Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got a dumerils about 2 or 3 months ago at an expo. It is my first dumerils but I know an ass load about snakes and there is one huge problem I can see. He doesn't use his tongue. So he hasn't eatin since we have had him and I know he has a tounge in his mouth but won't use it. It sucks because I want him to eat. Everyone is like you should try a pinkie or brain a pinkie and try. I don't think they get it, he isn't using his tongue. Therefore he has no clue that there is a pinkie there. The place we got them from are assholes and won't return our emails. So I guess this is a learning expierence about what breeders to buy from. This place was Ridgeway Reptiles out of I think south Florida somewhere. But if anyone has a good idea on what to do that would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Maybe he has a sore mouth or mouth rot or something, and using his toungue hurts or maybe he can't use it. Try to open his mouth up and look inside? Maybe that could be the problem. He might bite you though, mine bites if you touch her face.
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Tim W.
http://tsw.f2g.net

Took it to a vet and he said it was healthy except for not using his tongue. I also have looked in and saw his tounge and its there but just not coming out.

Well, I've seen it twice where dumerils didn't use their tongues. I opened the mouth on both of them and found the tongue lying alongside the glotus. One animal I received shipped with entirely too many heat packs, and it died within a week. The other was purchased at a show, and it seemed to be a birth defect, possibly neurological. If this is what you find when you open the mouth, send it back if at all possible. I have had success with this dumerils only with assist feeding. The tongue is a very functional part of a snake, and not having the use of it definitely poses problems. If the tongue is not lying alongside the glotus, I would then be sure all husbandry is up to par, and consider a vet visit. I know in the boa forum, you were told a vet visit isn't that expensive, but it can EASILY hit the cost of a baby dumerils with just a couple labs and meds. Something to consider, even though people will say you shouldn't put a price on life, you have to realize the vet visit might not even help. Best of luck to you, take care

Paul

It has been to the vet and he couldn't tell the problem. I don't beleive shipping back is an option from this place. So I am just trying to see what I can do with him. I want to keep him because he is an awsome looking dumerils. The husbandry is right on. So I am just looking for help.

Is the tongue lying alongside the glotus? If so, I honestly think your best bet is going to be assist feeding. If not, and as you said the vet said it's perfectly healthy, and husbandry is adequate....nobody is going to be able to help you make the snake use his tongue. I would guess something neurological is going on, and wonder what extents your vet went to, to get his diagnosis of perfect health. All dumerils are awesome looking IMO, but I'd rather cut my losses than keep throwing good money after bad only to end up in the hole with an empty cage. If the snake was kept in a dealers facility, they could've possibly used some sort of pesticide to treat mites, which could cause a neurological problem. Healthy snakes flick their tongues, so obviously SOMETHING is not right. Best of luck figuring it out. Take care

Paul

This may or may not be related but something worth trying. Something similar happened to my dum a few winters ago. As I looked under his chin, I saw the muscles in his lower jaw moving but his tongue would not come out of his mouth. It's like they were trying to function but the tongue was absent so I soaked him in tepid water for a while. I'm assuming it was some sort of blockage or dried skin from a shed or something because after his soaking the tongue appeared again! Never happened before and hasn't happened since. Weird.
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Ken Roshak
BlackSwampSerpents@toast.net