clogged left nostril...

[norbert03]

respiratory infection? i don't hear any weezing or see any bubbles coming out of his mouth or nose...there's just some brown in the one nostril. any help with diagnosis would be appreciated? it could just be a build up of dirt or something. temps are kept between 78 and 82 during the day, uth used as secondary heat source at night. he's eating fine and being active.

also...what are folds in skin a sign of? he just shed last week, usually i notice folds as he's about to shed. he has been eating very well...two pinks on friday. i will feed him again tonight.

he is active yet cautious when handled. he flicks his tongue, he carefully chooses the route up my arm he will take and he's strong.

[Taceas]

Hmm, generally when I see a clogged nostril I chalk it up to the snake rooting around in the substrate and have gotten dust in the nostril and plugged it up. Its usually easily remedied with a damp Q-tip that you swirl over the nostril to dislodge it and sweep it away.

When there's an RI, I generally hear the wheezing and popping before I'll see any symptoms. So unless I hear something, I don't really panic about an RI right off the bat.


Folds in the skin however, I've seen are usually a sign of dehydration. Is there plenty of fresh water available at all times? Dumb question, I know, but it must be asked. Also, what sort of substrate are you using? That might help to pinpoint possible causes of dehydration.

How old is your snake, by the way? Dehydration can occur in a matter of days for a hatchling if the proper conditions aren't meant.

Was his shed complete? It may have come off in pieces, and some pieces could possibly be stuck to him still, bunching the skin up. Might try the wet paper towel trick or a bath, to see if any retained shed comes off.

That's about all I can think of...hopefully you get it resolved. =)

[norbert03]

reply. i had a feeling he just got a little substrate dust in there. i will try to remove it later on this evening.

water...i had a large bowl, but i replaced it with a smaller one because i think my snake was having difficulty finding it. he didn't seem to know that it contained water. i keep the smaller bowl right outside his hide. i have not seen him drink recently, but i change his water daily. last night i put some water in the palm of my hand and offered it to him, but he didn't drink any.

i'm using coconut fiber substrate. i don't like it and will be switching to a different kind next time i clean his enclosure out.

i would guess my snake is almost a yearling. i am not sure of the exact age.

he had a difficult shed. i bathed him for a while and then used a wet and dry paper towel to get the skin off and it came off completely, a little remained on the tail and i removed it the following night.

[norbert03]

i have noticed in the past that if i mist my snake while he's in a corner of his tank he will begin to lick the water off the glass and even off his own body. yesterday, taceas suggested that the folds i'm seeing toward his mid section could be a result of dehydration...this concerned me so i now use a smaller water bowl. last night i was handling norbert and i offered him some water again from the palm of my hand. he was not interested so i put a little water at the bottom of his kritter keeper cage and then misted the plastic walls and let norbert chill out in there while i cleaned out his enclosure. within seconds he began to lick up water from the walls and the puddle.

for some reason he has difficulty finding his water source...i'm gonna take a coffee can lid and add that to his enclosure to see if he can find it better than his little bowl.

[Taceas]

Why give him a smaller water bowl? If I notice snakes not finding their water, I make the bowl big enough in that enclosure that they can't possibly miss it.

Try placing the bowl towards the edges of the enclosure where he's more apt to stumble across it as he slithers around the perimeter.

The height of the bowl might have something to do with it. I don't think they're too comfortable having to go up and then down to drink. It'd be like us trying to drink with our neck resting on the arm of a couch. Try a shorter, and wider bowl...like a clean flower pot saucer. I generally buy the enameled cat bowls from Petsmart, as they're a good size and easy to clean if you have hard water.

But mine don't drink water off of the sides or themselves when misted unless really really thirsty.

If in doubt about his drinking, make sure to put him a container with an inch or two of room temperature water once a week for a good soak, drink, and poo time. Hopefully in that order. =P


Keep us updated. =)