[vampywolf]

Had this cb2020 burm literally less than 1 month, seemed to arrive in perfect condition and tame as anything, a bit vocal but no aggression.

Been kept in a rub on paper for quarantine purposes, regularly cleaned with fresh water. Under-rub heat mat consistent hot spot 31C in the day and 29C at night. I bought a hygrometer a little late and found the humidity way too high, 70-90%, and spent a couple weeks tweaking the positioning of the heat mat, adding holes, ventilating, changing type of paper, changing surface area of water dish etc, to no avail, still insanely high and I was worried about losing heat if I drilled too much.

Fast forward to 3 days ago, she suddenly became very vocal and irritated, and over the day got less handleable, and refused her food. I noticed black dots on her back and wondered if it was mites, but none of the dots moved, and nothing seemed to come off with a soak. Dots still in the same place now. The next day she was actively snapping and defensive. Today, I can't even handle her with the hook. The rub now has a massive vent with plastic grating, and temps seem fairly stable, with humidity 50-60%.

I'm obviously thinking vets... but I've barely had her a month and my local reptile vet is expensive. Any advice before I take the plunge?

 

[ian14]

Well I would sort out the retained shed for a start.
I would also completely rethink your husbandry, even for quarantine. A mat will not warm the air. So your python has the choice of hot or cold and nothing in between.
The dots are not mites.
If its just shed I wonder if it is new pigment coming through?

 

[vampywolf]

It doesn't seem to be new pattern, especially not with the sudden aggression, and she didn't have a single dot a week ago. She won't let me even hook her out to soak the shed off right now.

Good idea, I have a heat lamp set-up I can use instead, any other tips?

 

[Malc]

Unless you are keeping the room in which the snake's tub is housed in at a steady 28c 24/7 then your husbandry is wrong. This could be the reason the snakes behaviour has changed. All boa's and pythons species that originate from the tropics need a warm air environment. I would also go as far as suggesting you replace the tub with a suitable size wooden vivarium and fit a guarded ceramic heater controlled by a pulse proportional or dimmer stat. Granted if you are quarantining the snake then this with a paper substrate will reduce humidity, so a large water bowl or regular misting when in shed may be needed until such time the paper can be swapped out for something like beach or coco husk chippings which tend to hold humidity better. Giving the snake cover and a true photo period for a day / night cycle might calmer the snake down

 

[vampywolf]

Thank you both, hopefully we'll see a difference now!

 

[LiasisUK]

70 to 90% humidity isn't really an issue as long as there is some airflow. (Burma/Myanmar is pretty humid. Climate data suggests it's 60 to 90%)

I have seen these marks on snakes before, I believe it's related to shedding and not of any health concern. Usually passes.

As others have said above, husbandry needs some tweaking.

 

[Elly66]

I'd get rid of the newspaper for starters, it contains all sorts of nasty chemicals.
What was the snake previously kept in? How big is the rub? Is it possible you have one very unhappy snake due to it's current "home"?

 

[vampywolf]

Excellent news, so now we're past the shedding she's almost as tame as before, but I'm following your advice. She had some small hides but I've ordered a bigger one as she needs to grow a bit, she's under the heat lamp and humidity is still stable around 60-70%. I'm thinking to move her to coco fibre and orchid bark sooner than planned so she settles in better. Will keep an eye on the scales. Wont be long til she's big enough for the viv. Thank you for advice all!!