Wheezing? Is he okay?!

Hi! So, I was holding Geno, my ball python, a little bit ago and it sounded like he was wheezing.. Is he okay, is this normal?! I just got him 1-2 weeks ago and he was perfectly healthy. He just did it like once or maybe twice. I'm just hoping he's okay!! Please answer I'm scared :worry: Thanks :)

(Here's a picture of the cutest ball python in the world, aka Geno:D)

[IMG]Geno .png[/IMG]

Hi! So, I was holding Geno, my ball python, a little bit ago and it sounded like he was wheezing.. Is he okay, is this normal?! I just got him 1-2 weeks ago and he was perfectly healthy. He just did it like once or maybe twice. I'm just hoping he's okay!! Please answer I'm scared :worry: Thanks :)

(Here's a picture of the cutest ball python in the world, aka Geno:D)

[img]Geno.png[/img]

Was he in water before wheezing? Is he holding his head up and not down? Can you see any bubbles? If you open his mouth can you see any excess liquid or bubbles?

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Oh.. I don't know if he was in water:( But no I don't think he was holding his head up, I can't see any bubbles. Open his mouth..?:confusd:

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Originally Posted by GpBp

Oh.. I don't know if he was in water:( But no I don't think he was holding his head up, I can't see any bubbles. Open his mouth..?:confusd:

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yes. hold the snake right behind the head, apply a SMALL amount of pressure and use something small (like a mechanical pencil) to slip across the bottom jaw and pull the jaw down. if something is truly wrong you need to take a look and see what you're dealing with.

Alright. If I did that right, It didn't look like there is any excess liquid/bubbles. Hope I didn't hurt him just now :depressed. Never done that before, It just kinda dragged down his lower lip if that makes sense. I don't think there was any excess liquid or bubbles though. Could the lead from the mechanical pencil hurt him..?! :weirdfaceI just used one... It was kinda in his mouth.. :worry:

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Originally Posted by GpBp

Alright. If I did that right, It didn't look like there is any excess liquid/bubbles. Hope I didn't hurt him just now :depressed. Never done that before, It just kinda dragged down his lower lip if that makes sense. I don't think there was any excess liquid or bubbles though. Could the lead from the mechanical pencil hurt him..?! :weirdfaceI just used one... It was kinda in his mouth.. :worry:

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If u are worried about the "lead" in the pencil u didn't do it right. Use a clean credit card next time. BTW pencil "leads" are now made out of graphite.

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Originally Posted by GpBp

Alright. If I did that right, It didn't look like there is any excess liquid/bubbles. Hope I didn't hurt him just now :depressed. Never done that before, It just kinda dragged down his lower lip if that makes sense. I don't think there was any excess liquid or bubbles though. Could the lead from the mechanical pencil hurt him..?! :weirdfaceI just used one... It was kinda in his mouth.. :worry:

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if you were gentle he was not hurt.
i'm going to say no, graphite will not hurt, unless the snake was stabbed with it...though, why did you have the lead out of the pencil to do this? and why didn't you use the eraser end??

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Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan

Use a clean credit card next time. BTW pencil "leads" are now made out of graphite.

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i can't believe i never thought of this... :stupidme:

Oh okay sorry D: Is he gonna be okay from that..? I'm sorry, I'm new to this whole thing.

Oh, I didn't think of that. I thought it would've been to large... I thought I needed a small tip to do it :(

Is there anything else to look for..?

I have heard my BP making a wheezing like noise, though she's perfectly fine, no bubbles, no mucus, no sticking her head under water. He could be fine, though I was watch for musus, and any drooling or anything.


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:) Thank you. Thanks so much for your answers!! I'll definitely keep an eye on him :)!



But he is gonna be okay from the pencil, right..? :L

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

i can't believe i never thought of this... :stupidme:

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Other useful everyday stuff...

Vinegar: gets the smell out

Toilet Paper: for cleaning

Plastic spoon: Opening mouth, scraping urate (not the same spoon, lol)

Plastic chop stick: for when u just have to move a baby in a cut egg

Dental floss: tying off umbilicus

yogurt containers: water bowls and hides for small babies, add plastic wrap and a paper towel and you can make an artificial egg for babies that come out too soon.

Milk jugs: hides for juveniles

Every imaginable type of forceps

Nail scissors: to cut eggs

Scalpel: for when u have do the least desirable thing in snake breeding.

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Originally Posted by GpBp

:) Thank you. Thanks so much for your answers!! I'll definitely keep an eye on him :)!



But he is gonna be okay from the pencil, right..? :L

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Yes as long as you didn't make him bleed. The graphite wont hurt it.

Phew okay thank you :) He didn't bleed:)

Need to know exactly what's happening. Is it a wheezing sound, or a whistling sound? Can you "feel" (for lack of a better word) him wheezing? You said it only happened once or twice while handling. He could have been breathing heavily due to stress and may have whistled. I have a girl that whistled during handling from the time she was 100g to almost 400g, and nothing was wrong with her. Now that she is a bit larger, whatever shape in her nose/throat that was causing the whistle no longer does. If you don't see your snake breathing with its mouth open, or any mucus/bubbles around the nose and eyes, and if the whistle/wheeze is only happening during stressful moments like handling/feeding, it's probably nothing to be concerned with.

What are your temperatures looking like? Hot and cold side. What is your humidity at? What are you measuring those details with? How long have you had the snake? More details on husbandry and what exactly is going on with the snake will help us get a better picture.

That being said, none of us can diagnose your snake from a couple of sentences on a forum post, so if you think there may be something wrong, it would be best to get your animal to a vet.

Can you tell us about your husbandry?

How old is he? and what does he weigh?
What type/size enclosure is he in?
How are you heating the enclosure?
What are your temps? How and where are you measuring temps?
What is the humidity?
What substrate is he on?
Did he shed recently?

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Originally Posted by audioclass

Need to know exactly what's happening. Is it a wheezing sound, or a whistling sound? Can you "feel" (for lack of a better word) him wheezing? You said it only happened once or twice while handling. He could have been breathing heavily due to stress and may have whistled. I have a girl that whistled during handling from the time she was 100g to almost 400g, and nothing was wrong with her. Now that she is a bit larger, whatever shape in her nose/throat that was causing the whistle no longer does. If you don't see your snake breathing with its mouth open, or any mucus/bubbles around the nose and eyes, and if the whistle/wheeze is only happening during stressful moments like handling/feeding, it's probably nothing to be concerned with.

What are your temperatures looking like? Hot and cold side. What is your humidity at? What are you measuring those details with? How long have you had the snake? More details on husbandry and what exactly is going on with the snake will help us get a better picture.

That being said, none of us can diagnose your snake from a couple of sentences on a forum post, so if you think there may be something wrong, it would be best to get your animal to a vet.

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Ok, sorry I haven't replied!! So, It's kind of hard to describe the noise... It's kind of like someone breathing with a snuffy nose..? I can't feel it, no. His mouth was closed when he did (well, I should say does it, he still does it from time to time..) it I think, No bubbles around the nose or eyes, And it is happening during handling.. so that's good..? My temps, I'll check tomorrow I'm away right now, but last time I checked they were good. I use the Zoo Med THERMOMETER HUMIDITY GAUGE. I've had him for... 2 1/2 weeks I believe. Sorry, I defiantly should've included more information.. :( And.. I know this is bad and stuff.. But I don't really have enough to just go to the vet every time I get worried.. like just to check in it's like $50 :L I can really just go in if I know It's something very serious..
Thank you!

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

Can you tell us about your husbandry?

How old is he? and what does he weigh?
What type/size enclosure is he in?
How are you heating the enclosure?
What are your temps? How and where are you measuring temps?
What is the humidity?
What substrate is he on?
Did he shed recently?

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He's 1 yr
Weigh..:confusd:
He's in a 20 gal front opening
Temps are good, I can't check rn because I'm away, but last time I checked they were good
With a Zoo Med Thermometer and Humidity Gauge, I just move the thing aroung he cage where I need to measure it
Eco Earth
He shed right before I got him (2 1/2 weeks ago)




So so sorry it took so long to reply!! Thank you!

To let you know, Q-Tips work wonders. I use them when i have to clean substrate out of mouths or prop a mouth open. Use the cotton ends to wipe anything off the lips and use the stick part in the middle to hold open the snakes mouth.

As to your question, might be, might not be. Need more info like hot side temp, cool side temp, humidity, etc. My advice going into this blind is bump the hot side temp to 90F and cool side to 82F and humidity up to 70% for a week and see if it goes away.

I personally keep my BP at 78-84F overall ambient cage temp depending on room temp and time of year and 88F hot spot with flexwatt and humidity at 70% or so. Must be working as she figured out to slide open her cage door and venture around the house so i had to actually use a cage lock for her lol.

And if you are using the dial type gauges, ditch them. They are 99% of the time wrong. Buy a digital unit from Acurite which arent 100% accurate either but for $10, they are close enough and off by maybe 10% humidity and 3-5F.

And honestly, if you are really worried about, take him to the vet. None of us can diagnose your snake over the internet.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

To let you know, Q-Tips work wonders. I use them when i have to clean substrate out of mouths or prop a mouth open. Use the cotton ends to wipe anything off the lips and use the stick part in the middle to hold open the snakes mouth.

As to your question, might be, might not be. Need more info like hot side temp, cool side temp, humidity, etc. My advice going into this blind is bump the hot side temp to 90F and cool side to 82F and humidity up to 70% for a week and see if it goes away.

I personally keep my BP at 78-84F overall ambient cage temp depending on room temp and time of year and 88F hot spot with flexwatt and humidity at 70% or so. Must be working as she figured out to slide open her cage door and venture around the house so i had to actually use a cage lock for her lol.

And if you are using the dial type gauges, ditch them. They are 99% of the time wrong. Buy a digital unit from Acurite which arent 100% accurate either but for $10, they are close enough and off by maybe 10% humidity and 3-5F.

And honestly, if you are really worried about, take him to the vet. None of us can diagnose your snake over the internet.

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Thank you, Q-Tips are a great idea! I'll try to get the digital one. And I'm sorry, I will try to get him to the vet.. I'm sorry I know.

You say you got him 1-2 weeks ago. I know I'm know expert but maybe you're handling him to much and he needs to get used to his new surroundings? He might just be stressed out.

Yeah, I completely agree. I am going to leave him alone for a week because he seemed a bit stressed, but after that I want to try and reduce the number of times I handle him :)