Reptile & Amphibian Forums

There is a dog and cat rescue about 40 minutes away from me that has one foster home who also takes in reptiles. I check their site from time to time, but until this week haven't added to the household at all. This week I saw an ornery 6' RTB listed. Apparently he'd been found as a stray, covered in what appear to be old bite wounds from a rat or some such critter.

The animal shelter he ended up at 1) couldn't handle him and 2) couldn't contain him(he kept escaping), so he ended up with the rescue. For some reason after reading his description I had to have him. So...today I made the drive out and took him home. It's been a couple of years since I've had a snake larger than my H. nasicus, so I'm really excited to have this guy here.

Meet Vlad:

I do have a question. His foster home took him to the vet to check on the scars and to ask about the fact that he wheezes when he's handled or agitated. She says the vet told her that the wheezing was not something to be concerned about since it only happens when he's agitated. The vet she took him to is experienced with herps, but I'm tempted to take him to the reptile/avian specialty clinic near me because the wheezing really worries me. Thoughts?

cant help ya to much here but my jungle carpet when i hold him lets out a small hiss/wheeze sound after awhile but has no RI or anythign wrong with him just his way of sayin ok almost time for me to go back home. once his head touches his cage on heading back he stopps in a heart beat no more sounds. so with yours could go both ways

Bigger Boas tend to blow out air when being handled. It's not aggressive behavior, or a sign of illness. They sort of hold their breath while getting leverage against you (or furniture) and occasionally, will blow out what amounts to a big breath through their nares. If the snake is at rest, on the floor or in it's enclosure, and is still breathing hard, you have a problem.

My boas over 6' tend to breath 'hard' and it does sound like a weeze sometimes, esp when being handled or after being moved around a lot and they finally start to 'relax' and settle down, they can let out a big ol' 'shsssshhhh' breathing sound. My fiance hadn't handled big boas much and thought mine had an RI for the same reasons (she is fine and healthy)

Just keep an eye out for coughing, open mouth breathing, holding head up with the mouth open while resting, runny nose, clicking noises when it breathes, and lethargy.

Of course, a vet check for any newly aquired animal is always a good thing.

Congrats on your new rescue!

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'There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."' -Rainshadow

Thank you. He was doing it for awhile last night after he was returned to his enclosure, so I'll get him in to be checked out asap.

He still "blows"...that's a perfect way of putting it. When I first got him, he was dry, his skin was ratty, and he was a bit dehydrated. I soaked him a few days in a row to rehydrate him and to loosen up some retained shed. He shed for me a couple of weeks later and his respiratory sounds were greatly reduced. He never had any signs of RI, but I do think he had some dry, loose skin. He still "breathes", but not as badly as that first dry shed.