I'm worried...

[roobars]

first of all this happened...

Boris stargazing - YouTube

then I started hearing him click when he breathed... not a good sign.. rang the vets and they want nothing to do with me. Like holidays are more important.

I googled this problem, and found many posts on 'steaming' snakes with eucalyptus oil and vicks to cure the clicking breaths. so I did it, the clicks are not as loud but still there. My lil friend is sick and I can't get a vet :-( i rang many, as soon as I said snake the girl on the phone asked me to repeat myself and then said they would call me back, not one did. even the innersouth vet with the listed reptile vet on this site did not call me back.

what do I do?

 

[FAY]

Roo, I really don't think that the said snake is 'stargazing'. Click can be a couple of things, he may be going into shed and some skin is in his nostrils or he may be coming down with RI. For the time being if you think it is the latter, turn up the heat on him to about 35c.

 

[Fantazmic]

I get why you are worried.......I agree with Fay I wonder about an RI. Extending the head up like that could be to clear the airway. Have you got your temps right........tell us more about your setup including last feed. Is your baby using it's tongue ?

I dont think steaming is a bad thing just watch the snake doesnt get too damp or you could bring on other problems and up the temps a bit...this helps with RI and with shedding.

I have had mine get reall crackly breathing when in shed because of the dry skin in their nose.

 

[roobars]

I think he is going in to shed, hard to tell, he slightly dulls and never goes blue o.0 then a snake skin appears randomly. He shed 3 weeks ago also so he may have had a growth spurt from increased food?

freaked me out when i woke up to see him do that for a few minutes on christmas day, so I recorded a bit. If that is normal I would be relieved, but I am still taking him to the vet to get a check up and get him/her sexed... boris may be a doris ha ha ha... I just hope he is ok

I response to Fantazmic - Boris is using his tongue 100%, still curious and seems happy?

I have him in a slightly hotter environment since this started also... heat chord going full bore, but had 3 hides to choose from... 1 hot, 1 1/2 and 1/2 1 cold. he chose cold. also has the choice of climbing on some broom handle perches which he loved until i scared him with my worrying o.0 and annoyed him some more.

And only steamed him for 10 mins as per instructions to clear airways. Hope it was not for nothing as he did not like this, and also did not fix 100%. poor little bugger :-(

 

[Fantazmic]

if he is using his tongue and is curious this is a good sign he isnt really sick, and yes it could be shed I have only had four snakes but have had them shed tha close especialy when young.

You seem like a really caring owner and it is my hope that when I have a clutch and come to sell my snakes that all the homes I sell them too are as caring as yours !!

 

[roobars]

Thanks for the responses, I am slightly relieved.... kinda feel like a dick for worrying too much though o.0

I am still going to take him for a check up when the holiday season is over o.0 ffs..... Just in case..

he is my baby, I would be shattered if he got sick :-(

 

[Renenet]

Roobar, watch his tongue. If the fork is stuck together, that will be another possible sign of RI. The other thing is, if he is getting sick and you can manage it with your set up, try not to let him go to the cold end. He needs to be kept warm.

I hope you can take him to a good reptile vet ASAP and that it is nothing serious.

 

[roobars]

Tongue is forked, he seems normal, just clicks when breathing, and there was that scary behaviour from video.

He usually moves around when lights go out, not tonight though probably because I scared him with my stupidity.

Recommend removing cold end hide to force him into the 1/2 1/2 option?

 

[Pythoninfinite]

It's not unusual for pythons, especially the Carpet Python group, to stretch the forebody vertically and appear to be looking around. They nearly all do it, and it's especially evident when you take them outside and put them on the grass - they just stay put and stretch about 1/4 of their body vertically, often for 10 minutes or more. Doesn't sound like your snake is sick, so I'd just keep an eye on it for the next week or two. Probably not a good idea to confine it to heat at this time of the year - if it isn't sick, it should have the choice of where it wants to be with regard to temperature.

Jamie

 

[Kimberlyann]

Special Jungle Jag Carpet Python Jenny - YouTube
That is 'stargazing' about 40 seconds in.

 

[Fantazmic]

Kimberleyanne thats a great find......eeeeeek.........now I know why I just cant 'go there' with jags

 

[Ryant16]

It's not unusual for pythons, especially the Carpet Python group, to stretch the forebody vertically and appear to be looking around. They nearly all do it, and it's especially evident when you take them outside and put them on the grass Jamie

i couldnt agree with this post more. three of my carpets will sit at the bottom of their tank and extend their head about 10 cm up and rest it on their perch and just watch me walk about. i think its just a akward comfortable position like when we lie upside down of the couch lol

 

[Kimberlyann]

Kimberleyanne thats a great find......eeeeeek.........now I know why I just cant 'go there' with jags

Yeh me too kind of, i adore the look of them and if i had the offer to own one i wouldnt back own but it's still kind of scary.