breathing click noise ! help!

[tstill14]

I have this garter snake. It's been a good snake for the whole close to a month now except just recently I've noitced a very suddel / quiet single click noise when it breaths. It's back to back clicking / pop noise that i cant hear unless I put the snake up to my ear. From what I understand that's not good cuz I could mean lung parisites. Is there anything I could do to help the guy, or is he ok?

And just some side notes.

It was a locally caught snake where I live in Oregon near Portland.

It's as active and frendly as my other garter about half his thickness and length and the big guy is atleast a foot and a half.

They booth eat good and plenty, but only earth worms sadly, they turn down everything else. But they are suplimented with calseium powder every once ina while.

[guidofatherof5]

The best thing would be a Vet. visit.
Before that, upping the temp. may help but respiratory infections can be serious.
Still eating is a good sign.
Keep us informed on the situation.

[zooplan]

If they are wild caught I would recommend visiting a vet,too.
Maybe ConcinnusMan could give an advice for a good one in your area.
Could you describe your set up? What kind of bedding do you use? ...

[HazAnga]

Your setup could be too damp, which could have caused a respiratory problem. best bet is to make sure it's dryer and not so humid. but just like zooplan's question, what kind of setup do you have and what kind of bedding is involved.

[ConcinusMan]

Welcome, tstill, Sometimes a quiet "click" that you can only hear if you place them close to your ear, is perfectly normal. Glad to have another member from the Portland area. I live in the metro area myself. I'm guessing you have Northwestern's. (Thamnophis ordinoides). If you use calcium supplements, go really easy on them. Northwesterns can live long healthy lives on nothing but worms, and they already have more calcium than most people give them credit for. I think you might have a male and a female judging from your description of their bodies. A healthy male is often much thinner than even an underweight female as you can see here:



No matter how thin a snake appears to be, signs of undernourishment or being under weight, would be skin folds along the sides, and/or a backbone that appears to protrude.

I seriously wouldn't worry too much about a quiet click especially if the snake doesn't seem to be having trouble breathing. It's a rattle, wheezing, or gaping mouth you need to be concerned about. Many healthy snakes have a quiet "click" when they breathe.

[mustang]

if respitory infection watch this theyll show a treatment...but maybe its
A)the snakes got a booger or water or something in its nose
B) its just moving...when my snake moves i hear and feel *pop*s sometimes
heres the video

[ConcinusMan]

Respiratory infection usually produces an audible sound that you can hear without placing the snake close to your ear. Note that I said "usually"

Keep your snake on dry substrate, maintain moderate humidity (40-60 percent) and away from drafts. Drafts and dampness will cause a respiratory infection every time but believe it or not, keeping an enclosure constantly too warm and/or damp can do it too.

[mustang]

Respiratory infection usually produces an audible sound that you can hear without placing the snake close to your ear. Note that I said "usually"

your right. is mucus coming out of the snake ? gently squeez/press the head . do bubbbles,gunk,mucus come out? are walls slippery and have mucus on the wall from snake rubbing its head against it?

[guidofatherof5]

Great post Robert. The video was full of good information.
The dancing at the end was disturbing. I'll never get those images out of my head.

[mustang]

Great post Robert. The video was full of good information.
The dancing at the end was disturbing. I'll never get those images out of my head.

thank you (chewy is always getting bit for tv hahaha)