Big problem

[MasonDixon]

I just tried to feed Mason and the pinky must have been a little bit too big because he got about half way through and started flailing around and then he spit it back up. At first it looked as though he broke his jaw and I was extremely worried but his jaw turned out to be fine. Anyway I feel REALLY bad right now and am wondering if I should wait until his next feeding time to try again? And also do you think he will be ok?

[Nanci]

Someone that knows more than me will be along in a little while, but for now- I think it's normal for him to "dislocate" his jaw to swallow, so that is all normal, if it's gone back to looking right- no permanent damage done- and if this counts as a regurge, the standard waiting period is ten days, then resume feeding with a smaller prey, but since yours never even swallowed it- waiting for the expert opinion...

Nanci

[TWGarland]

Can i ask what made you think that the jaw had been broken? Did it look like your snake was yawning/opening the jaw wide and closing it again repeatedly? Cos this would be normal. About the not being able to hold down a pinky. I'd probably treat it as a regurge, at least for the stress factor to the snake. I'd probably wait to try and re-feed and i'd slice the pinky vertically, or you could just feed the head. How old/big is your snake? it must be very small, to not be able to handle a pinky.

[TWGarland]

After re-reading your post it sounds like your snake has handled pinks in the past but had a problem with a particularly big one, is that right? If thats the case i would have thought your snake will be absolutlely fine in the long term, just give it a little rest as i said before re-feeding, and give a smaller prey item, and all should be fine i reckon.

[BeckyG]

First off, don't worry. Your snake did not break it's jaw. Their jaws are made to dislocate both at the hinge and in the middle of the chin. This enables them to swallow items larger than their heads.

Secondly, it may have been that the pinky was too big, but I think a more likely reason was that your snake got spooked. My king snake did this once. He was nearly finished swallowing his mouse when something startled him and he spit it back up. This is an instinctive fight or flight response for them. They can't flee or fight with a mouth full of mouse.

I would wait a few days longer than normal to feed him, and feed him a slightly smaller mouse, but since the mouse never made it to the stomach, I wouldn't call it a regurge. Next time you feed him, give him lots of privacy. Put him in a small container, cover it or turn the lights out, and leave the room. If necessary, put the feeding container back into his viv and leave it there all night.

[Paradox]

I agree with BeckyG. Don't treat it as a regurge, just wait till the next feeding date and try with a slightly smaller food item. The regurge procedure is only there to allow bacteria in the stomach to build up again, so this doesn't count.

[MasonDixon]

Thanks guys, he is doing fine now, I was just startled to say the least. I was worried about his jaw because normally a snake can lower their lower jaw so it makes about a 90 degree angle with the top jaw but last night it was at an angle greater than 90 and it just looked bad. Another thing that may have played into it was right after he got the head down my dumb@** room mate walked in and started freaking out (he is afraid of snakes) and Mason saw him and I think it scared him as he was defenseless at the time.

[BeckyG]

Another thing that may have played into it was right after he got the head down my dumb@** room mate walked in and started freaking out (he is afraid of snakes) and Mason saw him and I think it scared him as he was defenseless at the time.


That is probably what caused him to spit the mouse back up. Try to ensure some privacy for the snake. Trust me, he's more scared of your roommate than the room mate is of him.