hey guys, i have this ball python that i bought, and her head kinda looks funny. Like she has sort of an overbite. I was wondering if something like this happens when there is a lot of "line breeding" involved. I thought that it was just because she was still growing, but its been like two months, and her head still looks different from all of my "normal"ball pythons, she is a female black back ringer, so i am wondering if you guys have seen this type of thing at all, and if maybe she isn't a good candidate from breeding, she eats normal, and has a great feeding response. I'll Post a Picture, once i learn how to resize them so i can upload them to kingsnake, too many pixels i guess, they always say, too big!
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having the balls to try something, and having the balls to do anything, are two separate things!
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abnormality?
Replies (14)
Thought I'd give this a try!
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having the balls to try something, and having the balls to do anything, are two separate things!
Here is some photo's!
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having the balls to try something, and having the balls to do anything, are two separate things!
This is the ring, that i suspect makes this a ringer!?
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having the balls to try something, and having the balls to do anything, are two separate things!
Here is an above head shot, let me know what you guys think!
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having the balls to try something, and having the balls to do anything, are two separate things!
Your ball is very pretty. It is tough to see the bottom jaw in the pics. I know that is a hard shot to get, they do not sit still long enough. It eats ok? Does it adjust its jaws alot?
Sorry just reread your post, She eats good. I would say not to breed her, it could be something that is past, and some could be much worse than her. That is a shame she is nice looking snake.
It doesn't look that abnormal to me -- does her bottom jaw close completely and line up with the top one at the edge, or is it open to where you can see the pink inside and teeth? If they're lined up and closed, then I would say she's just fine.
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~* Jen *~
Yeah, her mouth closes, all of the way, tight like, can see anything, she doesn't have any discharge or anything. her head just looks a little crammed. Like maybe an obese person's is, that what i thought it could be also, but, i layed back on the feeding a little bit, and she still looks the same, its kinda like the frame of her hed is just short, i dont think she has an over bite, it just looks it, soounds funny i know. she doesn't really yawn. or reset her jaw alot.
Let me know what you guys can tell from this pic
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having the balls to try something, and having the balls to do anything, are two separate things!
Based on that pic, I don't think it's a deformity because her jaw alines just fine. I think she just has a pointy face. Ball pythons are individuals, they all have different faces/heads/eyes if you pay close attention to them. 
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~* Jen *~
I have seen that a time or two before - but one was a captive hatched baby and the other was a rescue so in both cases it's origins were unknown. It would be hard to say with any certainty whether the condition was genetic or just an anomaly. If she is feeding well then I wouldn't worry about it too much - however I don't think I would breed her - but that's just my opinion.
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Tosha 
JET Pythons
(CJBianco explaining the origins of the BP market.)
"In the beginning Bob created the Ball Python market. And the market was without morph, and wild traits were upon the industry. And Bob said, Let there be morph, and there was morph. And Bob saw the morph, that it was good; and Bob divided the morph from the wild trait. And Bob called the morph Albino, and the wild trait Normal. And the Albino and the Heterozygous Albino were the first investment.
-- Christopher 1:1-1:5"
Who did you get her from? if you can contact them and find out if its a mojave sib. I have noticed some mojaves and their sibs have what I call a stub head its not as long as most normal bp's but I don't think it hurts.
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Damian Macioce
www.strongholdreptiles.com
Do any of her siblings show this trait? IF not, it is possible it is just a fluke but no real way to know for sure unless you breed her and see if her offspring develop it. I will definitely not line breed her anymore, but breed her to unrelated males and thus, strengthen her genetics.
If the mouth closes firmly and there is no indication of exposure of the upper jaw from below (ie if you look up at the mouth of the snake from below, to see if you see inside the roof of the mouth at all) it may be nothing.
If you are not the one who bred her, definitely talk to the person you bought her from and ask if they noticed the same thing from her clutch mates or subsequent clutches from the same pair. If you have no clue of her origins or history...hard to say if this is a genetic defect, the results of a very bad case of mouth rot or injury due to accident or improper care from a previous owner. It really depends on how long you had her in your care what sort of bad conditions it may have been in before you bought it.
She's a really nice ball python, may be a ringer...but I dont' know for sure, as I don't completely understand what a ringer is yet either LOL
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PHLdyPayne
HEre is a couple more pics guys, and an underneath shot also, like you guys said, she is probably fine...
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having the balls to try something, and having the balls to do anything, are two separate things!
I had one that looked kind of like that hatch out last year. Her pattern was different from the rest of her siblings as well...More like a harlequin. I kept her for about 6 months to make sure she wouldn't have any problems, then sold her locally as a pet. She grew just fine and remained healthy, and as far as I know is still doing fine. The unique appearance of her face did become more obvious as she became larger, but she had a beautiful pattern and a good personality. As far as breeding her goes, she will look different as an adult and that may help you decide if you should or not. I would suggest that you avoid any line breeding with her and her progeny. Good luck with her, and enjoy her... She doesn't know she looks any different!
Paul
