x-posted to ratsnake forum
Background: I purchased a trio of hatchling fox snakes this past fall/winter. When they arrived, one of the females was very emaciated and twisted, with her jaw askew. She died very shortly after I took her out of the bag. One other wasn't much better, but he pulled through. The 3rd and largest appeared perfectly healthy.
My smaller one is very healthy now, but the largest appears to have a swollen upper jaw. I noticed a month or so ago that her head looked... odd. I couldn't put my finger on exactly how, but she looked different, and her mouth was ever so slightly open. The smaller one had shedding problems not long before (VERY dry winter), so I chalked it up to possible noserub from shedding difficulties. I had them both on aspen, so I switched them to an aspen/coconut coir mix and gave them larger water bowls to raise the humidity, and gave them humid hide boxes. I watched carefully to make sure she didn't get any substrate in her mouth, and she had no difficulties.
When I looked in at her today, it was obvious that her upper jaw/gums are puffed out sideways. From what I can see they are a healthy color with no discharge. One side is even puffy enough that a little of the lower part of her eye is obscured. She always eats with no problems.
What could this be? mouthrot? injury? calcium deficiency? I don't supplement the pinkies, but I've never had an issue with other small snakes.
I can rinse her mouth out with chlorhexedine if I need to (some on the ratsnake forum suggested vinegar and/or peroxide), but she's still so small and fragile I don't want to force her mouth open and make things worse...
I love foxes, and they're so hard to come by... I was hoping to raise a group up and breed them, but I seem to be cursed!
Any ideas??
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1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas Nico, Tally
1.1 Womas, Darwin and Emma
0.1 Pastel BCI, Hyacinth
1.0 Anery Kenyan Sand Boa, Jasper
1.0 Carpet X Diamond Python, Steve
1.0 Ball python, Stan (Rescue)
1.0 Blood python, Porthos
0.1 Granite Spotted python (unnamed thus far)
1.0 Hognose, Fang
1.1 Western Fox snakes, Thing 1 and Thing 2
1.0 Northern Blue Tongue, Jabbi
0.0.1 Red Tegu, Sushi
1.1 Mali Uromastyx, Ajani (rescue), Goober
0.0.1 Egyptian Uromastyx, Ahktep
1.0 Leopard gecko, Frank (rescue)
0.0.1 Leopard tortoise, Oogway
1.0 Red eared slider, Spunky (rescue)
1.0 African mud turtle, Francois the Tortois (rescue)
1.0 African bullfrog, Grendel
1.0 Husband (WC) who approves of my addiction
