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Concerned about Northern

Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:27 pm
by Bluish
I have a female Northern that I acquired about 6 weeks ago. She's eating like a champ and doing well. She's in a 4x2 cage with hot spot of 95-100 and the cool side is in the mid to high 70's. About once a day she does this weird sort of cough like she's trying to cough up a furball. She's on aspen and i feed her from a dish so she can't ingest shavings and I haven't seen her eating any. I've read they do this sort of cough if they've ingested something that they're trying to expel.
Another thing she's become very restless recently and will pace around quite a bit. Perhaps she's preparing for brumation. Any ideas?

Re: Concerned about Northern

Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:40 pm
by Richard.C
When preparing for brumation they dont get restless,they get lethargic,without seeing what your northerns doing its hard to say exactly,is it like a sneeze sort of thing,that can be quite normal,especially if substrate is on the dusty side,if shes eating well odds are shes fine,but keep a close on on her just to be safe

Re: Concerned about Northern

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 3:44 am
by Bluish
Thanks Richard!
It's a cough not a sneeze. She sneezes as well even though I'm using "premium" aspen that's apparently very low dust.
It's like she's trying to expel something from her lungs or stomach. She seems to do it once a day. Great appetite and breathing normally :noknow: She does it for a few seconds and gets on with her day. I just want to nip a potential problem in the bud.
As for the restless I know they slow down but was wondering if she's looking for a cooler spot. I've seen that with some boids. Sometimes they roam until they find a cool spot, often much cooler than would be expected.

Re: Concerned about Northern

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 3:15 pm
by Linnea
Sneezing itself is normal. they dig with their heads right into whatever substrate there is, no way they dont need to clear their noses several times daily if theyre active or after having their head in the food.

i will not say anything about the coughing, im afraid its over my ability to help with.