Respiratory Problem

Question
Hi, I have a 3 year old ball python and I was wondering what are the most obvious signs of a respiratory infection? I am scared because I have a sick cockatiel right next to his tank. About 2 months ago I had a cockatiel that died from a very acute respiratory infection. By the time he let on that he was sick, he was REALLY sick and subsequently passed away despite treatment. Now his surviving cagemate has been on antibiotics ever since because he began showing symptoms. So I was wondering is it possible for this kind of sickness to spread across species? I know I am sensitive to dust and feathers and I am ALWAYS sneezing in my room and constantly cleaning. Twice now in the past month my ball python has dripped a clear mucous-like substance from his mouth when I have picked him up. It seems like he does it mostly after I give his cage a good mist to maitain humidity. He seldom uses his heat mat at all. I keep a 150 watt infrared light running during the day and keep the heat mat on at all times. But every morning I find him on the cool side of his cage and he is cold when I touch him. I even added some extra layers of newspaper on top of the warm side so it wouldn't be too hot for him. The hot side is usually 85-90 and the cool side 70-75. He is a really good eater but sometimes he makes these wind-like noises, I can't tell if he is passing gas or if this is the 'popping' noise I've heard about. Any help would be greatly appreciated. He really means a lot to me.  

Answer
Hi there, the cockatiel and his respiratory problem is no risk to your snake. Your temperatures sound good, are you using a digital thermometer to check them? If the humidity in the tank is too high, this can cause respiratory infections in reptiles. If you can hear any clicking, noisy breathing or see any nasal discharge from your snake then it would be best to get a reptile vet to have a look at it as they mask the signs of illness very well. Sounds like you are taking good care of both of them. Good luck