Whistling Snake

[the.badger]

Hey all, just noticed my coastal is making a soft whistling sound when i handle him, but I can't hear the whistle when he's in his enclosure. I don't know if this has developed in the past 5 days approx. since we've had him or if he was making that noise before we got him. No head-rubbing, discharge or bubbles as yet, and he had a big feed 3 days ago. Temps seem OK but we've only just got him so still trying to get them perfect, I've bumped them up slightly since noticing the whistling just in case it's RI. From reading through similar threads I'm thinking maybe it could be due to loose nasal scales or similar, but as we've just got him I have no idea when he last shed, although I do know my other coastal only sheds every 3-4 months, so maybe it wouldn't be wise to just wait up to 3 months til he sheds to see if it's a nasal prob.

So what would you guys recommend? Anything I should do with enclosure/humidity? Or just straight to the vet? Also is RI contagious and if so, how far away should I keep him from my other snakes (like is the next room ok, or the other end of the house..)?

Thanks in advance.

 

[moosenoose]

If your temps are right and you haven't got excessive humidity you'll find your snake will be pretty right. Mine whistle like that from time to time. Nothing to worry about IMO

 

[timpye1]

i would get it to the vet... bit of RI goin round at the moment.. ( from what i have seen with my mates collections) as far as quarantine.. cant say.. sorry

 

[MrBredli]

Considering you have only recently acquired the snake and it is showing possible signs of illness, keeping it in a separate room is advisable. More importantly strict, thorough hygiene protocols should be followed between handling that snake and others in your collection.

I'd keep a close eye on it over the next few days, definitely bump the temps up a bit as you have done. If it gets any worse, or any other symptons are displayed then definitely get it to a vet ASAP. On the other hand, it wouldn't hurt to take it to the vet now, even if only for a general check up. A clean bill of health from a vet may put to rest any anxiety you might be having at the moment, and it won't break the bank.

 

[Rocky]

Is it more of a wheezing or whistling sound?

 

[notechistiger]

Snakes also whistle when they're going to shed.

 

[chloethepython]

my s/w carpet does that when i handle him but doesnt do it in his enclosure
it is weired

 

[pythons73]

Ive noticed 2 of my Darwins making a whistling sound when their feeding,they dont do it any other time,.

 

[the.badger]

Is it more of a wheezing or whistling sound?

It's a whistling sound, like air rushing through a tiny hole.

And yeah, I always clean thorourghly between handling snakes even when they're not sick - being a tattooer I'm probably a little over zealous when it comes to preventing cross contamination HAHA.

So from what you guys are saying, it's probably nothing to worry about but a trip tp the vet wouldn't hurt. I'll head down on Friday. I want to have him probed anyway.

Thanks everyone, much appreciated.

 

[LullabyLizard]

Good luck at the vets! I hope its nothing serious

 

[the.badger]

Thanks hun!

 

[the.badger]

Just thought I'd post an update on this one since a lot of you guys have described similar happenings. I took the snake to the reptile vet in Warranwood VIC this morning and he's pretty sure it's a kind of half-a** hiss that the snake is making, not a full-on threatening hiss but more like "hey i'm a bit p****d off and I don't like the way you're touching me right now" sorta thing. This explains why he only does it when he's being handled.... and some of you guys have said your snake does this when it's eating, so it could very well explain that too. The vet says that it's quite likely the snake will stop making the noise when he's used to me handling him, but it's possible that snakey will continue to do it forever, just one of those things.

The snake is excellent condition overall, the mouth and nasal passages are fine, and he doesn't think that the whistling is a sign of very very early stage RI because the snake doesn't feel "rattley" when he makes the noise, but he said I could bump the temps up a bit just in case (which I had already done).

Thanks to everybody for your advice and help.

 

[coz666]

lots of carpets dont do it, but my nt does, but it had surgery when 8 mths to remove a cyst and it is definately an eerie sound its not a hiss more of a vibrating whistle very low mine does it at night in its enclosure with nothing around to annoy it. i know mines healthy and she is also grumpy.

 

[Colin]

it's a kind of half-a** hiss that the snake is making, not a full-on threatening hiss but more like "hey i'm a bit p****d off and I don't like the way you're touching me right now" sorta thing. This explains why he only does it when he's being handled.... The vet says that it's quite likely the snake will stop making the noise when he's used to me handling him .

so it wasn't actually a respiratory infection and just a case of the snake hissing when being handled ?
and he's really a boy instead of a girl? he was probably just having a "hissy fit" then Zoe.. glad to hear alls well mate