QUESTION ABOUT KINKS...

[CornCrazy]

I received 38 non-feeders earlier this season. Some of them had never eaten when I got them. Their ages ranged from 1 month to approx. 3 months. Anyway, I noticed that some of them had several spinal kinks. The most notable one was a little hypo male who had 7 or 8 kinks. I have long since gotten all of the ones I kept to eat (except for a few that were too far gone to save). Anyway, I noticed that the hypo lavender's kinks are gone except for one that is still slightly apparent. I know that high incubation temps can cause kinks, as can developmental malformations. I was wondering, however, if anyone has any experience with spinal kinks caused by malnutrition.

[paulh]

I've only had kinks in a handfull of baby snakes, and none in my baby corn snakes. However, skeletal abnormalities occur in a variety of species, from trout to chickens and pigs. A number are caused by mild vitamin deficiencies in the mother. See Vitamins in Animal Nutrition, by Lee Russell McDowell (not sure of author's name). My own opinion is that borderline deficiencies are involved in more congenital deformities than we think.

[CornCrazy]

I'm actually wondering if it was a congenital abnormality. The breeder was really surprised when I told him that the snake had kinks. He had not noticed it before, and it was VERY noticable. I noticed the kinks the first time the breeder handed the deli cup to me and I got the snake out. I think that for some reason his spine kinked up after he hatched, and after he continued to choose to not eat. It would explain why his kinks are already almost gone now that he has been eating regularly.

Thanks for your reply. I will try to find the book you refered to.

[carol]

I have had some hatchings kink AFTER hatch. It is not too common, but it has happened. One was while I was feeding a mouse tail to a pretty malnurished hatchling and his "back half" slipped free from my hands. He whipped himself about so wildly trying to escape that he kinked himself. I am absolutely positive the kink was not there before (even proof in photograph). The second time was when my cat(who was supposed to be OUTSIDE) took advantage of the paper bags with feeding snakes in them on the counter. He managed to get one before I got him and by the time I was able to retrieve the hatchling it was kinked, but somehow escaped with out any puncture wounds. Both cases were with snakes that were or had been fussy eaters. I don't know if it was the trauma, the malnutrition, or both.

[CornCrazy]

That's interesting, Carol. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I'm sorry you'd had such bad experiences, though. I really think that malnourishment does play a part in the formation of some kinks.

[Taceas]

Interesting points indeed. I think that malnutrition would have a considerable impact on the health and development of an animal, no matter the species.

I adopted a malnourished kitten from a coal mine over a year ago, and even before her untimely death (if I find the sucker who maimed her, I'll kill him) she still suffered from skeletal problems because of her poor nutrition when she was at a critical point in her growth.

I've seen malnourished breeder rodents that end up "hump-backed" and have bent limbs because the body robs the minerals it needs from it's own skeleton therby weakening the bones themselves.

The same is also true for humans deprived at a young age. Rickets and other skeletal abnormalities will surface when the minerals and vitamins aren't present in the diet when the body needs them the most.

Also, when a snake is malnourished I would tend to think that it weakens the bone structure and the supporting structures nearby. So when wild movement such as thrashing or being wrestled with by a cat, the spine would have the leeway to slip from its proper position, which under optimal conditions wouldn't normally happen. And if they did, it would take considerable force to move ths spine and would most likely result in death of the animal.

But it does seem like the logical conclusion for kinking after hatching, especially in those problematic feeders. Either they be non-feeders or feeders who tend to regurge often. And it also seems to explain the fact that once feeding properly on the highest quality food, the minorist of kinks all but disappear. I would assume under x-ray examination that skeletal scars would still be present, but due to the flesh and skin would be un-noticable by the naked eye.