Small bumps along spine?

[Bree]

I am a new snake owner and have noticed some bumps along my snake Bunny's back. There two that are more prominent, but I also notice a few random others in the right light/angle. The first one I noticed when she would slither over the side of my hand and it was fairly obvious in that position.

Is this normal or might there be something else going on? She has been eating well, but could she be a bit underweight and it is her spine?

They don't really show up in pics; I notice them more as she moves over my hand. Here is the best pic I could find where you can sort of see two bumps (the second one is the most prominent of all the bumps and the first one that I noticed):

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t6/oholycheerio/ebunnyback.jpg

Here is my most recent pic of her... You can't see bumps, but does her weight look okay?

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t6/oholycheerio/ebunny2.jpg

Thanks! I will not hesitate to take her to the vet if it's at all suspicious. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't stressing out over something that was perfectly normal.

[jesserca]

Hmmm possibly some small kinks, that is my guess on the matter

[Jenstar]

They look like kinks. I have a Candycane baby that eats better than everyone else with worse kinks than your baby has. I wouldn't breed her but she will still make a great pet. :)

[reptojam]

http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy199/reptojam/pic121.jpg
my female amel has the same thing she had two spots that are profound and I've been told its incubation kinks, they should go away as the snake progresses in age, I've personally never experienced this until now and I was worried it would affect the snake in appetite or temperament, but it doesn't this hatchling is just a lil normal skiddish female *rolls eyes*

[Bree]

Thanks guys, I was starting to worry that it might be caused by some sort of deficiency or something. I'm happy to hear it is probably nothing to worry about. She is a pet, so no plans to breed anyways... but it is hereditary?

[reptojam]

I was told that its not hereditary, but that the bump was thought to be caused from the incubation alone because only 1 other hatchling came out with kinks as well. 2 out of a clutch of 14...hmm...not really something I'd worry about...but I'm not too sure on the topic...I'm just going to wait and see if after the shed she's straightening out. :)

[Shiari]

Kinks can be hereditary or caused by incubation stress. Because it's hard to tell which is which, and because kinks might cause problems with the passage of eggs in a female, breeding a kinked animal is not advised.

[Bree]

Good to know, thanks! She is just a pet anyways. If she doesn't straighten out, is there an increased chance of the kinks becoming uncomfortable or arthritic as she ages?

[wstphal]

I don't know about arthritis in snakes, but it does occur in cats & dogs. The amazing thing is that if my vet is right, many of them don't seem to have much if any pain. My Angel Vickie had horrible arthritis but she played games with the other cats until the last month of her life and both my vet and the ER vet thought she probably hadn't had much if any pain until that last month. My vet said that wasn't unusual, but that since cats & dogs will limp & limit unnecessary activity if they have pain, she probably didn't.

So Bunny is likely to have many good years ahead of her even if the kinks do eventually cause pain. Cross that bridge when you come to it would be my advice. Oh, and although I have no personal experience with it, I have read that sometimes kinks get better with growth.

[Bree]

I don't know about arthritis in snakes, but it does occur in cats & dogs. The amazing thing is that if my vet is right, many of them don't seem to have much if any pain. My Angel Vickie had horrible arthritis but she played games with the other cats until the last month of her life and both my vet and the ER vet thought she probably hadn't had much if any pain until that last month. My vet said that wasn't unusual, but that since cats & dogs will limp & limit unnecessary activity if they have pain, she probably didn't.

So Bunny is likely to have many good years ahead of her even if the kinks do eventually cause pain. Cross that bridge when you come to it would be my advice. Oh, and although I have no personal experience with it, I have read that sometimes kinks get better with growth.

Thanks! I'll try not to worry about it, but will still keep an eye on them and on her behavior. Hopefully they won't become a problem for her later on.