Lucy is talking - should I be concerned?

[snickersnake]

Hi all,

Lucy has been doing great. She's huge now, she's eating well (pinkies), etc. But about two weeks ago, I heard funny noises from her cage one night. I watched her...and she was talking. She was opening her mouth and making little squeaking noises, then sometimes, she opened her mouth very wide in something that looked like a yawn. Sometimes, it was louder and almost sounded like a meow. Most of the time, it was little chirping noises. It kind of sounds like a mating call.

She's been doing this every since. It happens every night and as of four days ago, it happens during the day, too. She seems to be just fine...she's eating great, she likes to be held. She's been trying to get out but she does that from time to time. She reminds me a little of my Siberian husky...she moves her mouth (silently) a couple of times and then sounds come out. Then she yawns, and it starts over again. It's not constant, it's just from time to time.

I can't find any information about this. I read that CeeCee was wheezing but this doesn't sound like wheezing. It did start a few days after I fed her from a new group of frozen pinkies. The pinkies came from the place I always go. I noticed they smelled a little funny and I don't usually notice a smell - sort of like they went through a freezer defrost cycle. I really don't know if this is related but I thought it was worth mentioning. It could just be a coincidence.

Thanks so much for your help.

[guidofatherof5]

Mine from time to time make noises like that.
As long as you don't think it's wheezing and the fact she's normal in every other way I wouldn't worry to much about it.
It's good you are noticing things like this.
Lucy is in good hands.

[chris-uk]

I didn't know that they do this. None of ours have "talked" yet, but I'll be there with the camera when they do.

I saw the title of the thread and thought it was a light-hearted windup.

[EasternGirl]

Hi...glad you mentioned this. The sounds that Cee Cee makes sound like clicks and then I hear a raspy high-pitched wheeze sound come out when she is breathing...it is definitely coming out with breath and I can hear crackly sounds with it. I can also hear crackly sounds if I hold my head near her throat. Cee Cee has been diagnosed with chronic respiratory problems. The clicking happens when she is nervous or excited...and the wheezing can occur when her respiratory problems are acting up or when her nares are blocked before a shed. It doesn't sound like what you are describing...but, if you have access to a video camera and could catch Lucy doing this on video for us so that we could have a listen...I could tell you for sure if it sounds anything like a respiratory infection.

I have also noticed pinkies having a smell sometimes...a few that I used to buy from the pet store often had a freezer smell to them, and the ones I have shipped are often stinky...I think pinkies just smell bad sometimes.

[snickersnake]

Thank you everyone. EasternGirl, thank you for describing CeeCee's wheezing. Now I know for certain that's not what it is. I don't have a good video camera (or one that was charged) the other night but I'm ready now.

After I wrote this, the talking was constant. She was waking us up! I picked her up and took her downstairs so that my daughter could hear. Her eyes got really big and she couldn't believe it. She said - and I agreed - that she sounds like a combination of a cat and a mouse (meows and squeaks).

You know, if she wasn't a garter snake I would swear that she is crying for attention, then when I hold her, she's talking to me. She was quiet yesterday but I don't think it's over. I'll do my best to get video of it.

[Didymus20X6]

IF any of them try to tell you to eat some fruit, don't listen.

[EasternGirl]

Okay...well now I have to see a video of this just because it sounds so incredibly peculiar and fascinating! I'm glad that it doesn't sound like she is sick though. Hopefully you can catch this on video for us!

[rockstargurl]

I recently rescued a garter snake from my friends cat who brought him in as a present I named him sir hiss (even though I'm not sure it's a he) anyways the vet cleared him but I've decided to keep him for a bit and monitor him since the vet didn't seem very interested. he hasn't been eating but I suppose he just doesn't like being in captivity. he has also been making squeaking noises just like you described and "yawning" and so forth. I'm not sure if he's angry because he's in a cage because your snake sounds happy as a clam and is making those noises. I just realised this post is really old but if anyone on here reads this and has found more information I'd really like it. he's been doing it for a couple days now and I've had him about ... 3 weeks? it's worrying because I've been thinking it's about time to release him back into the wild but I don't want to if something is wrong.