snake noises?

[macandchz]

could someone please explain what noises besides ssss! a snake makes? another forum has been talking about a snake with a R.I. and the noises such as popping, whistling, etc. They mentioned that scales can make noise, bedding can cause popping or clicking. what are these noises and does a healthy snake make them? should i be routinely checking for these? should i be routinely opening his mouth and checking for bubbles?

[dross9615]

youll know if your snake is "making bubbles". im sure you have nothing to worry about. no need to open up their mouth unless they really seem sick and are showing signs of RI

[Arachnaeoccult]

Its probably my fault.

If your snake seems strong, healthy, and all breathing sounds normal, no mucuous, etc I would lay your concerns to rest. I'm going by the wisdom that if my snake is having an illness I'll know. but right now all signs point to healthy and me being too worried.



For Dross; what bubbling sound is 'too much' bubbling? A constant struggled burbling? Anything like a one time click or pop is normal?

[prairiepanda]

I try to handle my snakes at least once between each feeding to make sure I don't miss any signs of illness that wouldn't be obvious normally. I look over their head, cloaca, and overall body condition, and pay attention to any noises they make while handling. No need to open their mouths by hand or hold them up to your ear or anything like that, though. If the snake is holding its mouth open there could be a problem, but if the mouth is closed(assuming the snake is relaxed and not biting or something) and no swelling is evident then you won't gain anything by opening it.

As for what sounds a snake can make; you have most of them covered with hissing, whistling, gurgling, and popping. I'd add that they can fart, which can be incredibly loud especially while pooping, their skin can make crinkling noises when they're close to shedding, and some species can rattle their tails against objects to produce various noises depending on what the tail is touching.

When you've got a snake crawling through your empty hands, you eliminate the possibility of strange noises simply being caused by substrate or other environmental factors. If there is some popping due to movement then it would normally be because the skin is loosening up for a shed. Popping due to breathing is another story; if you notice it once or twice it could be hard to pinpoint, but if it's happening almost every time you see them breathing there might be an infection. Whistling is less indicative because some snakes have really wussy hisses that sound like whistles. So if whistling noises are typical for a certain individual, they aren't a cause for worry. But if a snake that normally never whistles is suddenly whistling when they breath, there could be a problem. (I would look in their nose to check for stuck shed, though; I've had snakes that start whistling because of a flap of stuck skin in their nose)

As for bubbling; any amount of bubbling is too much. There shouldn't be bubbles coming from any of your snake's orifices. But if by bubbling you actually mean a gurgling sound, it depends on the situation. Sometimes snakes gurgle a bit after being underwater(I guess maybe they accidentally inhaled some water, or got some in their nose), and sometimes gurgling can come right before a regurgitation(which is cause for concern in itself). If those possibilities have been ruled out, gurgling noises likely indicate an infection, even if they're really quiet or only happen when the snake breathes very deeply, as the gurgling sounds come from fluid buildup somewhere along the respiratory tract.

[macandchz]

wow!paririepanda! you are a walking snake textbook! you answered a multitude of questionsfor me thanks for your help.