yawning python or something bad?

[pollunga]

Tonight when I came home my ball python appeared to be either yawning or stretching his jaws. He would slowly turn his head while "yawning", wiggle his open jaws back and forth , and then close them. Kind of like an "oh look at my powerful jaws" attitude. He only did this a few times and otherwise seems fine. He was active when I got him out earlier, no mites, no swelling, nothing. His temp on the warm side is about 80 during the day with a humidty of anywhere between 60-75% (right this second it is about 70%). He hasn't eaten in about a month and a half because the people I adopted him from fed live and I don't. He has only eaten a pre-killed rat once and has since refused. He is not skinny, but has been very active lately. He is estimated to be about 2 years old and is around 3 to 3 and half feet long. I am not exactly sure on his age because the people I got him from weren't the best keepers and didn't seem to know much of anything. Anyways. Is this a behavior I should be wary of? Or could he just be yawning and being a dork? He was drinking earlier, but not more than he usually does. Thanks!

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[RevMojo]

has he shed since you've had him?

[pollunga]

yes. i got him in march and he has had one shed. it was all once piece and everything.

[ChristopherD]

The wiggling back and forth sounds like he is trying to realign his jaws, but that wouldn't make sense seeing as how he hasn't eaten recently. It is possible it is an RI I guess.

	Respiratory Infection Respiratory Infection

[RevMojo]

Originally Posted by fb4076

The wiggling back and forth sounds like he is trying to realign his jaws, but that wouldn't make sense seeing as how he hasn't eaten recently. It is possible it is an RI I guess.

Or something innocuous as stretching the skin getting ready for the next shed. When was the shed you saw?

Kick that warm side temp up to 90-95 degrees though. Check out some of our earlier threads and caresheets. Ball Pythons are especially prone to RI, from what I know, but get an idea of what to look for to make a better determination.

[Razaiel]

My BP yawns from time to time - sometimes she'll do it twice in succession - hard to say how often though - I've always wanted to take a pic of her yawning but she doesn't often do it when I'm around.

I agree with RevMojo - the temps do need upping - 80 is what your cool end should be I keep my BP at 92-94 (hot end) and she's never refused a feed. Snakes seem to know when they're not warm enough to digest their meals and then don't eat - or if they do they can regurgitate - not nice for the snake.

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

	regurgitate Throw up. Reptiles will regurge when they feel they are in danger or if they have some sort of health issue. If your reptile has regurgitated his/her food please seek help!

[RevMojo]

aren't...aren't prone to RI

Stoopid typos

	Respiratory Infection Respiratory Infection

[VoodooChile]

Originally Posted by Razaiel

My BP yawns from time to time - sometimes she'll do it twice in succession - hard to say how often though - I've always wanted to take a pic of her yawning but she doesn't often do it when I'm around.
I agree with RevMojo - the temps do need upping - 80 is what your cool end should be I keep my BP at 92-94 (hot end) and she's never refused a feed. Snakes seem to know when they're not warm enough to digest their meals and then don't eat - or if they do they can regurgitate - not nice for the snake.

Sorry to argue, but 92-94 is baking your Ball Python! As RevMojo said BP's are NOT prone to RI, Im thinking its either realigning its jaw, or possibly stretching the skin as mentioned above. It is also possible that when it shed last it didnt shed the nasal plugs of skin..Sometimes right before a shed the skin gets thick in the nasal passages, and the snake will make wheezing sounds and yawn a lot..Its best in that case to soak the snake, and wait till AFTER it sheds to check to make sure the whistling and yawning are gone..

When was the last shed? Last feeding?

Keep your temps where they are, do you hear any whistling sounds or clicking? Is there any mucous discharge/drainage from the mouth or out of the nostrils?

[dhonaker]

80 to 85 is good on the hot side for a ball