One side of jaw not shutting properly

We bought our snake about a month ago. One side of his jaw doesn't seem to be shutting properly. He's been fed twice since I've noticed it. He's eating and acting normal but should I be worried?

snakes jaws work independently and differently from ours. This enables them to swallow things bigger than their heads. It's normal for a snake to "Reset" its jaws after eating a big meal, but the Reset doesn't necessarily happen right away. It can take a few minutes to a few days. You might notice the snake yawn or work its mouth from side to side.

Having said that, if your snake's jaws always look that way, then there might be something else going on. Snakes can get tooth abscesses just like we do which can cause them pain or inflame their jaws. There is also mouth rot and scale rot to consider, and even a Respiratory infection could show indications within the mouth. But I would think if the snake was ill or feeling really bad, it would spend most of its time in a warm hide and not eat.

So if he's acting normal otherwise, I would not worry too much about it. If you are concerned, take him to a vet.

He might have something, like a piece of bedding stuck in his mouth. They're normally able to work it out on their own but might be worth checking out


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