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"Sighing" or "Puffing" sound, accompanied by yawning.

Laine

Laine

New member
I know this is my first post here, but I just came across this page tonight and I have a couple of questions about my snake's recent behaviour that has been worrying me.

Lately, as in the past three months, Rosie, my 7 year old corn snake has been making sounds similar to a sigh or puff every so often. As well, she's been stretching her jaw an awful lot. There is no discharge from her mouth/nose, or foam. Her tongue is the same color it's always been and moves without trouble as normal. Her eyes are clear, and nothing seems out of order other then that odd sound and the jaw stretching. When she stretches her jaw, it almost appears as though it's involuntary, like she doesn't want it to happen. Almost like a gag but not as forceful. She has pooped recently(last night).

She is being fed two small adult mice ever 10-14 days(depending on when she poops.) Once the food leaves the system, I wait one or two days depending on her activity and then feed her.

She is handled on an every-other day basis.

Another that has been worrying me is that in the spring she not only refuses all meals for approximately two months, but the past two years she has been laying unfertilized eggs. She will not allow me to touch or remove these and gets very agitated when I finally do. I took her to the vet once about this and he told me that it was due to her being in breeding season and not having a mate, or hormone problems, and that I shouldn't be worried unless the eggs don't seem to pass, as they might build up along her organs and rot.

My main worry is the odd breathing behaviour. I have checked her mouth and nothing seems weird or out of place. No mucus or discharge, no signs of rot, or anything else, just this sighing sound every so often and sometimes an odd jerking, twitching type motion that accompanies it.


Any suggestions or help?

Thanks in advance,

Laine
 
What kind of substrate are you using? How old is this corn, and how long has she been in your possession? What size enclosure is she in, and is it in a drafty or breezy location? Have you checked your temperatures? Is she starting to go blue?

More information will definitely help us to help you more successfully.
 
Double check to make sure the temps in the viv are correct. I've heard some of my snakes make sort of a huff/puff occasionally and I don't think it's anything to be concerned about. I also see my snakes straighten their jaws/yawn every so often also. Since your snake is still eating, seems active and otherwise normal, I wouldn't be too concerned. But again, check the temps, maybe raise the high end to around 88 F for awhile (and the low end to 78 F), just in case, and monitor her closely for any other signs.

When I first read your post, I was thinking "male" when you said your snake doesn't eat for 2 months in the spring. But then your next sentence says she lays infertile eggs, which totally destroys my easy answer! Some females will go off food for awhile before laying their eggs while others will eat up to the day they lay. Just make sure that you feed her very well from now until the time she goes off food as egg laying, even of slugs (infertile eggs) takes alot out of a female. I would recommend you feed her one med - large adult mouse every 7 days. Periodically have her move through your fingers while you apply some pressure. What you are doing is feeling for eggs. You'll feel the "bump, bump, bump..." of the eggs. When she starts looking big from being full of eggs, she should be fed smaller meals as the large ones are now difficult for her. Give her a nest box full of moist sphagnum moss (should be found in the orchid section of Walmart, etc) so she can lay her eggs there when it's time. Once she lays, don't be afraid to just take her out of the nest box so you can then remove it and the eggs. My females will rattle their tails and curl tighter around the eggs, but I've never had one bite me because I removed her from her eggs. The next day, start feeding her frequent small meals to help her regain her lost weight and condition. And as your vet mentioned, watch for her having trouble laying eggs (egg-binding). Although rarer when laying slugs, it can still happen and she'll need immediate vet care if unable to pass the eggs after a reasonable amount of time (I give a female a couple of days before becoming concerned, but opinions vary on this).
 
Nanci said:
Susan, will all single female snakes eventually lay eggs?

Nanci
Click to expand...
No, but you really can't tell which ones will and which ones won't. And those that do may only do it once or up to a double clutch every year.
 
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