# Ball Pythons > BP Husbandry >  ball python has a slight whistle.

## devinrw

she only does it when I am holding her. I think it may be from stress. she still eats every week and I have not seen any secretions from her nose or mouth. At first I thought she may be going into shed but she has not shed yet and i have been hearing this for 2 weeks. Im thinking this is stuck shed from a previous shed but cant see into her nostrils..  what is your oppinion?

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_alkibp_ (07-05-2012)

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## Skiploder

> she only does it when I am holding her. I think it may be from stress. she still eats every week and I have not seen any secretions from her nose or mouth. At first I thought she may be going into shed but she has not shed yet and i have been hearing this for 2 weeks. Im thinking this is stuck shed from a previous shed but cant see into her nostrils..  what is your oppinion?


It's normal.  

Snakes often make noises - especially when they are being held or messed with - that emanate from the glottis and the nares. These are usually the expulsion of breath due to stress.

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KingNoFace (04-26-2017),_rebelrachel13_ (07-04-2012),Toxic Tessa (06-30-2012),_T_Sauer_ (02-28-2016)

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## mackynz

I was actually to the vet recently for something much like this, x2 to Skiploder. Vet said it is most likely to happen when handling or feeding.

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## TXpythons

*Not saying that it is*, but breathing noises can also be signs of respiratory infections.

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## varnoid

my biggest normal bp does the same haha and my girlfriend loves him for that haha she even named him weasly

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## alkibp

Huh? Whistling from the glottis isn't a sign of RI?

My black pewter got 14 days of baytril from the vet for nothing? :Confused:

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## Skiploder

> Huh? Whistling from the glottis isn't a sign of RI?
> 
> My black pewter got 14 days of baytril from the vet for nothing?


When the sound is occasional, and produced in situations when the animal is stressed, and when there are no other signs of RI...yes.

Whistling from the glottis is normal and is a by-product of the shape of the glottis X the rush of air forced through it.

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_alkibp_ (07-05-2012),KingNoFace (04-26-2017),mackynz (07-05-2012)

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## alkibp

Wow I feel like I stressed him for nothing. :Sad: 

He still makes a whistling sound when being handled even after 14 days of baytril.

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## Snakeandrice

I  got a "wheezie" to a rescue bp that had lost the rostral and mental scales during a bad shed.

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## Bcycling

I know it's an old thread but I have one that started this two weeks ago.  Been keeping a close eye on her and she whistles a little when being handled but that's it.  No other signs of ri but I am worried.  She also had a bad shed her last one.  Trying to still get a little off of her.  First bad shed of the right snakes I have in 18 months.

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## fLako0aGuiiLaR

My female bp is always doing that 
but i learned that is normal

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_Bcycling_ (02-28-2016)

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## cristacake

> I know it's an old thread but I have one that started this two weeks ago.  Been keeping a close eye on her and she whistles a little when being handled but that's it.  No other signs of ri but I am worried.  She also had a bad shed her last one.  Trying to still get a little off of her.  First bad shed of the right snakes I have in 18 months.


The old skin is probably causing the whistling then. It makes their nostrils smaller so you can hear the air whistle through them


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_Bcycling_ (02-28-2016)

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## Skeletor

Mine does that if I put him in shallow tub of water to clean him up a little.   It's water getting in his nose area. It's not stress because he seems to loves the water but I do sometimes I hear that noise.

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_Bcycling_ (02-29-2016)

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## Jörmungandr'sMommy

Very old thread, I know, but my Jörmungandr had a bad shed a few months ago and his right nostril seems to be clogged. I've kept his tank at optimum humidity, tried warming his water a bit, too see if that helped, even sat with him in front of a space heater and tried humidity that way. His most recent shed was really good, but I'm still a very worried mommy. Any advice would be very appreciated, I don't live really close to a herpetologist certified vet, so if I can fix it at home, that would be great. Thank you very much.

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