Snake making weird noises and throat inflation?

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Originally Posted by DAL

RI as in respiratory infection?

I just got back from taking him to the dealer's. They looked him over and the best they can come up with is it might be because he hasn't defecated in a while and then gave me contact information for a vet nearby that treats reptiles. Considering I just cleaned his enclosure last night and didn't find ANY excrement of any kind, it could potentially be that and I hope that's all it is over something a lot more serious. By the sounds of it and the puffiness of his lower section, especially when you stroke it, it feels and sounds like there's air trapped in there?

At any rate they told me to give him a warm soak, which I have. I'll be periodically giving him warm soaks through-out the day and then if there's no change by tomorrow, I'm making an appointment with the vet, although I don't believe they have anything open until Monday, but hopefully this won't be a worst case scenario.

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Yes, really hoping it isn't RI. But to be safe I would make an appointment soon. And yes, we mean Respiratory infection.

Hard to say without seeing or hearing it, but if it's getting ready to shed, it could just be that the nostrils are plugged up. I've seen this numerous times in my collection. They normally don't breathe through their mouth, so when their nostrils become blocked they still try to force the air out. Also, when mine are going to shed, they usually hold their waste until they actually shed, which could be why the belly feels swollen. If this is the case, it will clear up when it sheds, just make sure it's humid enough. If you look on the shed skin you'll be able to see the skin that goes inside of the nostrils, sometimes these break off if it's been too dry. Again, it should clear up when it sheds.

If it is an RI, and there's no mucus, then at least it sounds like you caught it early. If you catch it early, a lot of times all you need to do is raise the temps a little, make sure it's humid enough (but keep the substrate dry and clean), and don't stress the animal (no handling, breeding, etc.). Keep an eye on it, and if you start to see mucus, then you might need to see a vet. Until then, make sure to keep the temps and humidity where they're supposed to be. Let us know what happens.

The dealer actually did notice there seems to be skin stuck on his nose, so that could be it as well. As well as his belly has been a little bit pink for a few days now. As for the humidity, it's is currently off the charts (my humidity gauge is at 100%, so I wager it's probably higher) since I just cleaned his enclosure and his substate is forest floor which comes moist to begin with, so hopefully that helps some (although the humidity will go back down to more optimum percentages soon - there's just nothing I can do to change it after just adding fresh bedding)

Thanks to all of you! I'll be sure to keep you updated.

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Originally Posted by DAL

The dealer actually did notice there seems to be skin stuck on his nose, so that could be it as well. As well as his belly has been a little bit pink for a few days now. As for the humidity, it's is currently off the charts (my humidity gauge is at 100%, so I wager it's probably higher) since I just cleaned his enclosure and his substate is forest floor which comes moist to begin with, so hopefully that helps some (although the humidity will go back down to more optimum percentages soon - there's just nothing I can do to change it after just adding fresh bedding)

Thanks to all of you! I'll be sure to keep you updated.

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Is the substrate moist as well? Correct me if I'm wrong, but over 100% RH is not really possible. I think at that point water just condenses out of the air.

I've heard reddish belly be an indicator of scale rot but I am a noob and this sounds a bit different.

Oh yeah, that would probably make sense, but there's no where for the humidity to go for the most part. It's a PVC enclosure with air vents in the back and that's about it. It's pretty sealed, so mostly it just condenses on the walls. But yeah, not one of my smarter moments. I was thinking of temperature scales, not humidity ones.

I believe it is, yes, but his belly is just slightly pink and pink bellies are a sign of a nearing shed.

Check his heat pad and make sure its not a burn.

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Originally Posted by DAL

I first noticed he was doing this a few days ago and took him to go see the reptile people who sold him to me, but he wouldn't make the noises there so the best they figured is he just had some mucus he was clearing out, but I have him out right now and he's been doing it since I got him out. It's really making me worry here.

The sounds are kind of hard to describe, but they're almost like a cross between clicking, pops, and puffs of air expulsion (honestly kind of like farts). He'll open his mouth sometimes when he makes them and I've noticed his throat expands and looks like a toad's does.

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How big is he? Some larger snakes huff and puff a bit as they move around. My adult male BRB does, and I worried for months that he had an RI but he's never shown any other signs other than heavy breathing after exerting himself for a bit.