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How do I clean my corn's nose?

captainjack0000

captainjack0000

Student
I've had Cotton for a few years now, and every time spring comes around he gets certain male urges and starts crawling around. I've tried 2 different substrates so far, and am thinking about trying a 3rd next year.

Here is the problem - he crawls around and gets dust shoved into his nose, to the point where he sneezes and such. I know its not an RI because of the regularity of the timing of it (every spring!), plus if he sheds, he's fine for about 2 weeks before the burrowing packs his nose closed again.

I tried giving him a bath and blotting a wet tissue on his nose. I have changed the bedding, and kept humidity up to try and keep the dust down too, but it doesn't seem to help.

Anybody know how to get him to blow his nose?

Below is a picture from a couple of years ago. He's a ghost corn, and the brown ReptiBark dust shows up great against his light complexion. He also was in shed for the pic, hence the blue eyes. After he shed, he was fine. I've got him on CareFresh this year, and since its light colored too, you can't see the blockage as easily. Next year I'm going to try shredded aspen. I've thought about newspaper, but I'm afraid he'd rub his nose raw on that.
 
Cotton has an unusual head shape. I've owned a lot of corns for a long time and have never encountered anything like you are describing. Hard to tell through the blue, but it looks rather irritated in the picture, some neosporin might help with inflammation. My first instinct would be to put him on newspapers in the spring. As a year round bedding, ZooMed's Aspen Snake Bedding is longer cut and pretty dust-free. Curious as to other's thoughts. Good luck, and let us know how he does.
 
My first thought is he may not be 100% corn (from the look of the picture), and I wouldn't be bumping any humidity with the lower temps that corns often prefer...
That's how RIs happen in the first place.

I haven't had to deal with an RI myself, but I wonder if it would be safe to take those precautions and bump the humidity WITH the temp anyway? Even if he doesn't have one, but just to rule it out.
I can't say my snakes - as much of burrowers as the corn is - have ever had this issue.

My other thought is that the dirt is getting stuck for a reason, such as excess mucus. Again, relating to an RI.
 
It almost looks like his nostrils are scabbed. Have you ever had him looked at by a vet? On a side note like chip said his head shape is really interesting. I dig it.
 
Remember the picture is from like 2 years ago. His head looks like the corns I've found in the wild down here in FL. (See another older pic below)

Last year somebody suggested bumping heat, so I did, and nothing changed, except he crawled around more on the cool side. It did nothing for his clogged nose. This is why I'm 100% sure its not an RI. Its like when you enter a dusty attic, and you sneeze and your nose runs a bit. You're not sick, your nose is just irritated. We blow our nose and go about our day. He can't.

 
I would try paper towel or newpaper during the spring season. The reptile shredded aspen might be okay, too, but one of my snakes actually got a piece of that stuck in his nostril once (it came out just fine), but if your guy is really digging in it, it might be a bigger problem for you.

I would also probably give him a big water bowl that he can soak in, if he doesn't already have one. And you can also maybe try letting him slither through a lukewarm damp cloth.

He's a very pretty snake, by the way.
 
I gave him a bath once, and it seemed to help a bit. I may give him another one. Anything to help wash the dust out of his nose.

Thanks for the suggestions. :)
 
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