possible RI?? help!

[cwells1235]

I've been trying to find more information online with not a lot of luck about respiratory infections in bps. The past week or so my roughly six month old bp has started spending a lot of time with her neck/head propped straight up against the glass in her tank. I wasn't too concerned as we'd had her quarantined getting rid of a mite issue for the past few weeks and she had just started being more active again. But today I had her out to change her bedding and noticed she is making a sort of wheezing sound when she breathes. She hasn't had any other issues, I haven't seen any mucus or snot trails on her tank walls, just wanted to get some opinions on what could cause the posture and wheezing other than an RI or if it sounds to anyone else like it is an RI. Thanks for any input!

[cwells1235]

Oh and she's had no trouble eating and just shed about a week ago.

[alan12013]

Sorry I can't help much but I had a ball python that squeaked when I got him. He would squeak when he got excited or while moving around and breathing slightly heavy, it was pretty loud. General consensus was because he has Black Pastel in him and they are known to squeak but when I bumped up his heat and humidity he completely stopped squeaking 2-3 months later. It could be that he is more comfortable now and doesn't get as worked up as much or that he had beginning stages of RI and was able to recover when I gave him a proper environment. He didn't eat for the previous owner for over 2 months and I just recently got him eating again.

[cwells1235]

Thank you for your input! It's weird that you mention yours having black pastel in it, we have a feeling ours does as well. The main thing that was troubling me is her holding her head up like that, sometimes extended periods of time. We've had one issue after another since getting her and were finally feeling better (mite and eating issues finally under control) and now this odd behavior. We rescued her and are just starting to feel helpless that she'll ever be problem free.

[vangarret2000]

If there is no mucus or bubbles and it is eating, then it is not an RI.

[Skittles1101]

Stuck shed in the nostrils can sound like a "whistling" sound when they breathe. Especially if she just shed a week ago I wouldn't jump to RI just yet. How are your temps/humidity?

[cwells1235]

If there is no mucus or bubbles and it is eating, then it is not an RI.

That's what I thought, but I've read a lot that says early on those symptoms are less likely to show up. I hate looking things up because you find a ton of conflicting opinions. Like I said we've just had a ton of issues since rescuing her and I really don't want to see her go through anything else.

[cwells1235]

Stuck shed in the nostrils can sound like a "whistling" sound when they breathe. Especially if she just shed a week ago I wouldn't jump to RI just yet. How are your temps/humidity?

That would make sense, she hadn't shed the entire two months we've had her until last week and it wasn't a very good shed at all so I could see her possibly having some stuck in her nose. (Every where else is clear of shed now we had to soak her and help her get a good bit of it off) Her warm side stays around 88 and her cool side is about ten degrees lower during the day and a little cooler all over at night. Her humidity stays between 50 & 60 but was bumped up when she was shedding.

[vangarret2000]

That's what I thought, but I've read a lot that says early on those symptoms are less likely to show up. I hate looking things up because you find a ton of conflicting opinions. Like I said we've just had a ton of issues since rescuing her and I really don't want to see her go through anything else.

A whistling could be an early sign. The fact it is eating is what really made me doubt its an RI.

[Spike89]

My adult still has a very mild whistle sometimes. When I got him a few months ago it was worse. The Vet said it was nothing to worry about, I even had a culture done. I think that he just gets a loose scale in there. Could be anything with you. My friends snake ate even with a RI which was confirmed by a culture. Sometimes you have to put down a buck or two to know for sure.