Yawning?

[Crazy4Herps]

Snakes will yawn recently after they've eaten, to "relocate" their jaw. (Which is an incorrect way of putting it, as their jaws aren't "located" in the first place.) Perfectly normal.

Another explaination is that they have an RI and have difficulties breathing through their nose. Other signs of an RI include mucous in the mouth, or around the mouth, nose, and eyes, wheezing, and whistling. RIs are easy to treat if caught early, but can become advanced quickly if not treated. If you think your snake has an RI, seek vet care. There are some simple antibiotics that are readily available. Personally, I don't feel entirely comfortable giving my snakes meds, so I had my BP's RI treated via injections every 2 weeks.

"Stargazing" may be confused with yawning, but I don't believe that is the case with your snake. Stargazing is the term for when a snake tilts its head back and opens its mouth. Stargazing (which is often confused with open-mouth breathing; these two are not the same) is a sign of IBD, inclusive body disease, which occurs in boids and is untreatable and highly contageous (not for people; IBD is feared among those with large collections and is the main reason why newly acquired snakes are quarantined for a few months). It doesn't sound like your snake is stargazing, so I wouldn't worry if I were you.

The following is my personal hypothesis, based on what I know about cats and snakes and what I have observed. Snakes, like many animals such as cats, have an organ on the top of their mouths called the Jacobsons organ, which works the same way our nose does but is much more sensitive. This is why they "smell" with their tongues. They touch things (or air, if they are smelling the air) with their tongues, then retract their tongues and put them to the roof of their mouth; thus, the Jacobson's organ "smells" what particles have been picked up by the snake's tongue. On to cats. When cats hunt, they open their mouths slightly to get a better smell of their surroundings. I think this may be what you are noticing with your snake (mine has done the same thing). I think he is exploring his new home and is opening his mouth to take in scents directly to the Jacobson's organ, rather than picking up scents with his tongue.

Just my two cents. Unless you see mucous or something, I wouldn't be concerned.