Reptile & Amphibian Forums

She shed today and I hear no more wheezing! I made sure the temps were warm as always and she seems to be good as new. As for the aspen bedding (being too dry), should I maybe do a half and half type set up? For example, half of the cage aspen and the other half cypress? I've been told that as long as she has a water bowl big enough to submerge herself in that she's okay, thoughts on this? Thanks

-Patrick

I just read the thread where you had posted your original question. You got a lot of varied advice, with a lot of the later posts tending towards panic.

I think what you have just seen in your snake was probably the soon-to-be-shed skin in the nostrils causing a whistle - like OK said, it's kinda like having a booger in there.

I didn't see you reply to any of the panicky posts, but did you try to see if gently pressing on the throat of your snake produced any mucus? IF you tried that and saw no fluid or mucus coming from mouth or nostrils AND the "wheezing" has completely gone away post shed, then you can pretty safely blame the "wheeze" on the old skin.

Bear with everybody here there are an awful lot of people who post similar questions about "wheezing" snakes that are more often, and more clearly, severely affected with respiratory infections (a VERY common killer)... and worse, the owners seem too puzzled to act for the good of the animal. All of the panicky responses you got in your previous thread was honestly a bit of a knee-jerk response from several people trying to help you do the best for your snake.

Best of luck to you! Good on you for observing your snake too!

~Rebecca
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1.0.0 Dumeril's Boa '04
1.1.1 Ball Pythons
[1.0.0 '05 Orange Hypo (Specter)]
[0.1.0 '05 Het Orange Hypo (Sylvia)]
[0.0.1 '03 Normal (Sue)]
0.2 American Pit Bull Terriers (40lb darling lap dogs:Brandy&Mara)

I checked for any mucus near the mouth/nostrils and there appears to be nothing. So I'm going with what OK said, it was most likely the pre-shed skin in her nostrils making a whistle. Thanks for all the help everyone.

-Patrick

Glad thats all it was--- let me tell you- I flipped my lid when I hear our snakes do it the first few times-- I'm a bit of a paranoid freak when it comes to cleanliness and diseases/infections....

I'm SOOO glad thats all it is!

~Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue