Did my boa break his jaw?

[SnakeAngel]

Hey guys,

I am super concerned. Due to losing my job and my husband and I separating, I had to sell all of my snakes... funny enough, the reason is because since the loss of my job, if anything were to happen, I couldn't afford vet care. Well, this guy is the only one I have left and now, not only could I not sell him, I cannot afford to get him to a vet!

Last night it was his feeding day. After giving him a medium rat, I left him to do his thing. After a few minutes, like I do with every feeding day, I went to check on him to make sure he ate successfully. He did, and as I started to move away, he rammed at me through the glass! He has only ever done that to me once, but like over a year ago when he was much smaller. This time, it looks like it did some damage. At first it looked more like he just needed to correct his jaw. So to make sure he didn't ram the glass again, I left him alone. This morning his jaw was still the same, but still not wanting to handle him, I waited. This evening I pulled him out to get a good look. Really I thought that maybe his tooth was snagged on his lip, so using a chop stick I opened his mouth. His mouth fully opened with his jaw still damaged.

What really sucks is I was selling him for this very reason! I cannot afford a vet! I do not know where to turn for help. I live in Alberta Canada. Is his jaw broken? Will it fix itself? And what about eating? Do I feed him come next feeding day if his jaw still looks this way?

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[AerialArtist]

I've see this before after feeding and they are usually able to correct it themselves. It looks like he gave himself a good walloping, so perhaps it will just take a bit longer. Where are you in Alberta?

[bcr229]

Ouch. I think you're right and it's broken. Is there a reptile rescue near you?

[AbsoluteApril]

It looks a lot like my boa that hit her plexi so hard, the lip of her bottom jaw got one of her teeth through it, it was folded up into her mouth and I could see her tooth sticking through it. My BF was able to pull the lip up and over the curved tooth but it was not easy. Are you sure when you opened the mouth that is not what is going on?
I agree a reptile rescue might be the best avenue to try to get some help.
Good luck to you both!! (you and the boa)

[KMG]

Are you sure you checked the bottom jaw well enough to make sure the bottom lip is not snagged on a tooth? You may want to check with your hands and not the chop stick so you can manipulate the lip and jaw better.

My GTP did something similar once and caught his lip with his tooth. It looked very similar. Nothing was wrong and I was able to get it unstuck by hand.

Better pics may help. A good view point may be from under the snakes head too. You need more light so we get less blurriness.

If it is broken I do not believe feeding on the next schedule day is a good idea.