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  1. #1
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    Kenyan sand boa possible RI?

    I have a 15-month old Kenyan sand boa who has seemed to be perfectly healthy despite me never taking him to vet checkups for financial reasons. However, I was handling him yesterday and I noticed a subtle clicking coming from his snout. I know that this can be a sign of respiratory infection, however he is not showing other signs such as mucus, open mouth breathing, etc. He has been needing coaxing to get him to eat, but I had attributed that to the fact that he lost weight while in shed for a long period of time and now the hopper mice were too big for him. I plan to go back down to fuzzies, but I want to figure out if he is ok now that I’m noticing possible symptoms of RI. I inspected him a few hours later and the clicking had decreased in frequency to an almost unnoticeable point, so it could be that he just had substrate stuck in his throat? As he is a KSB he spends most of his time burrowing so he could have ingested some aspen although that’s never happened before in the time I’ve had him. Do I have reason to be concerned or am I just being an overprotective snake parent?

  2. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Snakes are very difficult to evaluate health-wise, & I do not take any of my snakes to a routine vet check, nor do I suggest that you do, UNLESS you see symptoms
    of a problem. We have no way to tell you for sure that what you're hearing is or is not the beginning of an RI...it's entirely possible that there is old shed or debris
    in his nostril(s), but pay close attention since you also said his appetite isn't what it should be. It's a good time to double check your husbandry (right temperatures
    and all that?) & if the problems (clicking sounds & loss of appetite) continue or worsen, you'd be an UNDER-protective "snarent" if you weren't concerned & ready to
    take him to the vet as needed.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  4. #3
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    Re: Kenyan sand boa possible RI?

    Thanks for your feedback, Bogertophis. Temp is the same as it’s always been- ambient 70-75 F on cool side and ambient 95 F on hot side with a hot spot reaching about 100. He spends almost all his time on the hot side so I doubt that it’s too hot even though some folks say to keep it below 95 F. Humidity is 30 on hot side, 45 on cool side. Could be lower, but there’s not much I can do since I already have a full mesh top, aspen bedding, and his water bowl on the cool side (all things recommended to lower humidity). I could try getting a dehumidifier in the overall room, but the humidity really doesn’t seem like much of a problem considering he spends all his time in the part of the cage where it’s 30. Still, I will continue rechecking husbandry to make sure nothings out of place. I plan to feed him a fuzzy rather than a hopper when he’s ready to feed in a few days, so I’ll see how he responds to that. My guess is that he had debris in his snout or throat- seems to be the only plausible answer. Still, anyone’s feedback is appreciated.

  5. #4
    BPnet Senior Member CALM Pythons's Avatar
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    Re: Kenyan sand boa possible RI?

    I agree with Bogertphis.
    I in fact have a female that has always made a click, I ended up realizing over the last 4 years its when her tongue comes out in a certain manner (slow long flicks).
    My other female makes a sneeze or Blow off sound. This happens at least once every other time I have her out for a 20 min handling session, or when she goes under water and swims. She them blows out to clear her nostrils. Both of these girls are a few years old (3 & 4). Healthy as horses, and go off food for several months each year. (4-6) Both a great size.
    Keep watch but dont look to far into it. If mucous appears, or other symptoms them its time for a vet...
    also I wouldn’t worry about that small of prey, if she is hungry, she will take something that size, a little weight loss isn’t something that would make her downsize. best of luck


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    Re: Kenyan sand boa possible RI?

    Thank you to those who have responded, here is an update on my little guy. I have not noticed him making the clicking noise for 4 or more days. I have double and triple checked my husbandry and everything seems to be okay as I detailed in my last reply. I also cleaned his entire cage, giving him completely new substrate. He just ate a fuzzy so I guess my intuition was right about needing the smaller size mouse. From what I could see of his mouth while feeding, the inside was pink as normal and free of any mucus of irritation. As far as I could tell his mouth looked the same as it has always looked. So I am going to hesitantly say that he is okay, thank goodness, and that I won’t be taking him to the vet any time soon. If anyone has more feedback that would be appreciated, but I am going to try to stop worrying as nothing seems out of place anymore.

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