First off! (This post got longer than i thought it was going to originally be)

Thanks for the replies satomi325, and the ever so helpful slitherinsisters!

Quote Originally Posted by satomi325 View Post
Do you think he's in shed or just finished a shed?
Sometimes stuck shed around the nose area will cause wheezy noises.

Yup. Just bump up the temp to 95.
I'm not sure the last time the new addition (07 Spider Male) has shed, however this could be another reason the snake could be making these loud exhales.

Quote Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters View Post
Don't let the temps go over 90, you can easily cook a snake if you get carried away with the temp. Keep the entire tank/tub at 90 that way the snake can't move out of the heat. Don't plan on the higher temp alone curing the RI, it can, but only if it's the very early.
I know a lot of care sheets and other reptile owners within the community often keep their hot spots anywhere from 88-92 degrees. I personally try to maintain a constant temperature of about 90 degrees on my hot spot. Since i have obtained my first snake i have been using a thermostat that has yet to fail me (Knock on wood), and my temperatures are checked daily.

I often wonder though what temperature do most find is SO high that it may cause a burn to a snake. What degree Fahrenheit could cause damage or "Cook" a snake...

As i said in my previous post above if things progressively get worse then a visit to the vet or a phone call to the local breeders in my area will be made. NERD and other larger companies are in my area and i have a few friends that may pull some strings for me to help nurse this snake back to health. BUT this is just a worst case scenario deal.

I feel that i have caught this unusual behavior early so that monitoring and making sure his tub is 100% clean sanitary and has fresh water is a top priority.

Today i took him out to examine his trachea, to check for bubbling or swelling and everything looked amazing. His trachea was a nice pink and there was no presence of swelling, bubbling, or unsettling findings. Although his saliva did seem relatively thick. When i was handling him for the ten minutes, during the examination, i did not observe any wheezing or unusual clicking and did not observe any fluids were they were not suppose to be.

Current status:
  • Unusual exhaling has only occurred at night at approx 1am last night so (05/13/2012).
  • Now 2/3rds of the tank is covered with heat.
  • Priority on checking of temperatures and cleanliness of the tank will be made.


Things to note:
  • The snake has now been in my possession for a total of 48 hours. (This behavior may replicate early signs of a RI, but could also relate back to stress from the transition)
  • The snake is a proven breeder (Which i have heard often snakes that have bred could catch a mild respiratory infection.)


It should be noted that this is my first male snake so i made the assumption his physical characteristics should be that similar to a female but with the lack of the same sexual parts. Meaning that these weird huffing noises are something that should not occur.