Clicking and not eating

[chris-uk]

One of our new 4 marcianus is worrying us a bit.

She's the second largest of the 4, so we know she has been eating well. She refused food yesterday and this morning though.
She shed last night, and the shed looks complete, but she does still have a few very small bits of dry old skin (literally just like a couple of small threads of skin in a couple of places).

What's worrying us is that she's making a clicking sound. I've read some old posts about clicking, and there seems to be two opinions - first that it's normal, or second that it's a sign of a resp infection.

I can't see any sign of mucous around her mouth or nose.
The clicking is fairly frequent and not at regular intervals. Sometimes she clicks a twice in succession, other times she goes 15-20 secs without clicking. It's audible from several metres away when she's being held. When she's in the viv you can still hear her clicking if you listen carefully, but it's less regular, maybe every 15-30 secs.
Every time she clicks she moves her mouth slightly, about the distance she does when she flicks her tongue.
The clicks tend to coincide with her breathing, but she doesn't click every time she breathes.
Temps are good (22C cool, 28C warm), she's not in a draft, the tank is dry (aspen substrate), there's some damp moss in one of the hides.
Don't know about humidity as I haven't got round to buying a hygrometer yet, but the house isn't damp and humidity here is about 82% according to the weather forecast.
She doesn't seem bothered by being handled when I took a look at her.

Any advice? Is there anything else we should look for?

Thanks.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

It could be some of the dry shed sometimes it blocks the nasal passages and makes that clicking sound.

[guidofatherof5]

Sometimes that clicking noise can come from the glottis opening and closing.
I've had that happen with a few of my radixes.

It's never been anything more then a noise.

[RedSidedSPR]

I've heard a quite clicking noise come from mine...

[kibakiba]

Snakey and Mama make a clicking noise, it's not too loud, but it's just their glottis opening and closing.

If you are really worried about her having an RI, softly (and I mean softly!) squeeze her head and see if any mucous come of of her nose. One of my friends rescues ball pythons, that's what she does if she suspects an RI in them. I don't know if it's the same with garters, but I would assume it would be.

[RedSidedSPR]

I bet if you put your other snakes to your ear, Chris, you'll hear it with them too.

[chris-uk]

There's definitely no mucous, I'd read about that in older threads so looked specifically for that. Is mucous a defining symptom of infection
Something I was wondering, is whether they ever get their jaws locked? I had a friend at school who could slightly dislocate his jaw and click it.

Hopefully she's just got a noisy glottis. Char was mainly concerned in case it was an infection that Binky could catch.

[kibakiba]

Mucous is very common in RI's, I don't think they can lock their jaws.

[chris-uk]

Thanks everyone. I doubt it's an RI based on your feedback. We'll keep an eye on her and see if anything else develops.

If it is just a noisy glottis and she doesn't grow out of it, at least she'll be easier to track down if she escapes... "shhhhh, I'm listening for the click"... :)

[Mrs N1ntndo]

Im asking in her cause this is where it was mentioned.... What is a glottis . Can someone show a pic please. Sorry for asking but I dont quite know the snakes anatomy or anything yet. Where would be a spot to show all the terms and things so that if I see them I know whats said. Thank u.

[Mrs N1ntndo]

i hope thats theres nothing wrong with your snake.

[RedSidedSPR]

Im asking in her cause this is where it was mentioned.... What is a glottis . Can someone show a pic please. Sorry for asking but I dont quite know the snakes anatomy or anything yet. Where would be a spot to show all the terms and things so that if I see them I know whats said. Thank u.

The glottis is their wind pipe. I'm sure you've noticed it without knowing what it is, it's that hole thing in their mouth, see it at the bottom of this snakes mouth?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3653/3461247346_868fc08dac.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Glottis:
Very cool device. When eating a large meal they use strong muscles to push the glottis toward the front of the mouth so they can take a breath.
Snakes are so cool.

[RedSidedSPR]

Yeah they're so awesome. I have a video that shows that, but once it's uploaded it's hard to see.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

The glottis is their wind pipe. I'm sure you've noticed it without knowing what it is, it's that hole thing in their mouth, see it at the bottom of this snakes mouth?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3653/3461247346_868fc08dac.jpg

What are those two sharp pointy things in the top of it's mouth?:p

[guidofatherof5]

"Oh, don't mind those. Just come a little closer"

Awesome snake.

[RedSidedSPR]

Love cottonmouths. Love.

[katach]

That is an awesome photo!

[Mrs N1ntndo]

Youre right I have seen that many time when they yawn or reajust there jaw. IK thank you also steve for explaing it to me on how the breathe while eating cause I actually thought they held there breath. I always thought that they were just that good at holding it. Thats so awesome. I love the things I learn on here. Thank you very much guys. Like Ive always said BEST FORUMS EVER. You guys are great.

[Light of Dae]

noticed my little baby clicks too every once n a while. She eats fine though, hungry like a horse! :)

[kimbosaur]

Ive also read elsewhere that they will sometimes make a clicking/popping noise right before a shed because the skin is loosening or something. Anybody witness this?

[guidofatherof5]

Ive also read elsewhere that they will sometimes make a clicking/popping noise right before a shed because the skin is loosening or something. Anybody witness this?

Interesting. I've never heard that but would like to know more.

[Light of Dae]

That would be neat, Hope that is so, my baby has doubled n size n hasn't shed yet (2months old) but I have noticed her clicking lately. :)

[RedSidedSPR]

Never heard that either......

[chris-uk]

An update on Bethan, who wasnt eating and was clicking.
She shed on Wednesday, it wasnt an easy shed and I ended up helping her. I'd spotted her with really tattered skin and it was clearly not going to come off in one piece as it was loose in some places, had holes in some places, and had several splits. I took her out and into a bowl of warm water where I held the loose ends and let her pull against me, then I ended up gently rubbing the tail end to remove the last piece.
She did stop clicking. The last time I heard her click was a day or so before the shed on Wednesday. So the clicking could well have been associated with an early stage of this difficult shed.

[kimbosaur]

Interesting that she actually shed! What I read was that sometimes, as the skin is loosening, there are air pockets that can develop near the mouth/nose area so that when they breathe, it makes a kind of popping sound as the loose skin moves? I can't remember exactly, I'll try to find the link.

[kimbosaur]

Found it! Link here:
Respiratory Problems in Reptiles (http://www.reptilechannel.com/reptile-health/snake-health/respiratory-problems-reptiles.aspx)
Some snakes may have an audible sound when they breathe, during or right before the shedding process, from the skin expanding and contracting when it inhales and exhales

There are actually a few threads from different forums that mention a correlation between the clicking/popping sound and shedding too. Here's one:
baby making clicking noise - CornSnakes.com Forums (http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17284)
I've certainly seen posts from folks who have heard this clicking noise just before a shed. Theory is that it's the skin around the nostrils/mouth being loosened by the process.
I heard the exact same clicking sound on one of my baby corns. What I learned happened was that the skin hadn't shed off completely or just right around the the nostral area. The good news is after the next shed the problem was fixed and I never heard the clicking sound again.