VERY ALARMED by post-feeding behavior

Just fed Lucy and it went great. Medium f/t rat thawed in hot water. Missed on the first strike, which seems to be a pattern, but then she ripped the rat right out of the tongs. All was good until just after she got it down.

At first she yawned a few times, then she was just kind of "smacking her lips", opening and closing her mouth just a bit. Not too strange. Then she opened it wider and starting wiggling her jaw like a seesaw. Then she started sniffing at her body and rubbing her nose on it. Okay, I thought, maybe it still smells like rat from when she was death gripping it.

And then she was normal, until a minute later she turn her head and neck UPSIDEDOWN and started slithering around like that for maybe half a foot.

After that she started rubbing her nose and jaw against her hides and half log, with pretty decent pressure. At one point she raised her head, gave a short hiss, then a minute later did another one and gave another yawn. After a few minutes it became less frequent, and then seemed to stop all together.

I am FREAKING OUT.

My only guesses are that she got substrate somewhere in her face from bodyslamming the rat when she snatched it or she is having trouble with her jaw. I think I saw some substrate in her mouth when she was yawning and smacking, sort of behind her lip. I know there's nothing in the heat pits because she got close enough to the glass for me to get a good look. Nostrils are questionable because they are so dark, but she isn't rubbing the top of her nose, just the front and sides.

Sorry for the long post but I am terrified something is wrong. I have videos if that would help.

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Just a guess, maybe she's trying to pop her jaw back in the socket

My corn has done similar things every once in a while (not sure if exactly the same) trying to get his jaw back in.

My BP might as well, but she is very shy and I rarely watch her eat, even if she lets me, which she usually doesn't.

Take a deep breath and advise soon. If it's just a jaw issue/reconnecting jaw it should clear up ASAP.

Again, just a thought. Not 100% sure from what you said.

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Originally Posted by c0r3yr0s3

Just a guess, maybe she's trying to pop her jaw back in the socket

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Yeah, agreed. Great minds think alike.

I was really hoping that, and it did look a little droopy on one one side. Just not sure why she's pressing on her snoot instead of the jaw itself.

What really terrified me is when she went upside down. The rest was odd, but that was downright insane. I almost thought she had been possessed and I don't even believe in possession.

I am I general a very antsy new snommy. [emoji21]

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Again, if videos would help I have them.

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100% normal since it sounds like the behaviors they do when they get substrate or something stuck in their mouth. They rub their lips and noses this way and that, on everything, even sideways and upside down sometimes. They get very frustrated about a little piece of substrate in their mouth. No worries!

this sounds like totally normal behavior. [emoji4]

Well, pardon me while I take a few deep breaths and feel slightly silly for panicking.

Hopefully this teaches her not to go all Randy Savage on her dinner!

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My pastel enchi just got some substrate in her mouth just about an hour ago while feeding, I’m kinda nervous cause it was forest floor that she got but she’s acting normal....just keep an eye out. Resetting their jaw is totally normal. I’ve never actually seen mine do it in the almost two years of keep my beeps


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Originally Posted by Aerries

My pastel enchi just got some substrate in her mouth just about an hour ago while feeding, I’m kinda nervous cause it was forest floor that she got but she’s acting normal....just keep an eye out. Resetting their jaw is totally normal. I’ve never actually seen mine do it in the almost two years of keep my beeps


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These snakes always solve their issue by themselves without problem. I used to intervene since I was worried, but later realized they are resilient creatures and know what they're doing when it comes to "unwanted stuff in their mouths" being belly crawling animals after all LOL. Even if they do ingest some, it's easily digestible as long as your husbandry is correct/the snake is healthy.

I would be freaking out too! Glad other people say it's normal.

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Originally Posted by Lirenn

Well, pardon me while I take a few deep breaths and feel slightly silly for panicking.

Hopefully this teaches her not to go all Randy Savage on her dinner!

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Take a few breaths, it's okay!

We all have moments of panic at some point. No judgement!

Keep an eye on her and make sure she is not repeating the behavior the next few days. However, let her digest and do not handle her unless it's a total emergency, for at least 24 hours! You don't want her to regurgitate.

I think everything will be fine, or worst case, easy to deal with, if it is stuck substrate, etc.

What substrate are you using?

As an aside, and if I misunderstood, please forgive me, but generally good to defrost the rat in room temp/slightly warmed water for a couple hours. Then drop in hot water right before feeding for 30 seconds or so (not boiling water, just tap hot). Then dry and feed. You want the rat to be raw, but defrosted, hot water over time can cook the rat, which can lead to refusal, and is also not great for the snake.

A dry rodent is less likely to pick up substrate as well.

Finally, she will likely not learn her lesson. However, I would be happy she is such a good and aggressive eater!

Good luck and we are here to help!

Now that that's over, you should take the video and make one of those lip sync videos with it.

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Originally Posted by c0r3yr0s3

Now that that's over, you should take the video and make one of those lip sync videos with it.

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This will be my last post of the night because my sleeping meds are kicking in and I can't be held responsible from this point on... goodnight everyone

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Originally Posted by dakski

Take a few breaths, it's okay!

We all have moments of panic at some point. No judgement!

Keep an eye on her and make sure she is not repeating the behavior the next few days. However, let her digest and do not handle her unless it's a total emergency, for at least 24 hours! You don't want her to regurgitate.

I think everything will be fine, or worst case, easy to deal with, if it is stuck substrate, etc.

What substrate are you using?

As an aside, and if I misunderstood, please forgive me, but generally good to defrost the rat in room temp/slightly warmed water for a couple hours. Then drop in hot water right before feeding for 30 seconds or so (not boiling water, just tap hot). Then dry and feed. You want the rat to be raw, but defrosted, hot water over time can cook the rat, which can lead to refusal, and is also not great for the snake.

A dry rodent is less likely to pick up substrate as well.

Finally, she will likely not learn her lesson. However, I would be happy she is such a good and aggressive eater!

Good luck and we are here to help!

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I put it in hot water because it cools down pretty fast in our sink, so hopefully no cooking! But next time I might try warm. I do put it in hot water again just before feeding. The rat was a little damp for some reason, probably a small hole in the bag. I had one rat that got completely soaked because of holes in the packaging.

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Originally Posted by c0r3yr0s3

This will be my last post of the night because my sleeping meds are kicking in and I can't be held responsible from this point on... goodnight everyone

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Brilliant idea on the video. G'night.

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Oh, and I use coconut fiber substrate.

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Originally Posted by Lirenn

I put it in hot water because it cools down pretty fast in our sink, so hopefully no cooking! But next time I might try warm. I do put it in hot water again just before feeding. The rat was a little damp for some reason, probably a small hole in the bag. I had one rat that got completely soaked because of holes in the packaging.

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Okay, that sounds good. The hot water for 30 seconds or so really warms up the rat to get BP's heat pits excited! Even if it is defrosted and at room temp, no problem. Some people use a hairdryer, but I do not think it does as uniform job.

You can dry a wet rat with just paper towels.

Does not hurt anything for the rat to get wet when defrosting.

The snakes seem to prefer a drier rat, but many do not care. The bigger issue, as addressed, is a wet rat can get substrate stuck to it.

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Originally Posted by Lirenn

Oh, and I use coconut fiber substrate.

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That works. Some can be dusty, so be careful with that. Otherwise, no problem.

I'll let others chime in because I use paper substrate for cleanliness and ease and have enclosed Boaphile tanks (so humidity stays in fine).

However, if a BP can digest a whole rat, I don't think a little coconut substrate will hurt them.

It could annoy them if stuck in their mouth, but it sounds like it was just a jaw issue.

You are a new keeper, right? Sounds like you are doing a really good job and care about your BP! Great work!

We got her December 10th and love her to bits!

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Originally Posted by Lirenn

We got her December 10th and love her to bits!

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Just checking in, but assuming all is well. Either way, we are always here to help.

BP's are great animals to keep! They are awesome in so many ways (especially if they like to eat like yours does). Glad you love your new addition.

Keep up the good work and you and she will be happy for a long time!

The rubbing and upside down behavior does indicate discomfort, however. What's causing the discomfort, I'm not sure. I've never had a snake act that desperate just from having substrate in their mouth, but each individual will act differently. Has everything been normal since this happened? Keep an eye out and see if the poop is normal-looking, and everything.

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Originally Posted by c0r3yr0s3

Just a guess, maybe she's trying to pop her jaw back in the socket

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They don't dislocate their jaws, so they wouldn't be popping it back into the socket. The jaws are connected via a ligament that stretches to accommodate food, when they yawn they aren't relocating their jaws, they're stretching those ligaments just like we do when we stretch our joints.

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Originally Posted by CloudtheBoa

They don't dislocate their jaws, so they wouldn't be popping it back into the socket. The jaws are connected via a ligament that stretches to accommodate food, when they yawn they aren't relocating their jaws, they're stretching those ligaments just like we do when we stretch our joints.

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You are correct. That's basically what I was saying just in a very lazy and not medically accurate way. That's why I stopped posting shortly afterwards. The sleeping meds were starting to make me answer in an ignorant fashion and they hadn't kicked in to full effect yet. I also felt bad when I read it this morning because I just jumped to a conclusion like a know it all (insert embarrassed emoji)

I haven't seen anything else unusual from her so far, thank goodness! She appears to be happily digesting now.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by c0r3yr0s3

You are correct. That's basically what I was saying just in a very lazy and not medically accurate way. That's why I stopped posting shortly afterwards. The sleeping meds were starting to make me answer in an ignorant fashion and they hadn't kicked in to full effect yet. I also felt bad when I read it this morning because I just jumped to a conclusion like a know it all (insert embarrassed emoji)

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I know the feeling. XD I often get insomnia, and that really screws up your thought processes. >.>

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Originally Posted by Lirenn

I haven't seen anything else unusual from her so far, thank goodness! She appears to be happily digesting now.

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Very good! She was likely just feeling uncomfortable and trying to dislodge or fix something, it can be alarming to see it, but isn't always indicative of an issue. :)