return to main index

  mobile - desktop
follow us on facebook follow us on twitter follow us on YouTube link to us on LinkedIn
 
click here for Rodent Pro
This Space Available
3 months for $50.00
Locate a business by name: click to list your business
search the classifieds. buy an account
events by zip code list an event
Search the forums             Search in:
News & Events: Herp Photo of the Day: Rainbow Boa . . . . . . . . . .  kingsnake.com to close on October 31 . . . . . . . . . .  San Diego Herp Society Meeting - Oct 21, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Bay Area Herpetological Society Meeting - Oct 24, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Suncoast Herp Society Meeting - Oct 25, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  DFW Herp Society Meeting - Oct 25, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Southwestern Herp Society Meeting - Nov 01, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Greater Cincinnati Herp Society Meeting - Nov 05, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  St. Louis Herpetological Society - Nov 09, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Colorado Herp Society Meeting - Nov 15, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Chicago Herpetological Society Meeting - Nov 16, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  San Diego Herp Society Meeting - Nov 18, 2025 . . . . . . . . . . 

Jaw dislocation?

[ Login ] [ User Prefs ] [ Search Forums ] [ Back to Main Page ] [ Back to Snakes - General Forum ]

Posted by: LarryF at Thu Mar 27 20:51:52 2008   [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by LarryF ]  
   

A comment in a thread below remided me of something I've been meaning to ask.

For a very long time it was accepted that snakes "unhinge" their jaws to swallow large prey. At some point in the last 10 years (maybe earlier) the conventional wisdom has changed to "they don't unhinge them, they are just connected by stretchy cartilage".

I've dissected a few snakes and can verify that the lower jaw is connected by cartilage (and another bone who's name I don't recall) to the skull.

But I've seen quite a few snakes (corn snakes jump to mind) that often have their lower jaw noticably out of place after swallowing a large meal and SEEM to go around forcefully pushing their lower jaw against things until it is back in place.

Does anyone happen to know exactly what IS going on there?
-----
What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.


   

[ Show Entire Thread ]


>> Next Message:  RE: Jaw dislocation? - DMong, Thu Mar 27 23:28:09 2008 image in post
>> Next Message:  RE: Jaw dislocation? - mldolan, Fri Mar 28 09:04:20 2008