Ever had a tongueless snake?

I have a little sidewinder neonate (Crotalus cerastes) that in the 2 months I've owned him, has never ever once flicked out his tongue to smell. I've had to assist with feeding him pinkie heads before, and noticed that I didn't see the black tip of a tongue in his mouth either. Makes it difficult to try different scents on his food when he never smells it! haha. I'm starting to suspect it may have been a birth defect? Was just curious if anyone else has ever had a similar situation.

I can't get past the image of trying to assist feed a sidewinder. :O

That said, I've only heard of the phenomenon once or twice in all the years I've been doing this, so I'm no help at all. I imagine it's a lot trickier process to look inside the mouth of a sidewinder than it is to look inside a ball python's. :cool: But then again...you've already assist fed....... :weirdface

You're a braver man than me!! :D

I had a corn snake hatchling I got at the Raleigh reptile show that had the same issue, only you could just see the tip of his tongue. It was genetically too short. Unfortunately, he did not make it, but I did notify the breeder.

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Originally Posted by JLC

I can't get past the image of trying to assist feed a sidewinder. :O

That said, I've only heard of the phenomenon once or twice in all the years I've been doing this, so I'm no help at all. I imagine it's a lot trickier process to look inside the mouth of a sidewinder than it is to look inside a ball python's. :cool: But then again...you've already assist fed....... :weirdface

You're a braver man than me!! :D

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My thoughts exactly:O

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Originally Posted by JLC

I can't get past the image of trying to assist feed a sidewinder. :O

That said, I've only heard of the phenomenon once or twice in all the years I've been doing this, so I'm no help at all. I imagine it's a lot trickier process to look inside the mouth of a sidewinder than it is to look inside a ball python's. :cool: But then again...you've already assist fed....... :weirdface

You're a braver man than me!! :D

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Nice word choice there Queenie :rofl:

i heard of this in a dumerils boa and all i heard was that the persons friend owned it for a while then sold it off idk if it had any problems but i just couldnt imagine how it could get as big as it supposedly was i think around 3 or 4 feet maybe more i cant remember

I think I remember a while back, someone had a baby BP that they weren't sure if it had a tongue or not...

ok, found the link. It's post #6...

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ghlight=tongue

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JLC

I can't get past the image of trying to assist feed a sidewinder. :O

That said, I've only heard of the phenomenon once or twice in all the years I've been doing this, so I'm no help at all. I imagine it's a lot trickier process to look inside the mouth of a sidewinder than it is to look inside a ball python's. :cool: But then again...you've already assist fed....... :weirdface

You're a braver man than me!! :D

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It is a very delicate process of both safety to the snake at that size, and safety to myself. Weighed in at 4 grams when I got him.

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Originally Posted by anthonym

It is a very delicate process of both safety to the snake at that size, and safety to myself. Weighed in at 4 grams when I got him.

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That's a potent little worm!! :D I truly hope he finds his tongue! :yes:

I saw a Dumeril's boa that had some tissue (birth defect) blocking the tongue from being flicked at all. Our vet tried removing it surgically but it was unsuccessful. I wouldn't say the animal thrived, but it survived with the defect just fine. Just another possibilty

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JLC

I can't get past the image of trying to assist feed a sidewinder. :O

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You and me both... holy cow!

My vet has some baby pygmy rattlers. He had to anesthetize them and force feed them for the first feedings lol!

I have a ball python that has a crazy short tongue, and only one eye. She was born a twin and didn't fair so well in the egg. She is over a year old and is doing really well now. She used to need to assist feed but now she is taking on her own. She is still quite small but has in the last month started to pack on some weight. She was micro when she was born at about 13 gm She was only 98 gm 3 months ago but is now 133! She has over come her difficulties, and recognizes feeder mice (FT) it is interesting she bumps them backs up and strikes. Myself and a friend have a lot of work in her but she was so fiesty when first born that we figured she was fighting us maybe she would fight to live too and deserved the chance.