# Japanese rat snake occasional popping/clicking while in shed



## Alexm5 (5 mo ago)

So I have this 10-12 week old Japanese rat I’m quarantine that I’ve had for exactly 1 week and 5 days, everything has been fine (apart from her refusing her first meal with me, likely due to her going into shed) up untill today when I noticed her making these weird popping noises, however it was very infrequent and only lasted for like an hour. She is showing no other signs of an RI such as mucus or bubbles. Do you guys think it could be some dry skin around her nostrils as she’s quite deep in shed.
Her temps on heat gun are as followed: basking-28 warm end 26 cool end 22-24 and I drop the temps to 24 at night. Ambient temp is 25 and humidity is consistently 60-65%. She’s in a 3ft exo heated with an 80w Arcadia DHP controlled by a dimming habistat thermostat. 
just wanted to hear what you guys think before I book an appointment at the vet as I’m really confused how she could have gotten an RI (if that’s the case)
Thanks folks


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

Alexm5 said:


> So I have this 10-12 week old Japanese rat I’m jquarantine that I’ve had for exactly 1 week and 5 days, everything has been fine (apart from her refusing her first meal with me, likely due to her going into shed) up untill today when I noticed her making these weird popping noises, however it was very infrequent and only lasted for like an hour. She is showing no other signs of an RI such as mucus or bubbles. Do you guys think it could be some dry skin around her nostrils as she’s quite deep in shed.
> Her temps on heat gun are as followed: basking-28 warm end 26 cool end 22-24 and I drop the temps to 24 at night. Ambient temp is 25 and humidity is consistently 60-65%. She’s in a 3ft exo heated with an 80w Arcadia DHP controlled by a dimming habistat thermostat.
> just wanted to hear what you guys think before I book an appointment at the vet as I’m really confused how she could have gotten an RI (if that’s the case)
> Thanks folks


Some snakes and rat snakes in particular, behave as if they have an RI during shedding. Wait until she's finished shedding, and if the noises stop, you have nothing to worry about.


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## Alexm5 (5 mo ago)

wilkinss77 said:


> Some snakes and rat snakes in particular, behave as if they have an RI during shedding. Wait until she's finished shedding, and if the noises stop, you have nothing to worry about.


Okay will do, Thankyou for the response


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## LiasisUK (Sep 30, 2019)

wilkinss77 said:


> Some snakes and rat snakes in particular, behave as if they have an RI during shedding. Wait until she's finished shedding, and if the noises stop, you have nothing to worry about.


Seconded, many pythons do this also


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

LiasisUK said:


> Seconded, many pythons do this also


Some snakes even gape during pre-shed, I've had corns that do it.


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## LiasisUK (Sep 30, 2019)

Yes same, just sit their with their mouths open looking worryingly sick. 

I have a snake that gets mucousy in its mouth when its in shed and drools, first couple of times she did it when I had her I treated her for RIs, took me a while to realise it was just linked with shedding. She is originally WC and has an old scar on her nose that she arrived with, I think the injury has narrowed or possibly closed one or both nostrils which causes her issues when in shed.


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## MHopkins (Jun 22, 2021)

Our Royal gave us a real scare not so long ago, even posted a thread on here, I knew he was due to shed, and we had him out in front of the tv, he started gaping his mouth, making weird burping and crackling noises, rubbing his nose on me, panic, RI. Aaaaggghh. put him back in his viv to come up with a plan, checked him half hour later and he´d shed. The relief was off the charts.


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## Alexm5 (5 mo ago)

MHopkins said:


> Our Royal gave us a real scare not so long ago, even posted a thread on here, I knew he was due to shed, and we had him out in front of the tv, he started gaping his mouth, making weird burping and crackling noises, rubbing his nose on me, panic, RI. Aaaaggghh. put him back in his viv to come up with a plan, checked him half hour later and he´d shed. The relief was off the charts.


Yeah since I posted this she’s since given me a perfect shed no more signs of RI and is eating like a champ, but she sure did give me a real scare haha


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