Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a kingsnake that Ive had for about 2 months now and he has been sneezing for about 3 weeks. He sneezes about 5 times a day I guess.The snake seems perfectly healthy.Ive had them all my life but this is the first one to sneeze.Its not a weezing or anything like that.The snake is active and eating regularly.I added a basking lamp to the other side of the cage to warm it up a bit and its been like that for a week now.The snake is sneezing less but he stays away from the basking lamp and just hangs in the tree on the cool side now (the side with the undertank heater).I know the tank is alittle hot and this is the reason for him being so arboreal lately.I think the reason for his sneezing might be the bedding? Cause before adding the heat lamp he would bury in burrow in the bedding all the time.maybe dust? cage is ultra clean dry and a hair on the hot side. sneezing hasnt gotten worse since it started it is very intermitent.I am using zoo med forest floor cypress muclh.Any recomendations?

It sounds like your dealing with a respiratory infection.. So, i would get that snake to a good herp vet ASAP..

If it's a king/milk snake that's hanging out in the trees it also sounds like your temps or off too.. So, either way correct your temps and swap your substrate out to newspaper or paper towels and see if that helps too.

Good luck, keep us posted.

~ Mike Russo

I know the temps are off. They are on the high side now.tryed to see if it would help.

I've seen several posts like this recently and all seem to have a couple of things in common. They use Aspen bedding and they have a heat lamp. I think the combination of the two could be drying the cage excessively. I know many people use Aspen with no problems. I've always used pine shaving. Regardless of wether you decide to take him to a Vet or not remove the Lamp! Put him on News Paper even if it's just to see if the sneezing stops. Make sure the heat mat is on one side only. Also give him a moist hide box with moist spagnum moss. Having said that, wat Mike said is true! If he has a respitory infection than each day you delay bringing him to a Vet makes the risk of him dying that much greater.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

Respiratory infections can be caused by both biological and physical inhilations. Biological the higher temps definately help. There may well be a physical obstruction, not sure if a vet could be much better than you at correcting it. Obviously change the substrate, newspaper or paper towels I would recommend. I have had snakes die "for no apparant reason" only upon further inspection they had a small piece of aspen lodged in the glottis. A physical obstruction is more delicate than say impaction(if they swallowed something like substrate), a good soaking--supervised--may help, couldnt hurt. Good luck, Jeff

What temps were you using?What temps are you using now("high side"means what?78-82?
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"He's down in the basement staring at his snakes " My Wife

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Doug L

he has a "hot spot" above the undertank heater that reaches 110.but the hot side is generally 85* and the cold side is anywhere from 80 to 70.it drops about 15 degrees at night.

The "cool side" shouldn't have an undertank heater. It should have no heat. Only use one device to heat your snake's cage. It sounds like the reptile cannot escape to a cool area (low to mid 70s) and is stessing out.

I'd change the substrate to newspaper and see if the sneezing stops.

Tim
Third Eye

the hot side is the side with the undertank heater. I added a basking lamp to the cold side to warm the tank up incase it was a bacterial infection.Tommorow Im gonna remove all the bedding and replace it with a towel. But I am going to keep the heat up for a couple more days as the sneezing has slowed down from about 5 sneezes to 2 or 3.I havent heard him sneeze once today. fingers crossed. if the twoel and high heat doesnt get rid of it then he is going to the vet.if it does I will remove the heat lamp and reintroduce his bedding and keep my ears open for sneezing again.If It starts up again then the bedding is the culprit.

Does the snake ever "gape"? Gaping is like yawning, and it signifies that the snake is in some sort of respiratory distress. Also, does the snake close its mouth completely or keep it slightly open? Finally, when you listen to the snake, do you hear a clicking sound? In my experience with colubrids, these three behaviors/symptoms are warning signs of respiratory infection. Good luck with your animal.

No. My snake hasn't once on any of those. Which is another reason I am leaning towards the bedding.

And thank all of you for trying to help. I appreciate it.

My snake hasnt sneezed for the last 3 days or so! I am hoping the extra heat cured it and it was just a bug he caught from his food and it is not the bedding.Ive reduced the heat lamp from 24 to 12 hours. gonna sit on it for a couple more and see what happens if nothing then the heat lamp will come off completely.