Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Everyone please bear with me; this is my first post so I'm not sure if it even belongs here but it involves a venomous snake so here it goes:
Yesterday I noticed that my 3yr old southern copperhead's lower jaw seemed to extend out slightly from the head giving it a very disproportional appearence. This is the first sign of an health problem in this animal so i am completely lost for diagnosis. Someone out there must have some idea not only what caused this problem but also how to go about fixing it. Please any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Brance

It would be very difficult, much less irresponsible, to make a diagnosis based on the very limited information you gave us. Plus, only a qualified herp vet should make a diagnosis. There are many things that can cause this: striking the cage front causing a temporary allignment problem, eating a meal too large and the snake taking much longer to reallign the jaw, inadequate diet w/out proper supplementation, infection, etc, etc. I would recommend trying to find a good vet who can actually take a look at the animal.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

>>Everyone please bear with me; this is my first post so I'm not sure if it even belongs here but it involves a venomous snake so here it goes:
>>Yesterday I noticed that my 3yr old southern copperhead's lower jaw seemed to extend out slightly from the head giving it a very disproportional appearence. This is the first sign of an health problem in this animal so i am completely lost for diagnosis. Someone out there must have some idea not only what caused this problem but also how to go about fixing it. Please any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
>>Brance
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL