Jaw out of place?

[NightsGem]

I need desperate help. My two corn snakes live in the same terrarium.. I accidentally put a lizard skull on the top of their cage while I was cleaning off my bookshelf. The two snakes must have smelled it, because when I moved it, the two snakes started to fight! Dusty, my female, bit the male on the back, but unfortunately the male moved and coiled around her. By the time he was uncoiling, Dusty's jaw was stuck on two parts on him. Her lower jaw went down almost 180 degrees to her upper jaw... She pulled herself off, but her jaw is a bit off place. This all happened faster than I could react.

These two snakes have NEVER fought. Now I'm worried about Dusty because her jaw looks out of place and sometimes hangs open a bit. She tried 'yawning' once or twice, but the jaw is still out of place. I'm wondering if it's broken, because if it is, I can't help her... There are no reptile vets within even a hundred miles. She's been flicking her tongue normally and moving normal, but her jaw is just a smidge off. The right side doesn't fit to the bottom.

I'm sorry for the crappy photos, but their cage needs cleaning, and I just have my phone camera.
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/151/2/2/need_help__injured_snake_by_nightsgem-d51sx3m.jpg

[Lycari]

I'm no expert, but I doubt it's broken. Dislocated seems more likely; when she yawned, was the movement much slower and more awkward than usual? If so, I would guess it's dislocated and poor Dusty should probably see a vet.

I know I live WAAAAAY on the opposite side of the country, but, assuming you location is accurate and the list at http://www.herpvetconnection.com/florida.shtml is still totally valid, the three closest reptile vets to you are:

Within 30 miles
Dieter Ruidi, DVM
Exotic Animal Clinic
13102 State Road 80
Fort Myers, FL 33905
Tel: (239) 694-560
exoticsinlee@yahoo.com

Within 40 miles
Gary Nelson, DVM
Milton McKelvie, DVM
Viscaya-Prado Vet Hospital
920 Country Club Blvd.
Cape Coral, FL 33990
Tel: (941) 574-6171
Tel: (941) 574-7226

Within 60 miles
M. A. Mossler, DVM
Bayshore Animal Hospital
1511 Florida Blvd.
Bradenton, FL 34207
Tel: (941) 756-5544
Website (http://www.bayshoreanimalhospital.biz/)

All of these vets have good reviews, though they are a bit dated. Dr. Mossler is definitely still at Bayshore.

They might not be close, but they should still be better than nothing! :) If worst comes to worst, I would say to find a Petsmart with a Banfield practice included where the reptiles are in generally good health. Banfield is partnered with Petsmart, and they always have an exotics vet, who is usually the vet for the animals the store has in stock. They might not be a "proper" vet, but they almost always have a good deal of experience. I've chatted with them a few times, and even took Saga in for a checkup with them once. The ones up here certainly seem knowledgeable, and they have enough horror stories that I believe they could help me in an emergency.

I hope this is helpful to you. :)

[jessicashallperish]

this could have been avoided if you were keeping them seperate. snakes ARE NOT social, and SHOULD NOT be kept together. its stressful on both of them, and youll end up with unwanted eggs (or an egg bound female), theres the possibility of cannibalism, which sounds like what was about to happen with your snakes. GIVE THEM THEIR OWN TANK and this stuff wont happen!!!!!

[MotleyCrue]

Not gonna say anything about the co-habbing, There are plenty of threads on it.
I live 70 miles south of you. I don't know either of the other two vets listed above, but Viscaya-Prado is where you should go. I know two of their vet techs and they are good peeps.

Gary Nelson, DVM
Milton McKelvie, DVM
Viscaya-Prado Vet Hospital
920 Country Club Blvd.
Cape Coral, FL 33990
Tel: (941) 574-6171
Tel: (941) 574-7226

I know Cape Coral sucks, but she may need to have her jaw set back into place.

:eatsmiley

[ceduke]

1) Separate them permanently.
2) Get that one to a vet asap.

[BloodyBaroness]

Vet now.

Separate cages now.

The users above posted some great vet resources.

[dave partington]

corn snakes & ratsnakes are generally not good at co-habbing. this is the rule. there are occasional exceptions. clearly yours are not the exceptions to the rule.

I experienced fighting between a male and female last night during a breeding attempt. Then I switched males, to see if she would be more receptive to a different male.
they bit and fought too.
So I probed to check to make sure she was a she, and lo and behold, she is a he.
not the first time a snake probed/ sexed one way turned out to be the other gender.
others have experienced snakes that appear to switch gender. some of them even post here.

why do you have a meaty lizard skull in the house?

[kaypar2011]

Seperate and get the injured one to a vet. Cohabbing is a no no.

[NightsGem]

Okay, thank you all. I had no idea a reptile vet was so close to me! I'll separate them immediately(Have a few spare terrariums), and luckily, Dusty's jaw fixed itself overnight. :) I'll be sure this won't happen again. I have a lizard skull because I'm interested in taxidermy, and it was entirely my fault for putting it on their cage.

[ceduke]

Yay, I'm glad it resolved itself!

[kaypar2011]

That is great news!!!

[MotleyCrue]

Okay, thank you all. I had no idea a reptile vet was so close to me! I'll separate them immediately(Have a few spare terrariums), and luckily, Dusty's jaw fixed itself overnight. :) I'll be sure this won't happen again. I have a lizard skull because I'm interested in taxidermy, and it was entirely my fault for putting it on their cage.
Fantastic! Hopefully she was able to set it back into place properly and won't have any issues. You might want to feed her smaller prey items for a month or 2 just to be sure she doesn't re-injure herself.

why do you have a meaty lizard skull in the house?
Doesn't everybody!?! =D
:eatsmiley