Yawning - is it ever normal?

Other than after feeding is it ever normal for a BP to yawn? How much yawning would be considered "excessive"? I know that yawning is a symptom of RI and after treating one of my snakes for an RI I'm hyper paranoid about possible RI symptoms. So...is yawning ever normal?

Java does it sometimes when he's out. I never see him do it more than twice an hour or so. Definitely normal though, there's pictures and videos from just about everyone. :)

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Yup, it's normal. Mine does it sometimes, usually right after she comes out of her hide to explore at night, although I have seen her do it at other times as well. Yawning isn't the only symptom of a RI, and I think the only time I'd be concerned if you were also hearing wheezing along with it. I'm not really sure what "excessive" yawning would be, but I imagine it would be several of them right after the other, and more than just once or twice a night. But most yawning has nothing to do with them being sick :)

I hope it's normal, because I usually witness a yawn a day! I assume they're all yawning up a storm when I'm not even looking.

my theory on yawning after eating is it's to help re-align their jaw.

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Originally Posted by Alex.B

my theory on yawning after eating is it's to help re-align their jaw.

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That's why I thought they did it after eating. Why do they do it the rest of the time though?

One of mine actually does yawn fairly often even when it hasn't eaten in a while. No idea why, but its pretty normal I guess.
I've read somewhere most snakes would realign their jaws in that way but some species including BP's yawn at other times too, but no reason why.
and I like it that my BP does it since it allows me to check for mucus or any other signs of RI when it does. I feel you have nothing to worry about, but then again I'm probably one of the least experienced around here

Does anyone know if they truly yawn or not? I was about to post a thread about this today because I was so curious. My girl and boy both do this at least once each time I take them out. Also after they eat. I seldom see the colubrids do this, although I have once or twice.

I know yawning has something to do with needing more oxygen in mammals. Snakes do require oxygen, so maybe it's dual-purpose. It's so darn cute though! :snake:

I forget how it got into my head, but at some point I either read or was told that when not re-aligning their jaws yawning is just another way for them to get a taste of the environment.

Could it be like stretching? They are opportunists, could be just their way of staying prepared for any possible prey! Just a thought. I usually see Maru yawn a little after we have gotten him out to handle and he settles down a bit. Not too often, but it happens enough that it's normal to see. Never am fast enough with the camera though!

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Originally Posted by SpiffyYoshi

I know yawning has something to do with needing more oxygen in mammals. Snakes do require oxygen, so maybe it's dual-purpose. It's so darn cute though! :snake:

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Yes, it certainly is adorable! My lesser came out of her hide the other day, and gave this looooong wide yawn... I just about died of cuteness overload. :D So yeah, I guess it is normal for them to do occasionally - since I'm 99.9% sure my snakes don't have RIs, and have seen most of them yawn at least once.

I thought something was wrong with my BP because of yawning. It would yawn sometimes in the evening just coming out of hide, sometimes before catching prey and always after eating. By reading this thread, look like my BP is normal.

Yawning is not a symptom of a RI. Yawning is normal. Open mouth breathing on the other hand is a symptom of a RI.

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Originally Posted by m00kfu

I forget how it got into my head, but at some point I either read or was told that when not re-aligning their jaws yawning is just another way for them to get a taste of the environment.

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I have heard this as well but I don't know if it's true at all.

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Originally Posted by babyknees

I have heard this as well but I don't know if it's true at all.

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Since BP's can smell both with their tongue and by breathing through their nose and since BP's do not have taste buds I don't think they would get any kind of enhanced sense of anything by opening their mouth.

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Originally Posted by Agent73

Since BP's can smell both with their tongue and by breathing through their nose and since BP's do not have taste buds I don't think they would get any kind of enhanced sense of anything by opening their mouth.

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The Jacobson's organ, which is what they actually use to smell, is located on the roof of the mouth. It makes sense to me that by drawing a larger portion of air through the mouth could give them a little better sense of what might be in the air.

Are they drawing in air? I guess that would answer the yawning question. I'll have to see if they "inflate" when they do this.

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Originally Posted by SpiffyYoshi

Are they drawing in air? I guess that would answer the yawning question. I'll have to see if they "inflate" when they do this.

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I've not noticed a change in Java's breathing pattern when he does it.

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I had just read that not necessarily (Yawning) but opening there mouth was a RI symptom. I was concerned until i found this post. My new girl was yawning when she would get our of her hide at night and every now and then would open here mouth up. She dose not make any noise or anything and dose not do it all the time.

Anyway just thought this tread was very helpful and that any new snake owners may find it informative ;)

Not cool! Everytime (well, almost) I see the word 'yawn' or see pics of BPs yawning, I get all yawny, whether it be 1:00 PM, 6 PM, 4 AM... Doesn't matter...lol






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