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New Retic, Help Please

DaKine Dec 05, 2004 07:16 PM

I recently got a retic from a guy who no longer wanted it. I have no idea what the age is, but it is about 5 feet long, and I know he didn't feed it frequently. Don't get me wrong, he didn't starve the thing... I guess mantainance feeding would be the best description.

Here's my question... the snake makes a pretty loud noise when he breathes out. It sounds like a stuffy nose, for a lack of a better explanation. I visualy inspected all the area, and there is nothing there that looks out of the ordinary.

I have expereince with snakes, but not with retics... and aside from that, this problem has never occoured in any of my other snakes. Thanks for the help!

Replies (3)

imridethelghtng Dec 05, 2004 10:44 PM

sounds like an upper respiratory infection to me get the snake to a vet and get it checked out

hermitcore Dec 05, 2004 11:11 PM

Before you go rushing and calling something an infection you should get a little info first. When I first started getting into retics I got a male in that had some bubbles in his mouth and took him straight to the vet. I was out $100 and the snake would have been fine with a little added heat. Lesson learned.

If he doesn't have bubbles in his mouth and is eating and otherwise acting normal I wouldn't worry about it. Retics are loud breathers and commonly whistle when they breath. How's his humidity? Keeping a good constant humidity will ease his breathing and will allow him to clear any goop out of his passages if that's what's causing the noise.

If he does have bubbles and isn't eating usually raising the ambient temperature will take care of it. Retics are tough snakes and his immune system can most likely handle things if he's in a good environment.

Let us know how things go.

DaKine Dec 05, 2004 11:29 PM

Thanks for the advice. I will let you all know how it goes, as well as getting some pictures of him up. The temps as well as the humidity are both at optimal levels, so I will keep you all posted. Thanks again for the help. I apprecaite it!

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