Puff Noise?

[AvengedGrace]

I was holding my ball python (had her for a little over a week now) and she made a big puff noise, like a big breath then big release of air once. I was sitting next to my cat though, like 2 feet from where my ball python was in my hand. She did it once she looked at my cat.

I don't see any signs of RI and this was a first time anything like that happened. Was she scared by my cat? My cat was just laying there licking herself so I didn't think my snake would feel threatened.

[SadieJ]

Think maybe she hissed?

[AvengedGrace]

Hmm.. that's definitely possible. I have no idea what a ball python sounds like hissing. But what she did was very fast.

[Lynchman18]

More then likely she hissed. Ball pythons like all snakes use their tongue to determine what's near them and ball pythons with all those vents around their face can sense heat.. She knew something bigger then her sitting next to you..

[magicmed]

when I first got loki he "puffed" at me the first time I held him. Wasn't a squeak, a hiss, or a whistle so I was concerned. It reminded me a lot of the "huff" that my dog gives me when she doesn't get an extra milkbone. He never did it again, so I assume it was just him expressing his displeasure as a young ball python at being handled. Just keep an eye on her.

[Dano94]

My python makes that noise as well. He doesn't hiss, he does it when he strikes at his food.

You know in boxing/kickboxing etc, when someone punches/kicks they breath out hard and fast to get the most energy out of the movement. I think it might be similar to that.

[Jimtheyid]

My pastel clown does it twice or three times a week,little puff noise,like short exhale in discust
It's fairly common apparently

[Craiga 01453]

Without hearing the noise it's hard to say.

But, there are a few things I'd like to mention:

1) you should be holding off on handling a new snake. I highly suggest waiting until the snake has eaten three consecutive meals without refusal before handling. This allows the animal to acclimate to new surroundings. Handling a new snake = stressed snake. Stressed snake = refusing food. If cared for properly whisper will live 25+ years so there's plenty of time for handling later. Letting the snake acclimate and get on a healthy eating schedule should be your top priority.

2) snakes and other pets don't mix!!! Having the cat that close to the snake is asking for trouble.


So, in conclusion, too much handling, plus other animals nearby likely stressed and scared the snake and the snake hissed.

[royalreilly]

Lol sounds like a hiss to me. Ball python hisses aren't super loud or threatening most of the time. They kind of just sound like a big breath. I'm sure some ball pythons hiss when they're angry, but mine just does it when he's scared. My BP makes that sound and kind of jumps back just a little bit sometimes when I lift his hide off of him. Once he realizes what's going on he calms right down though. He's never tried to bite me when he does it, though. For a long time I was worried that it might have been a problem or signs of an RI, but it wasn't a noise he made often/constant and he didn't show other signs of any problems. With googling and places like this forum I discovered it was only my snake's meager attempt at a scary hiss.

Seeing a predator like a cat could definitely make a BP hiss! I don't know how well snakes can identify different animals, but sensing a bigger animal of any kind could scare a snake. Cats also have tell-tale signs of being a predator, such as their front-facing slitted eyes.

I wouldn't worry about it being an RI are anything like that unless the noise is more constant or you see other warning signs. There are ways to check for an RI, and I'm sure there are many posts about it on this forum, but I don't really have the know-how on that.