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A sounds almost like popping when being handled

Desertstrike

Desertstrike

Music for the People
Okay hai guys <3

I've just got Marley, and she's a lot bigger than any snake I've had, but I'm comfortable with her size.
I've just got her out now for her first handling session and I'm pretty sure she hissed at me, but I'm not quite sure.
When I was holding her, she was flintching...a lot. Pretty much any time I touched/stroked her, and she made a few popping noises and opened her mouth a few times (but not threateningly).
I'm just wondering if I'm doing something wrong?
I'm starting to doubt the place where I got her as well, if they've sold me an ill or partially hand unfriendly snake.
Even though, saying that, she's moving around just fine, likes to be 'round my neck, but I think I will stick to handling her for now.

-Desert
 
EDIT: I can hear her puffing or something similar from her vivarium as well, I'm not even sure if this is normal. It sounding almost like tiny sneezes...I think I've just wasted another £35...
 
Some of mine make those popping noises on being handled (along with wheezes and huffs) if they are going into shed. If that isn't the case and she seems to get worse, get her to a vet.
As for how friendly your new snake will turn out to be, I don't think I've got a single snake in my collection that hasn't bitten me at least once. Just like puppies mouthing or kitens scratching, bites are something pretty well inevitable when you own snakes. Handling means it's less likely, but snakes have tiny brains that tell them to bite first, ask questions later.
 
She looks VERY thin, as if she has recently laid a clutch. It could be she is going blue for a post-lay shed. At any rate, instead of figuring you have wasted money on her, how about getting her in to a vet so you can find out what is really going on? And bring a poop sample with you, to check for parasites. A simple check-up and any treatment should be affordable.
 
If she is flinching a lot and giving you little hisses it sounds like she is aggravated about something. I would suggest before going to a vet, wait it out for another few days.

My first guess would be that she is blue, so wait that out and see if she sheds. In the meantime, think about raising her temps a little bit, because the little sneezing sound you're hearing can be indicative of a Respiratory Infection (RI).
 
I just had a red tail boa at my house yesterday and he had an RI and he was wheezing making popping noises and was breathing with his mouth open. None the less i took him back by the way you're going to want to seperate him from all of your snakes as if he is sick all of your other snakes can get sick.
 
Nanci said:
Good. Maybe Janine can suggest someone??
Click to expand...
A bit out of my area. I'd suggest asking the reptile shop the snake was bought from who they use. Plenty of reptile vets showup on google in her county, but I'd have no idea how close to them or how good they are.
 
Right, I'm taking her back to the guys I bought her from - they offered to give me a free checkup on her. I phoned an exotics vet and they're almost 100% sure she's RI free, since she's fed and pooped.
She's flintching less as I handle her - handled her yesterday and she was calm, a few popping sounds but apart from that, seemed a lot calmer and more gentle.
She never made the sounds when I handled her in the shop either, so the check up is gonna be much appreciated.
I'm looking at Grove Lodge for my vets, since Pets and Home is next to pathetic x3

Thank you, all ^^
 
I don't want to give you false hope, and you should still get her checked out for a potential RI, but one of my girls constantly clicks and hisses. It's just part of her primadonna personality, that and I think she may have a slight jaw anomaly--it looks different from the lower jaws of my other snakes. She's still plenty healthy and active and it has not affected her growth in any way, but I spent literally months terrified that she was ill. So don't freak out too hard yet--save it for if you get bad vet news!
 
I've just had a look at her, and she's resting right now, but her jaw looks floppy, and almost out of alignment, it even feels lax as well. I'm taking her to have a check-up tomorrow - I hope it's nothing serious
x
 
So- if the shop you bought her from would sell a very thin snake, making popping sounds, whose jaw looks odd- why would you trust them to evaluate her health now?
 
I've heard mine making popping sounds when they go into shed. They normally don't like being handled while in shed either. But once they get deeper into a shed they become sluggish. So hoping that your new girl is just going to shed. Sometimes they get a loose piece of skin covering their nose a little bit and it will make a popping sound when they breath.

I do have some snakes with attitudes (both kings and corns). When they hiss they make a FFFttt FFFttt sound. Kind of like a cartoon cat. It's normally accompanied by the S shape and a flattened head. To me actually adorable. They think they are this big bad snake when they are actually small. Their bites might draw blood. But really bee stings hurt worse.
 
Nanci said:
So- if the shop you bought her from would sell a very thin snake, making popping sounds, whose jaw looks odd- why would you trust them to evaluate her health now?
Click to expand...

Right, let me make a few things clear.
I had never stated she was thin, to my knowledge, she isn't.
She was fine when I handled her and bought her, jaw-wise, I think she may have messed up on a strike feed when I bought her.

I will be going to a vet afterwards anyway, and I'm trusting them because they are a genuinely decent place as well.
So as much as you may consider me an idiot for this, I'm going to go to them first, then a vet.

@WS - She's not in blue, to my knowledge and is fine with being handled now (3 days in), and stopped flintching and popping as much.
She's turning out to be quite calm, and yawned a few times when I held her today <3

Still, i'm going to get her checked out tomorrow.
 
She does look quite thin in the photos you posted of her. Really like a post-lay female, one that's been on a (barely) maintenance feeding schedule, or one that's ill. As you fed her on shredded substrate, she could have got some of it stuck in her throat. How did she 'mess up strike feeding? Did she hit the side of her viv? I've had some of my more enthusiastic snakes do that quite often but no lasting effects on their jaw alignment.
As she is thin, I'd ask about her feeding schedule and had they noticed her losing weight, how long was she in the shop and has she ever been bred before.
 
Okay, sorry, I'm just getting defensive over her.

Well, I'm going to get her checked out today anyway. I'm not too pleased. As I said, her feed is once every 4 days, and she's digesting quick as a flash. So that's saying something.
In terms of "mess up", I'm meaning she was dragging the mouse around and lifted it up, and possibly jolted herself there.

Thank you for the advice, however. I will put it to use today.

I'm not a bad owner, and that should show since I've taken the time to ask for help.
Just saying :3
 
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