Any tips for opening mouths?

As some of you may know I have been treating my little enchi for a minor RI. He recently finished his antibiotic treatment, but it's such a pain to open his mouth to check on him. He's really strong for only being 500g. I have to check him alone so I have no one to hold his lower body. He struggles like crazy when I try to open his mouth. I can do it but it's a pain and I can't imagine having to do this with any of my larger snakes.

Are there any tricks I can use to open is mouth? What I've been doing is grabbing his head with my left hand and trying to use my arm to pin him to my body while I try to open his mouth with a Q-Tip. He struggles so much I'm afraid I'm going to hurt him. :(

I have a Ball whose exactly like that. He hates his head being grabbed. Getting a secure grip on both sides of the head may just be enough, but you can also check for bubbles by pulling down the bottom lip on both sides of the mouth. Basically checking the gum area; bubbles will show on the sides of the mouth if he's still got an RI.

Since you finished the medication he may be in the clear and bubbles may not show by checking that way.

Also glad he finished up the medication :). It's truly a good feeling once that's out of the way.

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Originally Posted by Kinra

As some of you may know I have been treating my little enchi for a minor RI. He recently finished his antibiotic treatment, but it's such a pain to open his mouth to check on him. He's really strong for only being 500g. I have to check him alone so I have no one to hold his lower body. He struggles like crazy when I try to open his mouth. I can do it but it's a pain and I can't imagine having to do this with any of my larger snakes.

Are there any tricks I can use to open is mouth? What I've been doing is grabbing his head with my left hand and trying to use my arm to pin him to my body while I try to open his mouth with a Q-Tip. He struggles so much I'm afraid I'm going to hurt him. :(

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Hold the back of his head with your thumb and forefinger, thumb on the top of the head, finger wrapped around the bottom jaw. (I'll try to find a picture for you.)

I recommend using either a flexible index card, credit card, or rubber spatula to get the mouth open; all of these things are flexible enough to avoid breaking any teeth but are sturdy enough so you can pry the mouth open. Slide whatever you choose under his lip in the front, then maneuver it to each side of his mouth, prying it gently between his teeth then forcing his mouth open. Use the card/spatula to hold up his top jaw, giving you a clear view of his trachea and esophagus.

It really is a pain, though; I totally feel for you! Ball pythons are so slippery to hang onto. For daily checking, you can always simply hang onto his head and peel back a lip with your finger; even with minor RI's you can usually see gum bubbles without having to open the jaw completely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK0Uvln4lY0
Found this video useful and also I like to use my boyfriend's help. The extra set of hands is helpful.

Here's a picture of me holding my boa's head in order to extract a tooth that was embedded in her lip. Then I used my other hand to gently wedge a business card between her teeth and lift her top jaw up.
http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/k...a/DSC02201.jpg

if you have to, sit on the couch/bed/a chair and clench most of your snakes body between your legs. use one hand to do what others have said (thumb on top of head, index finger on bottom) and pry the mouth open with a rubber spatula.

i don't recommend doing this all the time, as it stresses your snake right out, but do what you gotta do.

I've both had my gf control their bodies (cause most all of them will barrel roll once you grab their heads), and used my legs while seated in a chair to control the body.

They settle and stop moving once you have their mouths open right? Just try to be fast to get your fingers in position to open its mouth to limit the amount they struggle, seems better for the snake as far as stress goes that way.

Thanks everyone for your advice.

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Originally Posted by CoolioTiffany

I have a Ball whose exactly like that. He hates his head being grabbed. Getting a secure grip on both sides of the head may just be enough, but you can also check for bubbles by pulling down the bottom lip on both sides of the mouth. Basically checking the gum area; bubbles will show on the sides of the mouth if he's still got an RI.

Since you finished the medication he may be in the clear and bubbles may not show by checking that way.

Also glad he finished up the medication :). It's truly a good feeling once that's out of the way.

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His RI was so minor to begin with that I only saw bubbles when he went on a 10 minute hissy fit or if I opened his mouth. Checking his gums doesn't work in this case. :(

It does feel good that his meds are finished though. He really hates getting injections. :P

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Originally Posted by Crazy4Herps

Hold the back of his head with your thumb and forefinger, thumb on the top of the head, finger wrapped around the bottom jaw. (I'll try to find a picture for you.)

I recommend using either a flexible index card, credit card, or rubber spatula to get the mouth open; all of these things are flexible enough to avoid breaking any teeth but are sturdy enough so you can pry the mouth open. Slide whatever you choose under his lip in the front, then maneuver it to each side of his mouth, prying it gently between his teeth then forcing his mouth open. Use the card/spatula to hold up his top jaw, giving you a clear view of his trachea and esophagus.

It really is a pain, though; I totally feel for you! Ball pythons are so slippery to hang onto. For daily checking, you can always simply hang onto his head and peel back a lip with your finger; even with minor RI's you can usually see gum bubbles without having to open the jaw completely.

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I don't have any problem getting his mouth open with a Q-Tip. He did lose a tooth the first time I did it, but he hasn't lost any since. Controlling his head is the easy part, controlling the rest of his body is not.

For random checks I will pull their gums down, but I wanted to see how he was doing now that his meds are done.

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Originally Posted by babyknees

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK0Uvln4lY0
Found this video useful and also I like to use my boyfriend's help. The extra set of hands is helpful.

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I've seen this video, but their snakes are much easier to work with than mine. He doesn't stop trashing at any point. >_<

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Originally Posted by SquamishSerpents

if you have to, sit on the couch/bed/a chair and clench most of your snakes body between your legs. use one hand to do what others have said (thumb on top of head, index finger on bottom) and pry the mouth open with a rubber spatula.

i don't recommend doing this all the time, as it stresses your snake right out, but do what you gotta do.

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I hadn't thought of sitting down to do this, that might work.

I don't open mouths often, but I wanted to be able to call my vet with an update so I needed to see in his mouth.

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Originally Posted by devildog_dk

I've both had my gf control their bodies (cause most all of them will barrel roll once you grab their heads), and used my legs while seated in a chair to control the body.

They settle and stop moving once you have their mouths open right? Just try to be fast to get your fingers in position to open its mouth to limit the amount they struggle, seems better for the snake as far as stress goes that way.

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Mine doesn't stop once you get his mouth open, if anything he fights harder. He's what I call my extremely unfriendly snake. If he's not hissing at me then he's probably waiting for me to get close enough so he can bite me. :P

That fact that he was getting an injection every 3 days just made his personality so much worse too. >__<