Please help!!!!! My ball python has a weird mouth! One side of her upper lip goes in

[alice40604345]

Today I find my ball python does not pop her head out as she normally does for two days, I try to check and she bite me immediately when I open her cage. I feel kind of unusual because she's very tame in most of times. I checked her and find her mouth is weird and I'm so worried!! May I know what's going on for her mouth? It's so late now I can't contact vet or anyone... Thank you so much!

[alice40604345]

Ah and I fed her two days ago with a frozen rat which is around 12% of her weight, but I didn’t check whether her mouth get injured or something after that...

[Bogertophis]

Don't know how she did that but yeah, her face/mouth & heat pits are injured. Any sharp abrasive objects (branches or ?) in her cage? I'd get her seen by a
herp vet...you don't want an infection on a snake's mouth or head, & that looks like it can easily get re-injured if not healed properly. Probably hurts too, that's
why you got "attitude" from her.

[alice40604345]

Don't know how she did that but yeah, her face/mouth & heat pits are injured. Any sharp abrasive objects (branches or ?) in her cage? I'd get her seen by a
herp vet...you don't want an infection on a snake's mouth or head, & that looks like it can easily get re-injured if not healed properly. Probably hurts too, that's
why you got "attitude" from her.

Thank you so much for your help! This is her environment and I'm so confused that I can't figure out how she can hurt herself like that. Or could it be some infection or parasite? I just find a vet in the list on the forum very close to my apartment and I'll call them later! All the vets on the list are quite reliable right? Thank you so much!

[Bogertophis]

Personally I would look for a rough edge in that plastic tote...which by the way is NOT designed FOR living creatures...it's for storage. I know many use them,
but it's up to you to make sure it's safe...obviously it's not. When you're not watching, snakes push to escape, & they have plenty of time on their "hands".

The injury does NOT appear to have anything to do with a "parasite", & it doesn't look infected yet but then again, my vision isn't really on the microscopic
level.

[Ax01]

ah poor girl! looks like more than a missing scale. looks like she's missing a little chunk from the labial pits. is/was she is shed and was she trying to rub on something and that happened?

i hope the vet will be helpful and there won't be too much scarring.

[alittleFREE]

This sounds weird, but have you searched the enclosure to try to find that chunk that's missing?

[Bogertophis]

This sounds weird, but have you searched the enclosure to try to find that chunk that's missing?

You are suggesting that it can be re-attached & heal up?

[alice40604345]

Personally I would look for a rough edge in that plastic tote...which by the way is NOT designed FOR living creatures...it's for storage. I know many use them,
but it's up to you to make sure it's safe...obviously it's not. When you're not watching, snakes push to escape, & they have plenty of time on their "hands".


The injury does NOT appear to have anything to do with a "parasite", & it doesn't look infected yet but then again, my vision isn't really on the microscopic
level.

ah poor girl! looks like more than a missing scale. looks like she's missing a little chunk from the labial pits. is/was she is shed and was she trying to rub on something and that happened?


i hope the vet will be helpful and there won't be too much scarring.

This sounds weird, but have you searched the enclosure to try to find that chunk that's missing?

Thanks everyone!!!!!!! I just got back from the vet and she's good now lol!!!! The part of her lip was stuck in her teeth！ They make it out and gave me some antibiotic cleansing gel and medicine, and pain medicine. AND GUESS WHAT? I found her shed in her enclosure! So now I think this is what happened! She was in her shedding and quite nervous. I didn't notice her shedding stage this time and think something wrong with her and try to reach her...Then she bite me and she push too hard at that second and it makes her mouth go inside and stuck on/between her teeth...Then I think it's weird and take a deep look at her and find her mouth is weird and start worried! See these before/after pictures! My friend said it's like she got a plastic surgery today haha! I hope this issue and the medicines won't affect her health and eating!

[Bogertophis]

Hey that's WONDERFUL news! It really looked like a chunk was missing, what a happy outcome! You did great taking her to the vet, & your vet was worth
every penny! And your BP is back to looking the part of a beautiful happy snake.

BTW, I've seen snakes get their jaws hooked on their own teeth before, but that never occurred to me with yours. I've never seen one that looked at all
like your snake did, so thank you for sharing so we can all learn from your experience.