Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone, just a quick question. I have a MBK, I have had him for about 8 months now, and today I swear I heard him sneezing? He looks fine, I dont see any mucus around his mouth or nostrils, he has been much more active recently though. Is this something he needs a trip to the vet for? I just moved from ohio to florida and I thought that it might be due to a change in the air, humidity and what not, or perhaps the water, but maybe some of you that are abit more experianced with snakes can tell me if that is unlikely or not? Thanks in advance for any info, and if he does need a vet ...anyone know a good herp vet near orlando?

I would take him to a vet - I've never seen or heard a kingsnake sneeze. I've not had a hell of a lot of them, but it certainly isn't normal.

I expect Orlando is big enough that there should be several vets advertising reptile expertise in the yellow pages.
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3.0 WC; 0.2 CB L. getula californiae
0.1 WC; 0.0.10 CH Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

Kings will make wheezing sounds sometimes during the shed cycle, something about the skin loosening around the nostrils, especially in lower humidity. You know if this is the source, when after they shed, the wheezing is gone. There is no mucous in this case.

I've had a few kings sneeze on aspen (could have been that particular bale), and they stopped immediately when moved to newspaper.

And the worst case is that the snake got an infection. Mucous would accompany the sneezing if this was the case.

Thanks for the info, maybe I'll swap out his aspen to some newspaper for a few days and see if that helps at all. He has been out and moving around alot even during the day which is kinda abnormal for him, he also seems kinda agitated, so perhaps it is the bedding as i just changed it a few days ago.

Are you actually seeing him move his head so to identify the source of the sound?

Because at first I thought my large Florida king was sneezing, but later realized he was making the sounds during defecation.....
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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.