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Possible Snake Sneezing

Papa Bear

Papa Bear

New member
Ok I just got a blizzard corn snake last sunday night. I have him in a 20 gallon long tank. The temp is 87 degrees on warm end and 76 on cool end. I have 2 hides and a water bowl for him. The person I got him from said he has not ate in 2 weeks. Just strick and go on him maryway. Well Tuesday I got him to eat with no problem. I figured out the blizzard was to cold in the tank the guy had him in. Anyways I am at work and my wife calls me. She ask me can a snake sneeze? I told her yes they can. She asked what could cause them to sneeze? I told her a RI. I also changed out the substrate to a bark substance for now, it came with the tank I got and the dark brings out the white in the snake. Anyways the dust could be making him sneeze. I also read that some times when a snake goes into shed, the skin in the nose will also make them sneeze.
For the ones that have Blizzard corn snakes, how can you tell when they are going into shed? I know everyone will say the eyes will turn bluish color. The guy I got him from said the last time he shed, the eyes never turned any different color that he noticed.
I had my wife turn the thermostat up to about 89 to 90 degrees until I get home and can check the snake out myself. But thanks for your help if you have a blizzard and can help me out. the wife said his eyes are not bright red anymore and they are a light pinkish color.
 
I have a snow which is similar and when she is in blue, her eyes from being red to being light pink. She also sneezes, pops, and generally acts as if she has an RI right before a shed, but the behavior ends right after she sheds. See if it continues after she sheds (two days after her eyes go back to red) and if it does come back.
 
Hey Pepper thanks for your reply. This snake is an adult. It is about 3.5 to 4' long. The snake shed no more than a month ago. I personally don't think it would be shedding again but who knows right. I will just keep a close or on him for now just to see what is going on. I will be changing the substrate back to aspen this weekend and that might help as well. If he keeps doing this after a few weeks and has not shed, then he will be going to the herp vet. Thanks again about the eyes turn a pinkish color.
 
Just to make sure, you could raise the temps in the viv a bit. Get the warm side up to no higher then 90F on the warm side and use a smaller water bowl. Keep the humidity down, too.

If it is a URI, that will help nip it in the bud. Hopefully he is just shedding!

Wayne
 
Hey wayne thanks for the info. I had my wife just do that tonight while I was on the phone with her. The water bowl will have to be filled 2 time a day because it will evaporate but has enough water for him to drink. I had her raise the temps up to 89 or 90 dregrees on the thermostat. I will check it when I get home with my temp gun and not the analog guage on the wall. Just so you know I have 2 other snakes as well. I have a Abbott okeetee and a hypo pastel red tail boa. I do know a little about them. I just wanted to see if the eyes turned a light pink color or what. I do really thank you and everyone else for any info that can be given to me. I take it all and use it to my best. So I hope I don't come off to anyone as a jerk when I am replying to the messages. Thanks again Papa Bear
 
I would say that's pretty high, unless he is hanging out in the 90 degree area. If he keeps away from it, you might want to back it down.

My corn used to sneeze periodically. My king does so too, especially when they borough around in substrate. It's a shame that aspen is the best we have. Everything is damn dusty. You could just switch out the substrate if you are worried... but a mid range of 80 I found to be just fine.

I think you may be freaking out a little, just like a good parent ;) I'm sure it's nothing... unless it's excessive. A good way to test if it's the substrate it handle them for a good 30 mins to an hour. If their sneezes go away, then you know it's most likely the substrate, unless you keep your house hotter than the terrarium ;)
 
I know this is an old thread, but I prefer to find one related to my topic than start a new one :) I noticed my baby sneezing for the first time last night...

We've only had her for a month and a half, but until now hadn't had any problems. I'm really really hoping it's substrate related. She's on Reptibark right now. I had seen it widely used and recommended when I was preparing for getting a snake, so I got it since I like how it looks. But now, I'm thinking I'll go with aspen-- not as attractive to me, but if it will stop the sneezing that will be a relief!!

She only sneezed a handful of times (that I heard). I have noticed her burrowing more (she never really used to). I'm thinking maybe she just got a bit of dust in her nose and had to sneeze it out. We handled her for quite a while and didn't hear her sneeze or notice anything else unusual. She's been very very active, so she if it is an RI it must be pretty mild. The only other symptom of an RI that I noticed was her hold her head up, but I don't how if it was enough to "qualify" as the symptom.

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated! :cheers:
 
Hey, Jenna, how is your snake now? I'm a new snake owner also, my daughter has a 3 year old female anery that has been sneezing a bit, so I'm interested to hear any replies.
Thanks!
 
If it's a respiratory infection there are usually more symptoms than just sneezing - mucous around the nostrils seems to be the main one, along with lethargy.

If it's just isolated sneezing with no other indications of trouble, then I'd be inclined to wait for a shed rather than assuming the worst.
 
Thanks for the reply. She is sneezing just occasionally, no discharge from her nose or mouth, but sometimes I hear what I can only describe as a clicking sound that seems like its from her sinuses?
She's eating well, can't tell if she's lethargic because we're so new to snakes!
 
Clicking can also be associated with the loosening shed around the nostrils, so it's still probable that you're just looking at the start of the shedding process.

The fact that she's eating reliably is definitely a good sign. In your shoes, I'd continue with the "watchful waiting" (as my vet calls it) and keep an eye out for additional symptoms.
 
bird25 said:
Thanks for the reply. She is sneezing just occasionally, no discharge from her nose or mouth, but sometimes I hear what I can only describe as a clicking sound that seems like its from her sinuses?
She's eating well, can't tell if she's lethargic because we're so new to snakes!
Click to expand...

Hey, sorry for the slow reply. Sneak seems to be doing just fine now, so I have assumed that those couple days of sneezing were because she was about to shed. Interestingly, the sneezing stopped after we fed her. Roughly a week after that she shed her skin.

From what I have heard, both sneezing and popping/clicking can be caused by a scale around the nostril when they are close to shedding. I hope that is the case for your guy. Also, they'll get lethargic and reclusive for several days before shedding.

One other thing I just thought of-- I sometimes hear a dull pop/click sounds that I'm pretty sure come from my UTH.
 
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