Huffing and puffing?

Do snakes huff and puff? Not hiss, but puff? Like, ... angry sigh?

Last night my husband had Yzma around his neck but kept one hand gripped around her middle because sometimes she squeezes. She kept her mouth closed, so wasn't hissing, but boy, was she doing a lot of pissed off puffing!! Loud puffs in is ear! I came over and heard them. Once he moved his hand away and she settled in nice and warm, she stopped.

I had originally feared an RI because there was so much puffing, but, do they huff a lot if upset?

Her cold side ranges 78 to 81 and hot side 88 to 91 and humidity between 50 and 70 percent (no condensation in tank so she's getting air flow even with the top taped off except where her lamps sit.) Occasionally we may catch the cold side at 76 so we turn up her lamp, but its rare. And the humidity is usually closer to high 50s low 60s but does spike and drop. We only hold her maybe twice a week for 15 to 30 mins, but the rest of the house is cool - snake room is toasty. She perks up when we bring her back into her warm room after holding her.

Should I worry about an RI or was she just cranky?

Yep, they do. Our particular BPs don't typically, but my Jungle Carpet Python makes assorted noises when he's out and about, and blood pythons are well-known for hugging and puffing.


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Yup. My black pewter is a big huffy, puffy, angry little thing, she'll hiss and strike sometimes too but it's mostly huff, puff and bluff to try to get me to leave her alone.

Lol!! Thanks, I feel better now. :)

What's the difference between the huffing/puffing I always see and hissing, actually? I thought it was all "hissing", but just half-hearted hissing LOL.

My Boas and Carpets huff and puff while climbing on me. With my hearing loss I can only hear it if my head is close to theirs.

Red, the huff and puff sounds like heavy labored breathing. There is definitely no higher pitched "ssssssss" to it.

To me, it sounds like a big forcible expel of air, agitated 'phhhhh' instead of slightly mouth open higher pitched hsssss
I'll see if I can get a video, she ate Wednesday so maybe this weekend if I remember.

Oh I see! I guess I've never actually had a snake hiss at me before then LOL. I see huffing pretty often, and just assumed it's this hissing thing :oops:

Huffing and puffing are usually quick and done with the mouth closed. With hissing the mouth is open, and it's a longer noise because they will take a deep breath first.

Larger constrictors will sometimes make audible "breathing" sounds when they are out and about. It's normal since they are compressing their lung when they climb over stuff and it squeezes the air out. What you want to worry about is if they are inside their cage and just sitting curled up and you hear wheezing, then you need to look for other signs like mucous or crusty stuff around their mouth or nostrils. Sitting with their head up for very long periods(not to be confused with looking at something) and open mouth/labored breathing. Those are signs of RI. Also you can check but gently pressing on the bottom of the snakes jaw between its 2 lower jaw bones and if you see liquid ooze out of the mouth, you know.

As for the huffing on your snake, she might have been upset by being grabbed around the middle and squeezed. That would almost feel like a predator. Sounds like your temps and humidity are good so I wouldn't worry unless you notice some of the stuff I listed above. All of bigger heavier bodied girls will make noises like a hose leaking air here and there when they are out and cruising around on me or stuff. The smaller ones like BP and my JCP don't make any noise, well except the JCP will just bite you flat out lol. And the dumerils and retic are still babies so they aren't big enough yet to have their body weight really affect their breathing when out and active.