Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 3,030

5 members and 3,025 guests
Most users ever online was 6,337, 01-24-2020 at 04:30 AM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,031
Threads: 248,490
Posts: 2,568,448
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, isismomma
Results 1 to 7 of 7
  1. #1
    Registered User timeakinga's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-08-2018
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked 71 Times in 30 Posts
    Images: 45

    BP hasn’t realigned jaw?

    I’m Okay at what point do I get concerned about an injury or something when a snake hasn’t realigned it’s jaw. So the snake this is with has been sick for awhile.. getting better after months of injections whatever. I’m waiting for his recheck bloodwork results from earlier this week. So he refused his last meal but I decided to feed live today since he normall is a taker for live. Sure enough was very enthusiastic-struck in his hide so I didn’t see what happened. Next thing I see 30 minutes later is the live rat now looks as wet as a thawed out frozen and he is holding his mouth somewhat open in a way that looks normal since normally they just yawn and realign. Am I worrying too much? He’s never regurgitated food before so that’s alerting but right now my question is the jaw?

    ** in a way that looks normal when they realign it but does not look normal to be continuously not adjusted. Idk how else to describe it

    he still flicks his tongue but was not a taker at all for me trying to open and look in his mouth

    seems a little better but his throat is definitely swollen from the regurgitation. Never had a snake regurgitate.

    and now I see online info that snakes shouldn’t be fed for 7-10 days after transport. That’s my fault.
    Last edited by timeakinga; 05-25-2019 at 12:09 AM.
    Mommy of 14
    Catch the fam on insta: @noooodlefam

  2. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-28-2018
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    20,183
    Thanks
    28,085
    Thanked 19,740 Times in 11,797 Posts
    Most of the time it's not necessary to wait 7-10 days after transport, so don't beat yourself up over that.

    Without seeing his jaw, it's hard to comment...but what happens sometimes is that a snake's jaw gets folded to where their teeth catch on their own mouth, folding
    part of it inward. You need to gently help with that, or take him to the vet to do it. Using something like a tongue depressor to help him open his mouth might take
    care of it, but again, I'm not seeing it. Bummer he regurgitated too, now you need to wait longer to feed him so his digestive enzymes have time to be replenished.

    May I suggest that you add reptile probiotics to his food also, when you do feed him again. Snakes that have been on injections for illness for a while often have a
    poor appetite, & assuming it's antibiotics, remember that kills off the good 'gut' bacteria along with all the bad bacteria, so that's another reason to not only add pro-
    biotics but also to feed MUCH smaller than his normal meal, in a few weeks. You need to go slower so he keeps it down & digests, not try to make up for lost meals-
    that just doesn't work.

    When did this injury happen with his jaw? tonight? It does need prompt attention (not overnight but asap).
    See if you can get him to drink water, that might help him straighten out his jaws. Dip his face into bowl of water or under low-running
    faucet stream.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 05-25-2019 at 12:23 AM.

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:

    timeakinga (05-25-2019)

  4. #3
    Registered User timeakinga's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-08-2018
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked 71 Times in 30 Posts
    Images: 45

    Re: BP hasn’t realigned jaw?

    I’ll try to post of photo of what it looked like initially and what it looks like now this all happened tonight so it hasn’t been too long. If you think based on the photo that I need to try to open it again I certainly will. I’ll give the water a shot in the meantime just Incase. He seems to have closed his mouth more not quite fully but almost back to normal. When do you normally recommend feeding that significantly smaller food item again after regurgitation? You are correct antibiotics and he also probably had lower energy due to the blood draw though? Not sure if that would also do it. Also great idea - is there a certain reptile pro biotic you recommend? If not I can still do my research! Thank you for the prompt and very helpful information
    Mommy of 14
    Catch the fam on insta: @noooodlefam

  5. #4
    Registered User timeakinga's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-08-2018
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked 71 Times in 30 Posts
    Images: 45

    Re: BP hasn’t realigned jaw?

    Okay so left earlier tonight and right is currently
    Mommy of 14
    Catch the fam on insta: @noooodlefam

  6. The Following User Says Thank You to timeakinga For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (05-25-2019)

  7. #5
    Bogertophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-28-2018
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    20,183
    Thanks
    28,085
    Thanked 19,740 Times in 11,797 Posts

    Re: BP hasn’t realigned jaw?

    Quote Originally Posted by timeakinga View Post
    I’ll try to post of photo of what it looked like initially and what it looks like now this all happened tonight so it hasn’t been too long. If you think based on the photo that I need to try to open it again I certainly will. I’ll give the water a shot in the meantime just Incase. He seems to have closed his mouth more not quite fully but almost back to normal. When do you normally recommend feeding that significantly smaller food item again after regurgitation? You are correct antibiotics and he also probably had lower energy due to the blood draw though? Not sure if that would also do it. Also great idea - is there a certain reptile pro biotic you recommend? If not I can still do my research! Thank you for the prompt and very helpful information
    His mouth looks pretty normal in the later photo, I'm so glad...he should be OK, but getting him to drink some water shouldn't hurt & might help.

    Wait at least 2 weeks before giving him food, & make sure it's no bigger than half the usual size, even smaller is fine...you want to make sure he keeps it down.

    Get some NutriBac powder & using a tool (like a screwdriver etc) pry open the f/t rodent's mouth & put in as much powder as you can, then push the mouth closed.
    (sprinkling powder on a damp rodent, most of it falls off in the swallowing process, and some snakes refuse to eat when the prey smells different, that's why I favor using
    the oral cavity)

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:

    timeakinga (05-27-2019)

  9. #6
    BPnet Veteran
    Join Date
    05-23-2015
    Location
    South Carolina, US
    Posts
    314
    Thanks
    275
    Thanked 172 Times in 119 Posts
    Images: 6

    Re: BP hasn’t realigned jaw?

    I had a BP one time that kind of did the same thing. It hurts it jaws on a rat. It didn't regurgitate cause he gave up trying to eat it at all. Rats can be quite a chore for a snake to eat, especially a live one.
    I had to go with mice for a while with that snake till the snake's jaw got better. It might be the one I had to stick with mice for because it just refused to eat a rat. (can't remember for sure) You might end up having to go with mice after the 2 week wait. Sometimes a snake gets kind of rat shy I would call it. Especially with live rats (and a hurt jaw) So you might keep that in mind.
    If you end up having to go with mice a while it shouldn't be too long you can try going back to the rat feeders. I'd say a month or two.
    Here's another example showing why f/t if you can do it is so much better.

  10. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to ballpythonsrock2 For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (05-25-2019),timeakinga (05-27-2019)

  11. #7
    Registered User timeakinga's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-08-2018
    Posts
    86
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked 71 Times in 30 Posts
    Images: 45

    Re: BP hasn’t realigned jaw?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    His mouth looks pretty normal in the later photo, I'm so glad...he should be OK, but getting him to drink some water shouldn't hurt & might help.

    Wait at least 2 weeks before giving him food, & make sure it's no bigger than half the usual size, even smaller is fine...you want to make sure he keeps it down.

    Get some NutriBac powder & using a tool (like a screwdriver etc) pry open the f/t rodent's mouth & put in as much powder as you can, then push the mouth closed.
    (sprinkling powder on a damp rodent, most of it falls off in the swallowing process, and some snakes refuse to eat when the prey smells different, that's why I favor using
    the oral cavity)
    sounds like a plan thank you for the info! His mouth seems back to normal and his throat is no longer distended from swelling! Thanks again!
    Mommy of 14
    Catch the fam on insta: @noooodlefam

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to timeakinga For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (05-27-2019)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1