Do snakes yawn?

[harper]

Random question, I realize, but I'm a new BP owner and I've seen Smaug yawn twice...or at least that's exactly what it looks like. It's adorable as anything, so I really hope it is just a yawn and not some sort of weird behavior I should be worried about. So...do snakes yawn?

[Kaorte]

Well yeah, I don't think they are actually yawning though. Usually they do it after a meal to realign their jaws.

Unless he is doing it constantly, its perfectly normal. Once or twice here and there, no big.

[StormSerpent]

Mine does whenever I change his enclosure or add something. He tends to do it while "exploring".

[BiggBaddWolf]

All the ones I have ever had do occasionally....

[DustinB]

Mine does every now and then when he comes out for the night or when I'm holding him. I always figured he was just stretching after being still for so long.

[JLC]

I don't know if they "yawn" for the same physiological reasons that we do...but they appear to. Excluding the need to realign their jaw after eating. they will just randomly "yawn" from time to time. Sometimes stress can cause it. Constant yawning or gaping jaws is a serious indicator of a respiratory infection.

[Brooke360]

Mine does whenever I change his enclosure or add something. He tends to do it while "exploring".

What they're doing is opening their mouth so that they can smell their surroundings more. It's the same curiosity that makes them stick out their tongue. Nothing weird about it.

[KMG]

Thread from the dead.

[Tarasaurus]

I just got my first bp last week Wednesday, and he yawned twice, while we were holding him the first 2 days. It kinda startled me at first, but it was so cute! Wish I could've had a camera ready