HELP! BP wheezing occasionally while shedding...

[lorcasaur]

Is wheezing/squeaking always a sign of a respiratory infection? My snake Zeus has been making strange sounds occasionally, but he's trying to rub the dead skin off his head, so I'm hoping the sounds might be normal. I'm going to try to find a vet in my area who can see him, but in the meantime I need to know what to do. It's warm in his cage ... a bit humid outside lately, which may be affecting him, but I don't know what to do about that (can't afford to buy a dehumidifier at the moment).

He's never let me touch his head ... I've read that there's a way to drain mucus, but he freaks every time I get near his neck. There are no bubbles coming out of his nostrils, but there's some dead skin there that I can't help him get rid of. Please help if you can ... the sounds are really scaring me.

[rex322]

i think it might just be the skin causing the whistling. others will no more. have you tryed soaking him?

[Jeanne]

If he has skin built up around his nose from past sheds, it needs to come off, soak him in warm water and try to get it off, sometimes as snake owners we have to do things that they dont like, much like wiping the eye boogers from your puppies eyes- who really does not enjoy it. The skin build up could be whats making you think he is wheezing. If that dont work, or you really feel uncomfortable about dealing with this, I suggest getting him to a vet ASAP. He may very well have an RI starting, keep him warm. As far as humidity, if your cage temps are where they are suppose to be, your humidity should not be too terribly high.. at least not high enough to cause problems.. hope this helps.

[Marla]

As the others said, loose skin around the nostrils can create a whistling sound and sound like wheezing from an RI. If you'll soak him in tepid water (NOT warm to your touch, but not cold either) for half an hour or so, then let him crawl through a damp towel repeatedly, you may be able to get the skin off without bothering him too much. If he's still making the sound when the skin is gone, it's time for a trip to the vet (see www.arav.org if you don't already have one).

[JLC]

It's warm in his cage ... a bit humid outside lately, which may be affecting him, but I don't know what to do about that (can't afford to buy a dehumidifier at the moment).

What IS the humidity in his cage? It sounds like you're trying to keep things dry, but bp's prefer some humidity. Enough so that you need to monitor it on a daily basis with a hygrometer. For daily living, they can do fine in 50% humidity, but for shedding that needs to be bumped up to around 70% for a week or so. Lack of humidity could be why he's having such a hard time with his sheds.

If you don't have a hygrometer, you should get one. If you have one, check what kind it is. The analog dials that you buy at the petstore are almost always wrong. You need a nice digital one...which can be found at Walmart for less than $15.

Good luck with him! It sounds like you really care about him and I'm sure you'll get him all fixed up.

[lorcasaur]

I'm going to soak him in tepid water, let him crawl through a damp towel, and buy him a hygrometer.

This board is a lifesaver ... thanks again!

[Marla]

Let us know how it goes. By the way, AcuRite has an indoor/outdoor digital thermometer-hygrometer combo that you can get at WalMart for $15 or so that will handle keeping an eye on your temps on both sides of the enclosure and your humidity all at the same time on one display very nicely. Just be sure (if you get one) to throw away the little prop stand it comes with, because the snakes can get caught in it.

[elevatethis]

Amber wheezes EVERY single time she is close to shedding. I'd bet that really all it is. They tend to rub their heads against things a lot while they are in shed, so I would think the skin on their nose is the first to start to go. My bp rubs her head on things during shed so much that she'll dent one of her eyecaps in the day or so leading up to the shed.

Also, if you want to look into a product that will end soaking sessions or assisted sheds, check out the DIY humidifier OR better yet, spend 30 bucks and get a product called a Tropical Air Exchange from ReptileDirect.com. I used it the last time Amber went into shed, and I got a perfect, one piece shed. That had never happened before I used the humidifier.

[lorcasaur]

Zeus had a lovely bath, and then spent a lot of time crawling around in a wet towel last night -- and I've been misting his tank periodically. He still hasn't shed completely, but his face is doing much better and he's no longer making sounds.

I'll definitely have some sort of humidity control for him by next time. We both thank you for all your advice!

[Marla]

Glad to hear it! An RI is a scary thing -- my household lost a bp to one a couple of months ago, despite veterinary care, so I'm glad that's not what caused the sound.