no tongue??

[julesvernestis]

I purchased a ball python yesterday and still have yet to see her tongue!! she opens her mouth to yawn and it looks perfectly pink and healthy, yet no tongue at all. she often shifts her jaw around a lot too.
has anyone ever heard of any of this before?? i am so damn confused! we have a vet appointment wednesday but i was hoping someone could make me feel better now hehehe....

[xdeus]

I have heard of that before, but from what I remember it didn't affect the health or eating habits of the snake. I'm sure your vet will be able to give you more info.

Good luck!

[Arcane86]

any update on your snake?
you kinda peaked my interest with this.

[sweety314]

I've heard of it too. It came up during a discussion at one of the local shows I went to. One of the breeders ended up with an albino that had that happened b/c of serious and repeated inbreeding. Had to be assist fed for a while b/c it couldn't scent w/o its tongue.


Never saw it personally, but I've heard of the defect.

[kellysballs]

Ball pythons tounges dont just sit in their mouths like ours do. They have a sheath that they flick in and out of so when you open the mouth if the tounge is pink and inside its sheath it would be hard to see. But if it really has no tounge I would like to know I have never heard of this particular deformity.