JCP symptoms query

[Lankyrob]

Just wondered if anyone else has had this before. Before i start justthe following notes,

Sheds are fine
Eats like a pig
No changes to husbandry for months (since he arrived)
Ttemps are solid with no variance from when he arrived

Very occassionally, maybe twice a week, my jcp will take a big breath and exhale forcibly and noisily. It isnt a sneeze as i have heard him sneeze previously. There isno wheeze with normal breathing, there is no discharge from nose or mouth. He is as active as he always has been.

Any thoughts??????

[Will0W783]

I have a large carpet "mutt" that breathes loudly whenever he is excited; he almost "huffs and chuffs". He has done this the whole time I've had him (2 1/2 years) and has no respiratory issues. It is possible that yours is doing something similar.

[Reptile_Reptile]

yea my corn does it too. dont you like to take a deep breathe every so often?

[red ink]

It's a hiss Rob my JCP does the same when startled or exited. JCPs are notorious for it.

[Lankyrob]

Cool, thanks guys. I didnt think it was a problem but good to get that opoinion backed up by others!!

[shaunyboy]

is there definately no mucas coming out clear or other when he does this mate ?

no tell tale streaks of dried mucas on the glass mate ?

my jags done this for best part of a year but also he shows the same symptoms as a severe respiritory minus any infection present

mines has lots of mucas with mine and gurggling when breathing sometimes

but it started off with dry symptoms.pretty much what your describing mate

you will know if the amount of times he does it increases to once or twice per day to 5 to 10 per day

mines has even had keyhole surgery to see if it might be an abcess

all swabs of lung and windpipe come back bacteria free

its not viral either

the vet likened it to cystic fibrosis

christian castille (prk magazine) also has no idea what is wrong with my jag


re other causes
it may also be the very early stages and start of a respiritory

it could be a piece of shed stuck up a nostril
(they tend to rasp or whistle when this occurs more often than yours is doing )

is he opening his mouth slightly when exhaling ?

it could also be a hiss.i can only comment on my own experiences and carpets ive worked with.i have never heard any of mines hiss

id keep a close eye on things just so you catch it quick if its something wrong

hope its just one of those individual carpet quirks they all seem to have of one kind or another

all the best shaun

[Lankyrob]

Thamks shaun, yes definitely no mucus and deifinitely no sounds when breathing normally, it is just the odd occassion when he takes a deep breath and forces it outnoisily. It has been since the lastshed so maybe he has a small blockage that isnt visible? My firstthought was that he had some substrate or something stuck but with close examination (as close as you can get your face to a snake that strikes repeatedly!!!) there are no signs of anything.

If it turns out to be the start of an RI should he be quarantined?

[Lankyrob]

I should probably add that i am sat within three feet of this guy for between 17 and 20 hours most days so i know with fairly good certainty that he isnt making this noise at times when i am not observing.

[shaunyboy]

Thamks shaun, yes definitely no mucus and deifinitely no sounds when breathing normally, it is just the odd occassion when he takes a deep breath and forces it outnoisily. It has been since the lastshed so maybe he has a small blockage that isnt visible? My firstthought was that he had some substrate or something stuck but with close examination (as close as you can get your face to a snake that strikes repeatedly!!!) there are no signs of anything.

If it turns out to be the start of an RI should he be quarantined?


i used to give mines a warm bath for 5 to 15 minutes when there had been retained shed up inside the nostril

this was to go on for 2 weeks before the vet reverse flushed the nostril with a catheter

putting the catheter inside the mouth into the nostril where it comes out in the mouth

flushing the water outwards so nothing entered the snake

a few baths later the whistling from the nostril stopped

this dont apply to yours mate
but my vet also told me that some snakes after severe ri's end up with damaged nostrils and will always have a rasping,whistling sound as they breath for the rest of their days from the damaged nostril

hope it amounts to nothing mate

at least you sit close by so you will pick up on any changes of behavoir

cheers shaun

[Lankyrob]

Also to add he ate a rat again today - am sure there is nothing particularly wrong with him. Will keep an eye on him tho!

Thanks again for all the responses

[pythonman]

Now then Rob,i have noticed a bit of huffing and puffing with quite a few carpet species, my Bredli make a wheezing noise when breathing and been handled, this is more pronounced about two weeks before they go into slough. In examining their sloughs(which always come off in one) their nasal passage is shed, this tube like peice of slough, probably acts like when you put paper over a comb and blow, the air been blown over or expelled when breathing causes these nasal tubes to vibrate leading to an audible sound.,when the animals are due to shed. As it shows no other symptoms of respiritory problems i would not worry unduly. As said i have experienced this in a few carpet species and other keepers have also experienced audible wheezing,squeeking,or exhaling, obviously you observe the animal so will,or would notice any changes.... so if you think its alright it probably is:)

[Lankyrob]

Thanks for that, its always nice to have your own thoughts backed up by others, especially those with greater experience than myself.

[pythonman]

Thanks for that, its always nice to have your own thoughts backed up by others, especially those with greater experience than myself.Rob we all share our experiences, never under-estimate your own experiences and what benefit they can be to someone else:)

[marvelfreak]

Rob it common with carpets. Just like blushing. My big Jungle done it for years. It sounds like a whizzing or hissing sound. On the Aussie python site one day we got to talking about it, and everyone who has carpet has at one time or another heard one of them do it.