Hold the back of his head with your thumb and forefinger, thumb on the top of the head, finger wrapped around the bottom jaw. (I'll try to find a picture for you.)Originally Posted by Kinra
As some of you may know I have been treating my little enchi for a minor RI. He recently finished his antibiotic treatment, but it's such a pain to open his mouth to check on him. He's really strong for only being 500g. I have to check him alone so I have no one to hold his lower body. He struggles like crazy when I try to open his mouth. I can do it but it's a pain and I can't imagine having to do this with any of my larger snakes.
Are there any tricks I can use to open is mouth? What I've been doing is grabbing his head with my left hand and trying to use my arm to pin him to my body while I try to open his mouth with a Q-Tip. He struggles so much I'm afraid I'm going to hurt him.
I recommend using either a flexible index card, credit card, or rubber spatula to get the mouth open; all of these things are flexible enough to avoid breaking any teeth but are sturdy enough so you can pry the mouth open. Slide whatever you choose under his lip in the front, then maneuver it to each side of his mouth, prying it gently between his teeth then forcing his mouth open. Use the card/spatula to hold up his top jaw, giving you a clear view of his trachea and esophagus.
It really is a pain, though; I totally feel for you! Ball pythons are so slippery to hang onto. For daily checking, you can always simply hang onto his head and peel back a lip with your finger; even with minor RI's you can usually see gum bubbles without having to open the jaw completely.
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