Help, my snake is wheezing!!!!!!!

[craig.a.c]

Well, as you all know, I finally got Angel (inland carpet - i posted some pics a few weeks ago). I got her out of the enlcosure today so she could roam around a bit. While I was holding her I could hear her wheezing, mainly breathing out but sometimes in. She didn't wheez before i bought her, I know this because I used visit the previous owners alot so that I could get used to handling her.

Temp in the enclosure is 30c in the day and 26c at night. She spends the majority of her time in the water dish, this had me worried because it could be mites. She was treated for mites before I got her and I regularly check, no signs though. When ever I used to visit her before i bought her she was allways in the water aswell.

What could cause her to start wheezing???? Please help.

Thanks in advance Craig.a.c

 

[Guest]

She could just like the water.

But as for the wheezing, up the temps a bit and see Fuscus' post in general herps. You should get heaps of hints and tips out of that one.

Cheers, Alan.

 

[sxereturn]

Are you sure it is not just 'breathing'? Some snakes, especially carpets, hiss a little bit when been handled. Is there visible mucus/wetness around her nostrils? Rattling?

Keep her dry, and maybe a little warmer.

 

[westhamsc]

chould of just got water in it's nose?

 

[Sdaji]

As sxe said, carpets often hiss when handled, this sounds like wheezing unless you're familiar with them. Wheezing in carpets is usually due to a respiratory infection, usually caused by inappropriately low temperatures, especially if they are combined with high humidity. These usually go away quickly with sufficient heat and appropriate humidity, but if not are often very serious. If you see mucous in the nostrils or mouth, you're in trouble so take immediate action. How long has the 'wheezing' been there for? When I was first keeping carpets I freaked out a bit when I heard them breathe, but all was completely normal.

I'd be concerned about it sitting in the water so much, although Angel might just be a weirdo.

 

[craig.a.c]

Thanks for the replys. This is the first carpet I have had, There is no mucus around her nostrils. I only noticed the wheezing/breathing? tonight.

As for the water issue, the previous owner said that she was in the water about 75% of the time. I will keep a close eye on her and see if she is just hissing a little, she is tense when being handled.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[hugsta]

Craig, as this is your first snake I would really recommend going to the vet. When you have a bit more experience you will learn the difference of a carpet just hissing and one that has a respitory infection. Not only that a first hand experience with a herp vet will show you what to look for as well, not just tell you.
Just MO.
Hope she gets well soon if she is sick.

 

[africancichlidau]

Well said Huggy

 

[Sdaji]

If you have a friend who knows much about snakes, I'd say they'd be a much better option than most vets. So many of the vets out there are merely morons posing as vets.

 

[hugsta]

If your near Sydney Craig , as I don't know where Junee is, I would recommend going to Terri Belamy. She is a brilliant herp vet and very experienced. IMO anyway.

 

[africancichlidau]

Well said Huggy
My Gott, that's 3

 

[hugsta]

Thanks afro...LOL

Thats 2...

 

[womas4me]

All the snakes we deal with are wild caught and i have noticed that some of the more ' insecure ' ones try to hide in the water all the time. May not be relevant in your case. We have had some that spent almost all their time in the water bowl. When approached they would totally submerge their heads trying to hide. You could try covering up any exposed areas eg the glass doors etc and see if that encourages your snake to spend more time out of the water. Just an alternative thought in case there is nothing medically wrong with it.

 

[craig.a.c]

This is my second snake, I also own a 14 month old stimmie. Well, I was sitting next to my snake enclosure with Angel in it, I didn't get her out because I wanted to see if I could her wheezing. I had been sitting there for half an hour, she had not made a sound like she was wheezing. I got her out and, as always, she got tense and I was listening for her breating. It sounded like she was wheezing again, so I put her back in the enclosure, and then there was no sound at all, I could see her body rising and falling with her breaths, she could be hissing softly. Hopefully it is a false alarm and she is all healthy.

Thanks again to everyone that replied.

 

[Fuscus]

IS she is sitting with her head elevated?

 

[craig.a.c]

Hey fuscus, when she isn't in the water dish her head is under her coils. When she is in the water, if her head isn't submerged, it is raised out of the water and on the edge of the dish.

 

[serpenttongue]

Craig, i suggest you take the water bowl out of the enclosure for a week, spray her for mites and raise the night temperature to that of the day and just keep an eye on her. Try to convince her to stay up the warm end and if she lays on the enclosure floor, make sure its warm. It probably is a false alarm, and as some of the other guys have already mentioned carpets do give off a slight hiss when handled.