IJ and RI?

Byron · #1 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 06:23 PM

had my IJ out today for a little exploring and as I was getting ready to put her up, I hear a faint whistle as she breathed. I see no bubbling around her mouth and no mouth breathing. I just finished her meds for parasites on Thursday. Could this whistling/wheezing be from RI?

Temps are 75-78/88-91
humidity is usually 50-60% with the normal post mist spikes
Aspen bedding
she's a picky eater and will only eat live (I've held off feeding to try to get her to eat f/t or even pk, but she ain't having it)

Should I plan on a vet visit tomorrow? There's not an actual herp vet within 2 hours of me, but if I need to make a road trip tomorrow, I'm willing to do that. There is a vet in town that will see snakes, just not a herpetologist.

I was thinking this was my healthy one at first, but first it was the parasites and now this. I'm sure the live feeding isnt helping.

AGActaeonia · #2 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 06:40 PM

Getting ready to shed or has retained nasal-caps, I'd bet.

Byron · #3 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGActaeonia

Getting ready to shed or has retained nasal-caps, I'd bet.

something that simple will be great....fingers crossed.

will that happen even before going into blue?

retained nasal caps? heard of eye caps, but not nasal. Should I wait and see if she's going into blue and hope that its just one of the issues you mentioned?

AGActaeonia · #4 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grnxnam

something that simple will be great....fingers crossed.
will that happen even before going into blue?
retained nasal caps? heard of eye caps, but not nasal. Should I wait and see if she's going into blue and hope that its just one of the issues you mentioned?

Retained nasal caps are pretty common. I had an "RI" in a perfectly healthy Boa that was simply getting ready to shed (and yes, I believe it was before he even went in to blue - their eyes are the last thing to demonstrate the change, or so I've noticed).

As for waiting, raise the ambient temperature to the mid-80s and leave the basking area where it is. If you see no change for either better or worse in two weeks, then there wasn't an RI to begin with.

If the health begins to decline (mucus build-up around the nostrils and/or corners of the mouth, the snake leans against the sides of the enclosure or with its body at a 90 degree angle, head facing upward) then I recommend you seek the advice of a qualified veterinarian.

If it goes in to blue soon, then maintain the above temperatures regardless (but keep an eye on the proper level of humidity) and check for the whistling post-shed.

AGActaeonia · #5 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 07:13 PM

Just noticed that you specified aspen as its substrate. Throw it around a bit before introducing it in to the enclosure to ensure as little dust as possible. Daily misting to maintain the proper humidity is also a good idea and aids in keeping any dust down.

Byron · #6 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGActaeonia

...

If the health begins to decline (mucus build-up around the nostrils and/or corners of the mouth, the snake leans against the sides of the enclosure or with its body at a 90 degree angle, head facing upward) then I recommend you seek the advice of a qualified veterinarian.

...

interesting that you would throw that in there. she has done that off and on, but not with her head facing up. She'll wedge herself between a hide (or limbs) and the sides.

As for health issues, she has shown no other signs, just the whistling, and that was very faint.

AGActaeonia · #7 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 07:22 PM

For the life of me, I can't think of a way to describe why they do it. "Helps them breathe" is the only thing that comes to mind.

What you've described seems more of a common display demonstrated when the snake feels insecure. One of my Boas has a perfectly good hide, but instead elects to sit on top of it and wedge half her body between the back and the wall of her enclosure, for example.

If it is an RI, the whistling is just a precursor. Unfortunately it's not definitive (IMO) of an RI, and I've seen it in snakes that were preparing to phase (go in to blue).

The raising of the ambient temperatures to the high 80s will increase the productivity of the snake's immune system without pushing the limits of a Carpet's preferred environment too far.

If it is an RI, this increase in temperature and the once daily misting (just once over) will help and unless the snake's immune system is compromised by something else, most-times defeats the issue quickly.

Like I said. If there's no change for better or worse in two weeks or the snake goes in to shed, there was no RI to begin with.

Byron · #8 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 07:27 PM

thanks for all of the info. for some reason, I figured it would be you that provided the info I was needing.

Temps raised, daily misting, proper humidity and dust the aspen. I think I can handle all of that.

AGActaeonia · #9 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 07:32 PM

It's often the simplest of solutions that make or break our keeping. With something like this, the trick is to start with A and work your way toward B as calmly as possible.

If you know full-well (and only you do) that you're providing as optimum an environment as possible for the animal, all you can do is check one thing off the list at a time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by grnxnam

thanks for all of the info. for some reason, I figured it would be you that provided the info I was needing.

Am always happy to assist, Grnx. Have a nice day and good luck with your IJC.

John · #10 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 07:55 PM

Both of my carpets will make a wheezing or whistling sound when they are stressed. With my carpets this usually means that they are very frustrated that I will not place them on the ground and let them go their way. This sound is also accompanied by rapid movements toward any object within about 2 feet of me. With your little one it may be that it is expressing resentment to your handling it.

Ps: Your temperatures and humidity are perfect.

Byron · #11 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 08:05 PM

stress could be it also. Even though their lil home is the same as it has been, I just moved. When I had her out, she was trying to go her own way and it was a way that could have allowed her to get caught in furniture that would have been difficult for me to untangle her from.

Its starting to sound as if I'm worrying too much and she's just being a snake.

John · #12 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grnxnam

stress could be it also. Even though their lil home is the same as it has been, I just moved. When I had her out, she was trying to go her own way and it was a way that could have allowed her to get caught in furniture that would have been difficult for me to untangle her from.

Its starting to sound as if I'm worrying too much and she's just being a snake.

It can be frustrating when the snake does something you have not noticed before and you don't know why.

Honestly (and this is just my personal opinion), I would not change anything in the snake's enclosure unless you saw definite signs of RI. IJ's come from a relatively cooler climate than most other carpet pythons, and raising ambient temps into the mid 80's for a healthy IJ may cause it to become even more stressed and agitated.

By the way, how is your IJ eating these days?

Byron · #13 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faroutinmt

It can be frustrating when the snake does ...
By the way, how is your IJ eating these days?

after 5 weeks of playing strike and release with f/t and pk, I tried a live one just to make sure she would eat. I think it took about 5 seconds for her to realize the mouse was in there with her and coil it up.

I hate feeding her live, but I hate starving her even more.

before trying the live again, I tried scenting, over heating, under heating, thawing in a ziploc under water, thawing in the fridge and warming on a heat rock, making the mouse hop, leaving it over night, in and out of her tank.

so to answer your question, she eats live great.

Byron · #14 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 09:21 PM

not that it helps, but I hold on to the mouse with tongs until she grabs it and coils just to try to keep it from running around and biting her, even though she usually strikes from above.

John · #15 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grnxnam

so to answer your question, she eats live great.

Hey, a person's got to do what a person's got to do. Good luck on your future efforts with that.

AGActaeonia · #16 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grnxnam

not that it helps, but I hold on to the mouse with tongs until she grabs it and coils just to try to keep it from running around and biting her, even though she usually strikes from above.

I'm right there with you, my friend. All of mine take f/t with the exception of my Pythons (which are the worst possible ones to be live-prone, taking large rats as they do).

They'll take p/k for the most part, but have never taken a f/t rat.

I offered them one last night and though the female looked as if she was considering it, she turned away without a second glance.

The male looked at me as if he thought I was high.

It's a shame as well, because I've plenty of frozen, but no live feeders which I can kill; the attempts with f/t are a complete waste if they decide not to take them, and I'm not dropping $5.00 on a live rat from who knows what background just so they'll have something to eat, so they've got to wait until I've babies again and who knows when that will be. I've a male in with a couple females, but so far he hasn't seemed up to snuff.

Paaain in the...!

Byron · #17 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 04:43 AM

well, I left her alone other than feeding until today. I was listening for any ablormal noises while she breathed and didn't hear anything. She should shed early next week. I'll be feeding and checking again then.

KyleZ · #18 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 04:32 PM

Carpets are notorious for making 'wheezy' or puffing sounds, especially when being handled. I would not be alarmed.

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