are Snakes really silent?

[moshirimon]

On the internet there is alot about people's snakes with RI's making sounds (clicking, whistling, wheezing, sneezing). Over the years this has led me to become very paranoid when any of my snakes make even slightest noise. There have been 5 cases where i thought a snake had an RI but ended up being healthy.

Couple examples are when I used to have a big 9 foot boa, and she would always have a whistling sound to her breathing. No RI just the way she was. before and after shed. i got her checked out and i couldn't figure out what it was (maybe nose rub damage from before, or damage from live food etc..) I also had a bp who would kind of squeek the odd time especially at night. and now my retic makes these tiny breaths with the tiniest bit of squeek in them, but he has no RI, i've had him checked and everything he is perfectly healthy. (and by the way gotten alot bigger. will post pics sooon)
:confused:
There seems to be a difference betweenthe sounds these make ^ and snakes who actually have RIs.
:confused:
But is a healthy snake really absoloutley silent? Ive spoken to many people about this. Some tell me YES. a snake who squeeks or breaths loudly is not ok. Some tell me that snakes are different, and some are just more noisy at breathing, especially boas and pythons. The larger the louder.

I noticed it happens more in LARGE species. I'm staring to think some snakes are more quiet than others when it comes to breathing. I want to hear what YOU guys have to say about this, and what your experience is. Am i a little too paranoid? :freakedout:

[Snakefood]

all of my snakes breathing (I have corns and BP's) is totally silent except for when one of my guys DID have an RI.

Silent though?? NOT!!! they can be darned loud when re-aranging thier vivs LOL

[Lankyrob]

All my snakes make their own individual noises, whether it is heavy breathing, sneezing, hissing etc. the trick is to learn what YOUR snakes do and to know when that noise changes into something that needs investigating :)

[moshirimon]

All my snakes make their own individual noises, whether it is heavy breathing, sneezing, hissing etc. the trick is to learn what YOUR snakes do and to know when that noise changes into something that needs investigating :)

Awesome that's a releif.:D

[mykee]

All 175 of my snakes breathe silently. Any noise from thier breathing and they get quarantined immediately. Better safe than sorry.

[Gungirl]

I have never heard any of my snakes breath unless I startled them and they huff at me. Normal breathing should not be noisy.

[Caylan]

All 175 of my snakes breathe silently. Any noise from thier breathing and they get quarantined immediately. Better safe than sorry.

How many different spiecies is that though? I can say my bloods and balls are silent, but my not all snakes are. I suggest to the OP to look up an article by Dave and Tracy Barker about Vocal Hissing in snakes, especially carpets, retics and white lipped pythons. I only know of one ball python who is slightly vocal, but not because he's a happy camper :D

[moshirimon]

That's good to hear caylan. Yes I've only ever owned one ball and he happened to do it lol. Do you think you could post a link to the article? Would be greatly appreciated :)

[snake man12]

My bp made some pops after dipping her head in the bath water, but I think that was just water coming out her nose

[moshirimon]

My bp made some pops after dipping her head in the bath water, but I think that was just water coming out her nose

Yea that's different. But I know what you mean it happens to my boa after a bath too :p

[jaleely]

I have an adult BP we got last year that sneezes before he sheds. a LOT *lol* He's over 4.25 feet.
I have an adult who has a closed up nostril (tissue damage) and breathes VERY loudly, and when he gets upset will even drool because he's huffing so much (no RI at all). He's 4 feet.
I have taken my baby carpet python to the vet, and it turns out it was just a piece of stuck shed in her nostril. HOWEVER she also makes noises when she gets very upset (upset enough to bite or poop lol) She's still young but over three feet long.

I have only one other snake, a third BP that makes noises sometimes. I am worried about him, actually, because i changed him to a set up that has more humidity allowed...he was making some wheezing noises the other day...but at the same time he was also very upset. lol
I'm keeping an eye on him! He's probably an adult...he's almost 4 feet.
I haven't had anything new introduced into the herd in a long time, that hasn't been quarantined for months and months, so it's hard for me to think there is something, but i still worry!!

All my other critters are pretty small, so if they do make noises, haven't noticed!

[alessia55]

Mine never make any sounds whatsoever. Silent as can be :)

[GarterPython]

My snake makes no noise at all. My Gecko likes to hiss at me a lot. I will get him out of his cage and he will be hissing at me a lot. He is the sweetest thing in the world and would not bite anyone unless they did something to piss him off. Plus I am not afraid of his bite, anyway my snake= no noise but my gecko= a lot of hissing.

[Lankyrob]

Just an observation question - of those of you who have "silent" snakes, where are they based? All ours are in our living room and we are also in that room for upto 20 hours some days, i am just wondering if you are not "exposed" to the snakes constantly you may be missing their noisy times :)

[jaleely]

That's a really good point Rob! When my snakes were in the living room i heard all kinds of things. I rarely hear things now that i only see them all once a day!

[Lankyrob]

Yeah, i am not saying that mine are CONSTANTLY making noise but being with them for so manny hours every day you do tennd to pick up on the noises they do make :)

[Will0W783]

My ball python, and the other balls I've kept over the years, were and are all silent. No noises to their breathing at all.

My carpet pythons are another story however...they make short, "chuffing" hisses when they are out and about. It's very different from an aggressive or defensive hiss...these are more like loud, sharp exhales. They do it when food is near, when they are being handled, whenever they are stimulated or excited.

My retics are also loud breathers.

My cobra is very vocal. Cobras have a sharp, very loud hiss that is their defensive, "Hey I'm here and I'm bad!" noise. Shelby also snuffs, huffs, and chuffs when he is moving about in his cage. When I give him things to play with, like pieces of rock, or cat toy balls, or bone or moss, he makes lots of little huffing/chuffing noises as he pushes them around his cage.

So I think how silent a snake is has a lot to do with what species it is.

[moshirimon]

Yea like i said i've only had 1 ball python ever, and he just happened to make the lowest squeek only some nights. And the "CUFFS" is exactly acurate for the sound i hear with my Retic. Especially during feeding and handling, i can't think of a better way to explain it.

[Coffee Black]

My coastal female chuffs/wheezes when handled. Just when handled. Always has. No RI and I've had her checked twice.