Does anyone have any first hand expierience on observing a snake with a "kinked" spine? I was given a 3 month old baby Columbian (to save from the freezer) that was supposedly born with a kinked spine. The entire litter was stillborn except for this one and 1 other sibling. They are evidently eating fine but I am worried about it's future and weather or not it is in pain. It appeared just fine until I let it soak in the tub tonight. When it would swim the top 1/3 of its body would remain straight while the bottom 2/3 would do the normal s shaped swimming movement. Occasionaly the bottom part would just "flip over" belly up dragging the head around with it. Since I see no pronounced "kink" I was wondering if it somehow has a broken spine? Its sibling is the same way, it can kinda flip half its body upside down. I know this probably doesn't make much sense and I will try to get a pic and post it. I don't want to have it put to sleep but I don't want it to suffer either. It doesn't appear to be in any pain so figured I would ask all you experts. By the way I live in a rural area and have been unable to locate a vet who will consider seeing a snake. Any thoughts?

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• Kinked spine? - sjenkins, Wed Oct 26 21:14:48 2005
• RE: Kinked spine? - jayf, Thu Oct 27 11:58:57 2005
• RE: Kinked spine? - bcijoe, Thu Oct 27 12:09:33 2005
• RE: Kinked spine? - ladywhipple02, Thu Oct 27 12:58:14 2005
• RE: Kinked spine? - ladywhipple02, Thu Oct 27 13:07:55 2005
• RE: Kinked spine? - sjenkins, Tue Nov 1 01:08:42 2005
• RE: Kinked spine? - Caden, Mon Oct 31 07:11:14 2005
• RE: Kinked spine? - sjenkins, Tue Nov 1 01:02:27 2005
• RE: Kinked spine? - Caden, Tue Nov 1 11:33:46 2005