Also known as: upper respiratory infection, R.I., U.R.I., pneumonia
Symptoms
- Audible exhalation (wheezing/clicking)
- Breathing with head raised
- Bubbly/stringy mucus in mouth
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Open-mouth breathing
- Runny nose
- Scabbed lips
- Swollen/bloated body
- Weepy eyes
- Weight loss
Cause
- Cool temperatures
- Humidity too high/low
- No thermal gradient
- Prolonged stress
Treatment
Respiratory infections require veterinarian intervention and antibiotics to resolve.
First, make an appointment with an experienced reptile vet. Then use the ReptiFiles Ackie Monitor Care Guide to re-evaluate your day and night temperatures as well as humidity to make sure your husbandry is correct. Be honest and transparent with your veterinarian about the numbers and your exact husbandry practices, as this will help them diagnose and cure your pet.
To help your ackie recover, you can increase nighttime temperatures to 80-85°F (27-29°C) with a ceramic heat emitter or even a space heater placed in the same room. Warmer temperatures help the antibiotics be more effective by boosting your ackie’s immune system.
Antibiotics work by killing the bad bacteria in your ackie’s lungs, but as a side effect of using oral meds they also tend to kill the good bacteria in the gut. This can result in decreased appetite and weight loss. Decrease the risk of complications from antibiotics with a probiotic like NutriBAC df dusted on their insects or Bene-Bac Plus gel.
More ackie monitor health topics:
- Egg Binding
- Egg Cycling
- Gout
- Impaction
- Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD)
- Mites
- Obesity
- Parasites
- Prolapse
- Sexing
- Shedding
Return to the Ackie Monitor Care Guide by clicking here.
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