The ball python owners are exceptional in many ways. They choose a pet that is oddly different and unique in their own ways. Also, the expressions of various emotions as well as illnesses are much different in snakes than in other pet creatures.
When they fall ill, they get cured most of the time, without showing any symptoms. Whereas this can be a cause of relief for the owners, this can also be an alarming situation. While keeping ball python as a pet, you need to be extra cautious about the well being of the creature. Also, you have to make sure that a single symptom does not go ignored.
Wheezing or making whistling sound is a common symptom seen among ball pythons, we need to probe into the matter and know what is wrong with our pet ball python.
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Why the snake is making whistling noise?
Catching a cold is most common among snakes. When its nose is blocked by the mucus, the wheezing sound emits. Also, stress can be another reason for its heavy breathing. Make sure that the environment within the terrarium is fine and having the proper amount of heat, light and humidity.
Can we hear the breathing of the ball python?
If you are not aware of the fact, a healthy snake will not make a wheezing or whistling sound when it is all okay. Whenever you hear some whistling sound, however mild it may be, then you can be sure that there is some respiratory problem occurring with the ball python.
What to do when the ball python is breathing heavily?
Respiratory problem is one of the prior causes of heavy breathing. When you see the snake is breathing with some force or facing a problem to breathe, or some rasp sound is emitting at the time of its breathing, check its husbandry. The improper heating and lighting sometimes are the cause of various illnesses, respiratory ones being the primary.
Taking extra care of the ball python is what you should do. Make sure that it is eating properly. If you find that the food intake has decreased and is continuing so for some days, you must take the ball python to the vet. Eating less will make it weaker and thus it will be more prone to sicknesses due to failing immunity.
Can the ball python wheeze without any mucus?
The most common cause of wheezing sound uttering by the ball python is a respiratory infection.
The sound that can be heard when it breathes shows that there is something wrong with the windpipe or lungs. Respiratory infections can be caused by several causes.
Respiratory infection
The bacterial infection is one such cause that may impel the ball python to make a wheezing sound. This situation can only be handled by a veterinarian. So you should take the ball python for a vet visit.
An upper respiratory infection has more than one symptom. It causes wheezing, heavy breathing as well as discharges from the mouth and nose. The cause of such respiratory problem can be fungal or bacterial. But in many cases, the problem will be much serious. This problem is contagious too, and if you keep other reptiles along with the ball python or let the python roam inside the house, it may infect other pets too.
Cause: The respiratory infections are caused when the ball python is stressed for some reason. Also when they are not eating properly and their immunity is deteriorating, and then the respiratory problem can arise.
Parasitic infection
When the breathing passage of the ball python is infected by parasites, the wheezing sound comes out. Rhabdias is one such parasite that affects the ball pythons. Also, there can be infections from Pentastomids. These parasites live within the respiratory tract and make the breathing process of the snake uneasy.
Cause: This parasite can affect the snake from other pets or from humans. You should take extra precaution when the vet diagnoses the snake with this parasite, keep the snake in complete quarantine and medicate it until it gets cured.
Time of shedding
At the time of shedding, the snakes get prone to wheezing. Not all snakes do the same, but this has been seen as a common ailment among them. This is not a medical issue, but they make this wheezing sound frequently once they are about to shed. After the shedding is completed they stop making such sound. But if you find it wheezing even after the shedding is over, then taking it to the vet is suggested.
How the veterinarian will help your ball python?
When you are finding the ball python wheezing a lot, you need to make an appointment with the veterinarian. The vet will check the ball python and also its nasal and throat part will be examined. The discharge from the nose and throat also will be cultured.
Sometimes the blood sample is also taken which will be examined to make sure that there is no lack of nutrients in its food. The husbandry will be checked and also if any parasite is causing the problem, it will be identified and proper medication will be given.
Some suggestions regarding its husbandry will be provided. Like the temperature level of its tank, the kind of substrate ideal for it and the time and frequency of meal will be advised by the vet, if he or she thinks that the environment is causing some trouble to the creature.
How to treat the ball python when it is getting infected?
You can increase the amount of heat and also the hours of heating should be increased. This way the mucus within its respiratory organs will dry itself. You can lower the humidity if your vet suggests so. The extra humidity will not be needed as the snake is actually suffering from the moisture that has got within it.
Do not use any medicine without the vet’s suggestion.
Conclusion:
Sometimes ball pythons sneeze or wheeze after they are soaked into the water or drank water. This time their nostrils get choked with water or some water goes inside their nasal pipes. If they are wheezing only for a few minutes or an hour and then this problem subsides, then you can be sure that there is no medical emergency. Whenever the water will pass through the passage, they will start breathing normally.
More:
Ball Python Humidity: A Complete Guide
