Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So my GTP has had me worried for a little while now because of his breathing. He tends to weeze on occasion when I have handled him in the past few weeks - and at first I asked around and was told that those noises can be sometimes commonplace for GTP's. I just assumed that it was because of the difference in humidity from the room to this tank.

However I checked on him tonight and it sounds like he has a bad ass stuffy nose. He is currently in shed, so I attributed that to his lack of movement in the past week or so. He can't seem to take in sudden breaths to even hiss, it's just a popping, creaking noise like you hear when your nasal passages are all blocked up because of a head cold.

To assuage my fears I tried to determine that maybe his breathing is slightly obstructed due to shed, but I highly doubt that.

Can anyone give me a confirmation about what may be going on?
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Adam

"I wish I were wise! I wish I were wise from the heart of me, like my serpent!"

Sounds like RI to me-I'd get that snake in to the vet pronto. The "popping" noise when breathing is usually a dead giveaway.
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Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....

I agree, I just got a male in this past week on wensday who developed one with in 24hrs. Blowing bubbled from his snout and everything. Trip to the vet, adjusting his temps and humidity and so far so good.

I have heard some pretty bad sounds coming from snakes in shed...even to the point of open mouth breathing. To be on the safe side, I'd have him checked by a vet, but sometimes the head swells and the nostrils get blocked by impending shed skin and you'll swear they have an RI. Once they shed, it all goes away.
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3.2~Cornsnakes
3.4.2~Green tree python
3.3.1~ATB
1.1~Sibon Nebulatus
Dogs, cats, horses....
www.franclycac.com

The typical first sign or symptom of RI in pythons or boas is an excess of mucous in the mouth and throat. In the very early stages this excess mucous can only be seen when the mouth is opened, but as the RI advances, the mucous can be seen around the closed mouth and around the nares. This is often accompanied by periods of open mouth breathing and watery noise when breathing. If you are not seeing any of these signs relating to RI, it is possible that the shedding issue Meg brought up is the cause. However, if in doubt, watch closely for any advancement or changes in symptoms, and definitely suspect RI if the shedding doesn't clear up the noise issue. Good luck.

Kelly