i need snake help!

[schelmischekitty]

ok, so the cold has gone away in our boy.  well, late last night i noticed that his nostrils are covered.  the problem is that i'm not sure if it's because he's on the verge of shedding, or if it's another problem.  it's clear, you can see it's not "mucusy."  his eyes and scales are starting to show the beginning of a shed, and you can tell it's not that he's sickly.  he's feeling good because he snatched a rat out of hubby's hand today before he got it half way in his feeding tank, with no hesitation and ate it nicely.  his heat is steady, he's got some humidity but not overly, and is acting happy except that he's breathing out his mouth.  should i try to clean up his nostrils, or just let him be?  thanks in advance!

[angelsmama]

ok... for starters , any bubbling around his mouth?

[schelmischekitty]

none, no freaky drainage, nothing weird looking about his mouth or his nose.  just looks like a scale is over each nostril 

[angelsmama]

hmmm... well ive never really bothered hydra in his shed process so it may just be him getting ready to shed,  since when they shed there is skin  at each nostril..

[Care2Adopt]

sounds like nose caps- dead skin covering the nostrils waiting to be shed- normal process in shedding. You can help him by taking a warm wet cloth and gently massaging his nostrils, and then just as gently grasp the cap and lift them out of his nostrils (it will come out looking like a plug)

I'd also caution against an URI but if hes eating and moving around that well then I wouldnt worry to much about it.

[angelsmama]

sounds like nose caps- dead skin covering the nostrils waiting to be shed- normal process in shedding. You can help him by taking a warm wet cloth and gently massaging his nostrils, and then just as gently grasp the cap and lift them out of his nostrils (it will come out looking like a plug)

I'd also caution against an URI but if hes eating and moving around that well then I wouldnt worry to much about it.

may be what it is,  like i said i try not to bother hydra much in his shed process, i just change the lid to his tank and mist the inside of his tank a couple times a day  when he's in his shed process and only hold him if i absolutely have to..

and yeah, i was thinking URI at first but he ate fine so i didnt give it much thought...

[schelmischekitty]

thanks for the help!  i told hubby i wanted to see if i could help him clear his nose out, but wasn't sure if i should.  the boy is definately active.  when we went to feed him i could tell he was hungry b/c every time he saw something against his cage he started licking the glass.  he's moving around a lot, changing sides every few hours, and whenever i lift the lid he tries to climb up on me.  he's gotten VERY affectionate.  should i mist him still if he doesn't want to be around water?  he'll go and drink, but other than that he doesn't want to be bothered with it and seems to get aggravated if i don't give him a choice.  usually he's always in his water bowl, or wrapped around it, but since he's started shedding, he's avoiding it like the plague  thanks for both of your help!