Hog Island Boa Mouth Open

I was cleaning my office at 12:30 am and I noticed that my adult Hog female (adult) is sitting on top of her hide with her mouth open. I opened up the cage to check temps and it is roughly around 86 degrees. I don't hear too good but I could hear her hissing. Is this normal?

I'm a little concerned (especially with the fact I'm leaving for two weeks in about 12 hours from now - my girlfriend will keep an eye on my Hog)... but I know that boas/pythons does strange things. I would appreciate your opinion.

Thanks.

Do you see any mucus in there or see if your wife can hear any popping or rattling in there. I am NOT saying it IS an RI, but its possible and if so, it should be taken care of immediately!!!

My girlfriend and I are deaf but I wear hearing aid every once in a while. Last night was one of those times and I could hear the long hiss. I looked into the Hog's mouth and I see pink/purple colors... no mucus or bubbles.

was he hissing before you actually went to check up on him? Or did he start to hiss once you showed up? Could be that he felt threatened by your presence and was using it as a defense display.

My cay caulker bci hisses at me everyday with his mouth open ready to strike(and does strike when he gets the chance) from regular maintenance(misting, changing water, spot cleaning...etc). He'll even open up and start hissing from opening and closing the door to his enclosure.

I caught her doing this without her seeing me. The guys at redtailboa said that it is a normal thing for them to do... hmm.

It's not normal. Did the boa recently shed? If so, could be a piece of skin in a nostril that wasn't shed.

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Originally Posted by digizure

I was cleaning my office at 12:30 am and I noticed that my adult Hog female (adult) is sitting on top of her hide with her mouth open. I opened up the cage to check temps and it is roughly around 86 degrees. I don't hear too good but I could hear her hissing. Is this normal?

I'm a little concerned (especially with the fact I'm leaving for two weeks in about 12 hours from now - my girlfriend will keep an eye on my Hog)... but I know that boas/pythons does strange things. I would appreciate your opinion.

Thanks.

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Is the ambient temps 86 degrees or is that a hot spot? How long has she been in the enclosure she's in?

The hot spot is around 88 and the cool area is around 82.

She's doing it again. Keep in mind that she was hissing when I wasn't in the room. Thought I'd take this video and share. I don't see any fluids in her mouth so it shouldn't be respiratory right?

http://youtu.be/zyu8fPaumqo

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Originally Posted by digizure

The hot spot is around 88 and the cool area is around 82.

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You need to cool your temps down. The hotspot is fine, but if the ambient/cool side is 82, that is way too warm. Ambient temps for a boa should be around 76-78 and no warmer than 80. 2 degrees is a big difference to a snake. Get rid of that analog dial - they don't read temps properly. Use a digital thermometer and/or a temp gun.

That behavior is NOT normal. To my way of thinking, that appears to be neurological in nature. It very well could be a result of being unable to properly thermoregulate - he can't cool down enough when off the hotspot - and not necessarily an illness. I do not see signs of an RI, but I wouldn't rule that out.

Cool the ambient temps down and if the behavior doesn't stop within a day or two, I'd be taking him to the vet....

^ x2 that doesn't look normal to me either. I'd be taking to a vet right away and QTing her far away from any others you may have.

I have a heat gun and the dial you saw was for humidity. I just wanted to check humidity and it shows 55%. She stopped hissing. When she did the same thing last month, she only did that for maybe an hour and she was fine the next day.

Right now, she seems fine. I'm not sure if I should take her to the vet or not...

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

^ x2 that doesn't look normal to me either. I'd be taking to a vet right away and QTing her far away from any others you may have.

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Oh yes, I forgot to mention that - absolutely quarantine immediately!!

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Originally Posted by digizure

I have a heat gun and the dial you saw was for humidity. I just wanted to check humidity and it shows 55%. She stopped hissing. When she did the same thing last month, she only did that for maybe an hour and she was fine the next day.

Right now, she seems fine. I'm not sure if I should take her to the vet or not...

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Frankly, the fact that she's done that at least once before in the past is even more worrisome and all that more indicative of a neurological issue. Yes, you need to take her to the vet. :(