Reptile & Amphibian Forums

n/p

Mine yawns a lot too, that is because mine is sick. Get it to a vet if you are unsure.

What do you mean by alot? How often and does it hold its mouth open. In general, my snakes yawn for two reasons: shed and post-feeding.
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Jay A. Martin

He may just be realigning his jaw. Ty decided to do that once while I was attempting to take a "normal" picture of him. This is what I got instead...

Oh, well... I'm not complaining.

Thanks. It's 20X10X18 - 15 High. I've since traded the branch in the picture for a "cool" hide, though... here's what it looks like now. And yes, he has a little "Tyler" license plate. I'm just a dork like that.

Very nice, though it appears that your lamp is focused toward the center of the tank. If this is the case, I'd adjust it to focus on the side with the UTH (which you DO have, right?). Aside from that, Tyler's one lucky snake!!!

Thanks again. Yep, I've got an UTH on the warm side of the cage, and that's where the lamp is usually focused as well, but ironically enough, I had to adjust it more to the center for the picture to avoid getting a really bad glare. LOL, good eye, though... I was wondering if anyone was going to notice that.

I LOVE YOUR SETTUP TYLOR IS A LUCKY BP

I LOVE YOUR SETTUP TYLOR IS A LUCKY BP

I LOVE YOUR SETTUP TYLOR IS A LUCKY BP

I hit post message 2 many times

-christi

It may be a respiratory infection. Do you see bubbles forming when it yawns? Probably best to see a vet.

Yup, that's what is happening with mine, now he's on medication. The vet gave mine a 50/50 chance for survival. Stupid pet store.

I check all my snakes for RIs regularly, and here's how I do it.

It requires two people.
1) Get your helper to get a good hold on the body of your snake and try to hold it as still as possible.
2) You get a grip on its neck, behind the head (which they HATE, that's why you need two people).
3) Take a pen and wedge it in the side of its mouth. Try to be gentle, but they can be really resistant.
4) Pry its mouth open, and lay the pen all the way across its mouth (or it'll close it again, and you'll have to start over)

Now, look at the back of its throat. If you can see down it, it's fine. BUT if you see a bunch of mucus, get it to a vet ASAP. They should give you Baytril for it. Continue to use it for as long as they prescribe, even if it looks better.
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-Irish
My Snakes

This seems quite stressful, dangerous and unecessary. I have had BPs for many years, rescued many and have never had to resort to anything intrusive to determine if a snake has RI or is developing RI. The most reliable sign of RI I have experienced is wheezing. In every case, the condition was cleared simply by increasing ambient temps.

Further, and I'm sure someone experienced will tell me if I'm wrong, I have not noticed excessive yawning in snakes with RI. What I did notice is their mouths were slightly open. They would open them further on occassion but not a full yawn.
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Jay A. Martin

Well, the only reason I check my snakes is that I've heard a lot of horror stories of people not noticing RIs until it was too late, or nearly so. Because of my regular checks, I caught the only RI I've had so far in very early stages (no wheezing, yawning, mucus bubles, etc), and thus was very easy to treat. Now that winter's over and I can keep my humidty levels constant (the heater dried out the cages something FIERCE), I don't have to check them as often. Every few months, unless I notice something that's cause for a check-up.

It's no more dangerous than giving oral medication, since what I actually use (unless I'm checking a snake at the petstore that looks sick, or an animal I'm gonna buy) is a syringe that I got for giving oral Baytril. And it'd be strssful if I did it, say, every week, but I don't.
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-Irish
My Snakes

>>Well, the only reason I check my snakes is that I've heard a lot of horror stories of people not noticing RIs until it was too late, or nearly so. Because of my regular checks, I caught

Nothing wrong with being aware. I think that's the real problem with RI and other illnesses - awareness. BPs do not typically develop RI overnight. I believe many owners who find themselves with a snake with RI have neglected (intentional or unintentional) their snakes requirements to the point that the symptoms of RI are now excessive. Had they paid more attention and/or know what to look for, most would not be in this situation. Look at all the stories here on this forum about BPs being lost for months at a time. These guys aren't all succumbing to RI as the supposedly "cared" for BPs are.

>> the only RI I've had so far in very early stages (no wheezing, yawning, mucus bubles, etc), and thus was very easy to

I consider mucus bubbles an advanced stage they should get vetinary attention. Wheezing, alone, has always been enough sign to indicate there MIGHT be a problem. Some of my snakes wheez just prior to shed.

>>treat. Now that winter's over and I can keep my humidty levels constant (the heater dried out the cages something FIERCE), I don't have to check them as often. Every few months, unless I notice something that's cause for a check-up.

I still think this is too intrusive and unecessary. In the 25 years I have been caring for snakes, I have never had to do this nor have I had a single snake require medical attention or meds for RI.

>>It's no more dangerous than giving oral medication, since what I actually use (unless I'm checking a snake at the petstore that looks sick, or an animal I'm gonna buy) is a syringe that I got for giving oral Baytril. And it'd be strssful if I did it, say, every week, but I don't.

I thought you said a pen in your first post. At any rate, securing a snake and wedge (force) its mouth open is still stressful. You also run the risk of damage to the gums and teeth.

I'm not saying what you are doing is wrong. I'm saying, I have never had to resort to anything this intrusive.
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Jay A. Martin

I admit that a pen isn't the best thing to use, but in the absence of a syringe, well . . . it's better than a Q-tip.

Well, maybe I'm still in that over-protective/paranoid phase of snake ownership. I only got my first snake a year and a half ago, and I'm really afraid of not catching an RI quickly enough. I do get them put on meds because I'm not sure how much to warm up the cages/what humidity needs to be at for them to get better, if I thought everything was okay before.
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-Irish
My Snakes

Hello –

I don’t much want to get in the middle of the debate about should you or shouldn’t you be prying open all your snakes’ mouths on a regular basis. However, I would note that using a pen risks damaging the delicate oral mucosa. So my two suggestions for a safer alternative instrument would be either a small cheap rubber kitchen spatula or a speculum designed for this purpose (like one of these sold by The Bean Farm).

-Joan

>>I admit that a pen isn't the best thing to use, but in the absence of a syringe, well . . . it's better than a Q-tip.
>>
>>Well, maybe I'm still in that over-protective/paranoid phase of snake ownership. I only got my first snake a year and a half ago, and I'm really afraid of not catching an RI quickly enough. I do get them put on meds because I'm not sure how much to warm up the cages/what humidity needs to be at for them to get better, if I thought everything was okay before.
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>>-Irish
>>My Snakes