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Q: Catching respiratory infections early?
Posted By:

Herpetology Mermaid

In Relation To:

Épée

I know some of the basic signs of URIs in snakes, wheezing, bubbling at the mouth, mucas, ect. But I wonder if it's possible to catch it earlier than these signs, and wonder if my corn has come down with this.

I was doing my morning rounds making sure everyone had clean water and everything, and when I got to Épée, I picked him up to see if his eyes had cleared yet, and he made a small squeek sound, and from then on was making occassional click noises from his nose, like he was trying to clear it out.

There has been a change in his enviornment, I just moved him (and my other snakes) into a rack system. I already feel it's substantially warmer than his old glass tank which I feel let to much heat out. So I don't know if perhaps he contracted it before I moved him over, our space heater went out for a bit so it did get rather cold in there, though he and everyone else had UTHs.

The only other thing I can think off is that the rack system also sustains humidity better so he's in a more humid enviornment than he was in his old tank.

If it is a UTI I'm hoping to catch this early so we can treat it and get him better.


Points: 150
Topics: Respiratory
Tags: Early, Respiratory, Signs, Upper
Species: Other Colubrids > Other Colubrids > Elaphe guttata guttata
Administrative: Show/Hide

Assisted Answer 12/24/2011 11:48:38 AM

aaron

Sounds like pre-shed clicking, and nothing to worry about.

AFAIK, behavior would be the only other way to note that something is wrong with your animal. Sometimes they just seem "off" and then you see a bubbling, it's like, "Oh, okay... that explains why you're being weird".

Likely should be fine.

 
Assisted Answer 12/24/2011 12:06:35 PM

Doomtrooper

+1 Aaron  when snakes shed it can close off there nasal passages a bit  and they will click  and weez.  If you still hear the noises after the shed  then keep an eye on it .. You can bump the heat up a few degrees if you are worried

 
Accepted Answer 12/24/2011 1:05:33 PM

Sonja K. Reptiles

Yep, some snakes may just have an audible sound when they breathe, during or right before the shedding process, from the skin expanding and contracting when it inhales and exhales, and that is not a sign of illness. Just keep a closer eye on him - totally agree with Aaron and Michael.

 
Author Comment 12/24/2011 1:42:02 PM

Herpetology Mermaid

Thanks guys, that's pretty much what my mom told me when she got home too. I guess I've just never heard my snakes "click" before shedding before, or I just never realized it before. I'm just on the edge I guess because I just finished treating for mites, and I changed up their enviornment and all. I'm always trying to do my best to keep my animals healthy, so I get kinda freaked out when it seems like something may be going wrong. heh.

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