Ball Python Help Please

[Jonathan316]

Hey guys and girls I'm really worried about my Ball Python (first snake ever) and I was just wondering if anyone here could answer some of my questions.

The main problem is her "sneezing" I would call it, it's not a non-stop wheezing but it's not an unregular occurance either, a few times each night i will hear it. When I pick her up to closely exam her i will hear a little clicking sound? It sounds like a throaty sound but i'm not sure exactly where it's coming from. On the cold side of the tank the temp varies from 79-84 and on the warm side I always have an undertank heater on, making it around 85-90 and during the day with my light it can get up to 95. The humidity is always around 40-50%, I have never had a problem with low humidity it's always been rather high, could the high humidity be the problem?

The thing is, she started her "sneezing" (for lack of a word to describe it) and clicking when i held her the day after we got her back from a trip to a vet, where she recieved a perfect bill of health. I'm assuming it has something to do with the tank i'm keeping her in? But I honestly have no clue on what the problem might be.

Thank you for any feedback you could give me on this.

[sassamagoo]

Sneezing in snakes is not a good sign. She could have a respiratory infection. I'm sure one of the more experienced herp lovers on here will pop on and give you more info, but I do know respiratory Infections can be very dangerous to a snake.

So my recommendation is, unfortunately, get her back to the vet.

[Will0W783]

The clicking sound and sneezing are definitely signs of a respiratory infection. Is there any open mouthed breathing? I would recommend taking her to a different herp vet; that one should have caught something. My carpet and BP sometimes make a whistling sound when breathing, but it's nothing like a wheeze or sneeze. My carpet often exhales loudly, almost a huff, when he is out and exploring. At first I thought he was hissing, but he's just "talking" for lack of a better word. He does it constantly when out. But the clicking is what really has me worried. I had a snake who started with that, and it turned out to be pneumonia. Once it gets to a throaty click, it's usually gotten into the lungs. Not to scare you, but this should be looked at. Try to look for other herp vets in your area; go to a pet store where they sell reptiles and ask them where they go or who they'd recommend. In the meantime, you can help ease the symptoms by raising both temperature and humidity in the cage. This helps stimulate the snake's immune system and makes it easier to breath. Best of luck.

[Jonathan316]

Thank you very much for your help, will get her to a new vet A.S.A.P the last one I used through petsmart (where we bought the snake). The 'sneezing' might be that little huff that you described. As it sounds like a hiss and is completely random. But if the clicking is a bad sign then I should definatly get her in and not take a chance that it's not bad. No open mouth breathing as far as i know, and i've been watching her awhile. None of the other symtoms of R.I either. I will still take her in as soon as possible though.

Thank you so os much.