Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You
Click here for Dragon Serpents

Boa with weird face

snakekate Jun 17, 2012 10:05 AM

I have a baby boa born may 12, with what looks like a lot of extra skin on his face. He has a big jaw too and seems to puff it out sometimes when he is nervous...does anyone know what this is? Even when he is relaxed its a lot bigger then a typical baby boa. He is healthy and eating just fine otherwise.

Replies (7)

AnnaCB Jun 17, 2012 03:49 PM

Hi,
Not sure how much this will contribute, but I have an adult who has had some extra skin since I got him as two year old.
He also puffs up (quite alarming actually) when he's upset, or for no apparent reason sometimes. I'll dig out a picture later.

NO infections, totally clean bill of health.
I'm of the opinion that it might just be a slight skull or tendon deformity, but I don't know...
I've had this snake for 13 years now, and he's absolutely healthy other than this weirdness.

Does it eat? No neuro symptoms or anything?

snakekate Jun 17, 2012 07:33 PM

He eats good and has no other issues besides the skin, maybe a deformity?

AnnaCB Jun 18, 2012 05:52 AM

I wouldn't be surprised, if you have ruled out everything else.
You would be shocked at the obscene amount of money spent and research done by myself, just trying to figure out if the puffing was dangerous or a symptom of something terrible.
I've noticed he'll do some extra puffing up more often after feeding (which is why I thought jaw injury) or pissed off at me, and it'll go right down if he's distracted or moves around a lot. Odd.

Lots of shrugging all around- there were theories from infection (nope) to an injury to the tendons or cartilage in the lower jaw (nope) to a puncture letting air under the skin (...what?). It was kind of hard to accept not having a DEFINITIVE answer, but this snake is happy and healthy. Hopefully that's the case with yours.

AnnaCB Jun 18, 2012 05:54 AM

Did you breed this snake? If so, I'm assuming all the siblings were normal?
Also, no signs of mouth infection? I've seen several snakes with long-untreated mouth rot or bacterial stuff going on who displayed similar symptoms; just another reason I was bothered so badly.

snakekate Jun 18, 2012 04:51 PM

Yes, I bred him, and all his siblings are normal. He is also the biggest most robust baby of his litter oddly enough. Sounds like mine is very similar to yours, as he has had no infection, no odd behavior, nothing out of the ordinary. Only thing I have noticed is reduced tongue flicking when first handled sometimes, but otherwise he is as curious and active as the rest. Any chance it could 'clear up' as he ages? Or do you think he will always retain it? So far no problems with it so I hope he will grow old and happy.

AnnaCB Jun 18, 2012 11:43 PM

Considering I only have a one-snake sample size to work from, I couldn't say whether it'll clear up or not.
I do know that with mine, it hasn't cleared up. However, it hasn't gotten any worse in my time with him of over a decade. The puffiness became a LOT more apparent as he got larger, though I don't think it was of any larger magnitude.
He's extremely robust and eats like a champ.

snakekate Jun 19, 2012 07:29 AM

Well so far that seems to be the trend with mine, I hope he stays that way. It will be interesting watching him grow up.

Site Tools