Garter snake sick from giving birth?

[Bothriechis schlegelii]

Everybody, I'm pretty sure that she is not sick from giving birth. I suspect a respiratory infection, caused by rodent aspen shavings, which are more dusty than reptile aspen shavings. I immediately removed the shavings and replaced it with paper towel. Now just to wait? I'm not sure. How do I cure this? Now to start researching...

[ConcinusMan]

Everybody, I'm pretty sure that she is not sick from giving birth. I suspect a respiratory infection, caused by rodent aspen shavings, which are more dusty than reptile aspen shavings. I immediately removed the shavings and replaced it with paper towel. Now just to wait? I'm not sure. How do I cure this? Now to start researching...

Like bacterial pneumonia in humans, most respiratory infections in snakes are caused by common household bacteria that don't normally cause infections. Bacteria present basically everywhere in the environment that ourselves and our snakes come in contact with and ingest or inhale everyday without any problems. The immune system normally does it's job and keeps these from harming your snake or causing any symptoms. I am told by vets that the #1 husbandry mistake that causes these infections is keeping a snake too warm and/or lack of a temperature gradient. I think it's quite unlikely that some dusty aspen caused the infection.

The gradient is important because the snake needs to thermoregulate. For garters an air temperature in the 70's is appropriate but they also need to have a spot where they can warm up to 85-90 degrees. Inability to regulate their body temperature freely puts stress on the immune system. Combine that with a heavy parasite load and/or becoming gravid/giving birth and the immune system won't be able to fight off infections then they get an R.I. This has happened to me just once and it was an old female that was gravid. Antibiotics are the only way to cure it. I used oral Baytril suspension for 14 days and saw significant improvement within 7 days.

The thing about R.I.'s is we don't see symptoms until it's quite advanced. They open their mouth when their nasal cavity is clogged with mucus or when it's moved into the lungs. Pneumonia is particularly dangerous to snakes since they only have one narrow, functional lung. There's very little time to spare once they start gaping. She needs the husbandry/temperature issues corrected but the infection will likely just get worse or become fatal if she doesn't get antibiotics. That requires a prescription/vet visit.

About all you can do now is keep her warm day and night (around 88-90 F and not longer than a week or so) and keep the humidity around 70%. That should help relieve symptoms but it won't get rid of the infection without antibiotics.

[Bothriechis schlegelii]

Like bacterial pneumonia in humans, most respiratory infections in snakes are caused by common household bacteria that don't normally cause infections. Bacteria present basically everywhere in the environment that ourselves and our snakes come in contact with and ingest or inhale everyday without any problems. The immune system normally does it's job and keeps these from harming your snake or causing any symptoms. I am told by vets that the #1 husbandry mistake that causes these infections is keeping a snake too warm and/or lack of a temperature gradient. I think it's quite unlikely that some dusty aspen caused the infection.

The gradient is important because the snake needs to thermoregulate. For garters an air temperature in the 70's is appropriate but they also need to have a spot where they can warm up to 85-90 degrees. Inability to regulate their body temperature freely puts stress on the immune system. Combine that with a heavy parasite load and/or becoming gravid/giving birth and the immune system won't be able to fight off infections then they get an R.I. This has happened to me just once and it was an old female that was gravid. Antibiotics are the only way to cure it. I used oral Baytril suspension for 14 days and saw significant improvement within 7 days.

The thing about R.I.'s is we don't see symptoms until it's quite advanced. They open their mouth when their nasal cavity is clogged with mucus or when it's moved into the lungs. Pneumonia is particularly dangerous to snakes since they only have one narrow, functional lung. There's very little time to spare once they start gaping. She needs the husbandry/temperature issues corrected but the infection will likely just get worse or become fatal if she doesn't get antibiotics. That requires a prescription/vet visit.

About all you can do now is keep her warm day and night (around 88-90 F and not longer than a week or so) and keep the humidity around 70%. That should help relieve symptoms but it won't get rid of the infection without antibiotics.

How do I keep the humidity up? I don't have a meter for humidity (can't remember the name of the gauge). Can I just have a wet piece of paper towel in there to keep humidity high just like for babies? I'll cut out half of the lid and secure some wire mesh on it so I can place a lamp there.