Hiccups?

I fed my girl a few days ago, took her out tonight and she almost felt like she had "hiccups" which I know, she doesn't, but I don't know how else to describe it. She was laying under her hide when I pulled her out. Her home is at the temp it's normally at. She has yawned 3 times since I've had her out. I haven't seen any signs of respiratory infection. Should I be worried?

I can't recall which one it was, but I can remember seeing one of my snakes appearing to have hiccups for a little while, & nothing came of it, so I'd
say just wait & see for a while. I don't think snake's have a diaphragm (of which hiccups are an involuntary spasm) and they cannot cough either,
but I suppose something else could mimic that? (they can, for example, pass gas) I don't think it's a sign of an RI. It's unusual for a snake to yawn
while out of their cage too...maybe she needs "burped"? :rofl: (good question! I hope someone else will chime in too?) How long have you observed
these "hiccups", by the way???

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I can't recall which one it was, but I can remember seeing one of my snakes appearing to have hiccups for a little while, & nothing came of it, so I'd
say just wait & see for a while. I don't think snake's have a diaphragm (of which hiccups are an involuntary spasm) and they cannot cough either,
but I suppose something else could mimic that? (they can, for example, pass gas) I don't think it's a sign of an RI. It's unusual for a snake to yawn
while out of their cage too...maybe she needs "burped"? :rofl: (good question! I hope someone else will chime in too?) How long have you observed
these "hiccups", by the way???

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Just noticed them tonight, and it lasted a few minutes, otherwise she just seemed "comfortable" with me holding her! Didn't ever get energetic, like usual, but maybe she's still full from eating?

Holding her might have caused some pressure if she ate recently...& snakes that are about to regurgitate their meal may open their mouth, maybe
that's what you took as a yawn?

Some snakes will sorta twitch when you touch them sometimes...so when you pulled her out from under her hide, maybe that's what she was doing?

Anyway, I don't think you need to worry about it. (next time get video, lol)

I have 2 BP's and they often look like they are "yawning" but have never regurgitated their food. Neither have signs of RI, is that not normal?

Personally, I've had my own BP yawn a couple of times while in my hand, and I dont see much of a reason for it to be a concern. If anything, it usually scares me because I always think he's about to strike, but he hasn't nipped me yet. As for the hiccuping, I dont think it should be a problem, but just monitor him in case.

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Originally Posted by Slicercrush

Personally, I've had my own BP yawn a couple of times while in my hand, and I dont see much of a reason for it to be a concern. If anything, it usually scares me because I always think he's about to strike, but he hasn't nipped me yet. As for the hiccuping, I dont think it should be a problem, but just monitor him in case.

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It scared me the 1st time, now I'm used to it! I think it's cute! Lol. Sure did scare my mom once though!
Thank you everyone, I'll just monitor her, see if there are any changes!

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Originally Posted by Dreamer02

I have 2 BP's and they often look like they are "yawning" but have never regurgitated their food. Neither have signs of RI, is that not normal?

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I was wondering the same thing. I have a ~2 1/2 yr old female that I only just adopted last month, so she's very new to me. Also my first snake ever. I've seen her "appear" to yawn 2 or 3 times since I got her. I thought it was adorable, and it never occurred to me that it might not be a normal behaviour. She seems perfectly fine otherwise, so if it's not a yawn I'm seeing, if it's just her opening her mouth wide for a second or 2, and otherwise no issues, I'm not going to worry about it. Unless somebody here tells me there is something very wrong with that. :confusd:

Maybe you misunderstood what I said: yawning is perfectly normal in snakes...but they tend to do it while in their cages, as that's where they feel safe.
Snakes rely on instincts to stay alive, and a wild snake that's sitting around yawning is distracted & at a survival disadvantage. I've held an awful lot of
snakes for an awful lot of years, & I don't ever recall one yawning while I held them...only while they're relaxed, like in their cages.

Not seeing what you saw though, so I cannot be positive. Snakes yawn much the same way we do...in fact, it's hilarious watching a rattlesnake yawn,
because in the process, they often stretch the fang on one side, then the fang on the other side. I think you'll "know" a yawn when you see one, whereas
a snake that's about to barf up a meal may just open their mouth, or just hold it part way open for a few seconds before they proceed or stall out.

Oh, gotcha, I have had snakes before as well and have never seen them yawn, until these 2 cane along! It would be cool to see a rattler yawn, but you are braver than I and never want to be that close! Thank you for all your information, makes me feel better.