BTS Gagging/Hacking!?

[NH93]

Hey everyone!

It has been so so long since I have been on here... it makes me sad. Life has been nuts the past couple of months, and I apologize for coming on here just to ask a question!

Over the past few weeks my blue tongued skink has been making weird hacking noises. To me it sounds as if she were about to throw up, but she never does. She coughs or gags a couple of times (sounds awful), then goes back to normal. It happens so randomly and quickly that I haven't been able to get it recorded on my phone. I hear it happen about once a day, sometimes more, sometimes less or not every day. I haven't noticed a pattern with her eating and "hacking" or coughing, so I'm not sure that's the reason.

My first thought was respiratory infection, but I'm also unsure.
She is in a 48"x24"x12" PVC vive with a heat lamp on a dimmer and timer (12 hour intervals). Her daytime cool side temp ranges in the mid 70's (about 74-80F), night time it is no cooler than 72F. Her day time warm spot at it's highest is 98-100F. She is on aspen bedding, humidity about 30% right now. She is a very active skink and cruises her vive a lot, makes tunnels, sleeps out in the open often (I attribute that to her being comfortable), and scratches at the glass to come out ALL THE TIME.

What are your thoughts??

THANK YOU!

[jclaiborne]

Do you every notice mucus comming out of the sides of her mouth? My first thought would be some sort of RI as well, the other thought is (and this would just be a guess) open her mouth and see if something like a piece of aspen is caught in the back of her mouth/throat. My buelys huff all the time, but that is completly different than hacking. Personally if nothing is caught in her throat I would take it to a vet just to be safe.

[NH93]

Do you every notice mucus comming out of the sides of her mouth? My first thought would be some sort of RI as well, the other thought is (and this would just be a guess) open her mouth and see if something like a piece of aspen is caught in the back of her mouth/throat. My buelys huff all the time, but that is completly different than hacking. Personally if nothing is caught in her throat I would take it to a vet just to be safe.

No mucous, and she rubs her nose against the glass all the time when she wants out and there's no smears. Whenever I see her yawn I have a good look in her mouth (as they are slow motion yawns most of the time, luckily!) and only once was there a string of saliva, but I haven't noticed anything in her throat. That might be it though, I hadn't though of that.

There's only one reptile vet in the area, and it is across town (no vehicle). I haven't heard any reviews, so I am more inclined to listen to experienced herpers right now than cause stress buy taking her, especially in the winter.

[Sir Hognose]

Do you have any friends or family to give you a ride? Public transit even?

[jclaiborne]

No mucous, and she rubs her nose against the glass all the time when she wants out and there's no smears. Whenever I see her yawn I have a good look in her mouth (as they are slow motion yawns most of the time, luckily!) and only once was there a string of saliva, but I haven't noticed anything in her throat. That might be it though, I hadn't though of that.

There's only one reptile vet in the area, and it is across town (no vehicle). I haven't heard any reviews, so I am more inclined to listen to experienced herpers right now than cause stress buy taking her, especially in the winter.

I would gently pry her mouth open, and shine a light in there and get a good look. It is actually pretty easy to do and even when my two aren't cooporating with me I am still able to do it. I don't have a northen so I don't know if this is true for them as well, but I know that it seems like if Indos get sick their health can deteriorate pretty quickly, which is why I suggested a vet. I know some people will push home remedies if it is something like RI, but I personally am not comfortable with giving out advice like that, so I am kind of at a loss at what else to do. One other thought if she is pushing with her nose on the glass a lot, maybe she inflamed something in her nasal passage and is having a hard time breathing. I know that can happen with snakes that push incredible hard on glass.

[NH93]

I would gently pry her mouth open, and shine a light in there and get a good look. It is actually pretty easy to do and even when my two aren't cooporating with me I am still able to do it. I don't have a northen so I don't know if this is true for them as well, but I know that it seems like if Indos get sick their health can deteriorate pretty quickly, which is why I suggested a vet. I know some people will push home remedies if it is something like RI, but I personally am not comfortable with giving out advice like that, so I am kind of at a loss at what else to do. One other thought if she is pushing with her nose on the glass a lot, maybe she inflamed something in her nasal passage and is having a hard time breathing. I know that can happen with snakes that push incredible hard on glass.

Huh. So, I tried that. I have no idea how you do it, but that was a very difficult and unsuccessful task. I tried with a Q-tip but she just bit it in half. Tried using my fingers to massage the side of her mouth but that just made her lick me. Then tried with slightly more effort but she never opened her mouth wide enough. It just stressed us both out. Luckily she didn't hold a grudge and let me pet her until her little eyes shut for a nap.

I'm at a bit of a loss. Since this has been going on for awhile, I am more nervous about the stress of taking her to a vet than whatever is going on with her and it doesn't appear to affect her in any other way...

I am probably biased as well though, because snake owners aren't normally ones to bring theirs to vets - inexperienced and often (I hear) incorrect vets... so I'm skeptical as to why it would be any different for BTS.

[jclaiborne]

Huh. So, I tried that. I have no idea how you do it, but that was a very difficult and unsuccessful task. I tried with a Q-tip but she just bit it in half. Tried using my fingers to massage the side of her mouth but that just made her lick me. Then tried with slightly more effort but she never opened her mouth wide enough. It just stressed us both out. Luckily she didn't hold a grudge and let me pet her until her little eyes shut for a nap.

I'm at a bit of a loss. Since this has been going on for awhile, I am more nervous about the stress of taking her to a vet than whatever is going on with her and it doesn't appear to affect her in any other way...

I am probably biased as well though, because snake owners aren't normally ones to bring theirs to vets - inexperienced and often (I hear) incorrect vets... so I'm skeptical as to why it would be any different for BTS.

One method that works for getting their mouth open is to get a soft spatula (becuase if she bites it it just bends:

Starting at the front of the mouth gently work it in and gently rotate it, which will begin to force her mouth open, its uncomfortable but won't hurt them, you have to remember their jaws are incredibly strong so they can and will fight you a bit. Another method I use (if you have a spare set of hands to help out its easier, but I can still do it on my own) is gently put your thumb and pointer finger on each side of the upper jaw right behind the nasal openings, do the same with your other hand on the lower jaw, apply just the slightest bit of pressure (just enough to be able to hold on if they pull away) and start to gently open their mouth, 90 percent of the time once you get it cracked they will open it all the way anyways. While it may be a bit stressful, generally a vet will be more forceful in order to see whats going on. I don't have any input as far as your vet is concerned, however I guess I am lucky, the reptile vet just a few miles from my house handles all the exotics from the SD Zoo and Safari park, and I have full confidence in him. One work of caution, I know everyone seems to for one reason or another make excuses not to go to the vet, but reptiles are excellent at hiding pain and discomfort, just because it has been going on a while doesn't mean it shouldn't be checked out. It may be nothing, but it may be an issue that would have an easy remedy. Blueys are pretty tough when it comes to stress, they generally don't go off feed or anything like that, transporting mine to the vet and back has never been an issue. For what its worth that is my 2 cents.

[Rickys_Reptiles]

Did you ever figure out what was wrong?