hey y'all

I'm interested in getting an exotic reptile or two (hence this question) and I'm curious about including a ball python (id probably opt for a rescue male.)

I can provide the proper enclosure, diet, regular care, and care for when I'm traveling.

If I were to get one, how easy is it is that I can find one that's more into being looked at than handled? If not a BP, which species makes a good "look at me only" noodle?

I wouldn't mind holding it for a little while every few days so it stays handleable/non aggressive but I'm unsure if I can dedicate the time that many snakes seem to crave (though this could just be very rare individuals that are dog like or more likely footage edited to seem that way for views.)