Snakes are incredible creatures. Their extremely flexible jaws allow them to swallow prey much larger than their head size. However, this amazing ability comes at a price – snakes can easily dislocate their jaws while feeding.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Snake jaw dislocation happens when the bones connecting the upper and lower jaw become misaligned or separated. It’s quite common in pet snakes and wild snakes while feeding.
Dislocated snake jaws may show an asymmetrical mouth, inability to close the mouth, and swelling. Treatment involves gently manipulating the bones back into place under anesthesia. Preventing dislocation involves proper handling while feeding snakes and avoiding prey that’s too large.
What Causes Snake Jaw Dislocation?
Attempting to Swallow Prey That’s Too Large
One of the most common causes of snake jaw dislocation is when a snake attempts to swallow prey that is too large for its head and body size. Snakes are able to swallow surprisingly large prey items thanks to their loosely hinged jaws and stretchy skin and muscles.
However, they do have limits on what they can ingest. If a snake tries eating something too big, the pressure and strain can cause their flexible jaws to partially or fully dislocate.
For example, a ball python may dislocate its jaw when trying to swallow a rat that is too large around. Non-venomous snakes like pythons and boas kill their prey by constriction before swallowing it whole. They do not chew or tear food into smaller pieces.
So if the prey item is too big to fit in the snake’s mouth and throat, problems can occur.
Feeder rodents that are the appropriate size for a snake’s age and body mass should be offered to prevent overstretching injuries. It is also important not to handle snakes for at least 24 hours after feeding them large meals, as manipulation during digestion can further stress the jaw.
Improper Handling
Another frequent cause of jaw dislocation in captive snakes is incorrect handling and restraint methods. Snakes are masters of escaping, so it can be tempting to grab them by the head or neck to gain better control.
However, this puts excessive pressure on the delicate jaw joint and can partially pop it out of place.
Repeated force on the jaws from improper handling is also thought to predispose some snakes to developing chronic dislocation problems later in life. For routine handling, snakes should be picked up and supported from below with gentle control behind the head.
Their body weight should be fully supported as much as possible.
Overly aggressive or careless feeding techniques can also lead to jaw injuries. Snakes rely heavily on their sense of smell and strike instinctively at food items introduced into their enclosures. Quickly jerking rodents away from a striking snake rather than letting go can twist the jaws in an abnormal way and lead to partial dislocation.
Health Issues Like Metabolic Bone Disease
Underlying health conditions may also contribute to jaw dislocation frequency or make treatment more challenging. One example is metabolic bone disease (MBD) or nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (NSHP). MBD occurs when snakes have long-term calcium, vitamin D3, or phosphorus deficiencies.
Over time, lack of these essential nutrients causes bones to become weak, brittle, and easily fractured or dislocated. MBD is commonly seen in snakes fed improper diets as juveniles or that lack appropriate full-spectrum UVB lighting.
Other health issues like infections, trauma, or congenital and developmental abnormalities can also predispose some snakes to dislocation. For snakes with frequent or recurring dislocations, underlying illness should be evaluated and corrected to help prevent future episodes.
Symptoms of Snake Jaw Dislocation
Asymmetrical Mouth
One of the most obvious signs of a dislocated jaw in snakes is an asymmetrical mouth. When a snake’s flexible jaws get pulled out of their sockets during feeding or defensive biting, one side of the mouth and head may appear distorted or uneven.
This crooked appearance results from one side of the jaws sitting in the proper anatomical position while the other side protrudes at an odd angle.
For example, the lower jaw may jut out noticeably further on one side. Alternatively, the mouth may gape open wider on one side. These asymmetries result from the delicate bones, ligaments and muscles that control jaw movement and positioning becoming damaged or displaced.
Inability to Close Mouth
Another key symptom is the inability to fully close the mouth. Snakes suffering jaw dislocations will often leave their mouths hanging open instead of snapping them shut.
This occurs because the intricate components allowing the upper and lower jaws to hinge open and closed for feeding become displaced and stop functioning properly. With bones, cartilage, tendons and muscles knocked out of alignment, the mouth loses its ability to both fully open and tightly close down.
Swelling and Bruising
Since jaw dislocation results from traumatic injury, swelling and bruising around the jawline are common symptoms. Displaced bones, muscle strains and damage to blood vessels under the skin cause painful inflammation.
Bruises ranging from dark reds and purples signal burst blood vessels called hematomas.
Increased pressure and fluid buildup due to damage to surrounding soft tissues is responsible for noticeable swelling and puffiness on one or both sides of the head where the loosely hinged jaw attaches. This inflammation and tenderness subside during healing.
Treating Dislocated Snake Jaws
Manual Manipulation Under Anesthesia
Manual manipulation under anesthesia is often the first course of treatment for a snake with a dislocated jaw. The snake is placed under general anesthesia so that the muscles are fully relaxed. This allows the veterinarian to gently manipulate the jaw back into proper alignment without causing pain or distress to the snake.
To realign the jaw, the vet will apply gentle and steady pressure on the dislocated part to slide it back into its socket. X-rays may be taken during the process to ensure proper alignment. Once aligned, the vet may apply a small splint or bandage to stabilize the jaw for a period of time while healing takes place.
Antibiotics and pain medication may also be prescribed.
Manual manipulation has a good success rate for reducing simple jaw dislocations if done promptly. However, the longer a dislocation goes untreated, the lower the chance of being able to manually realign it due to swelling, muscle spasms, and scar tissue formation.
Severe dislocations or fractures may also require surgery.
Supportive Care Like Pain Medication and Assist Feeding
Even with successful jaw realignment, snakes will require supportive care while they heal. Their ability to eat on their own is impaired since they cannot fully open their mouths. Snakes already have slow metabolisms and can go weeks between meals, but assistance is still needed.
Vets often prescribe pain medication like ketoprofen or meloxicam to help manage discomfort during recovery. Antibiotics may also be given to prevent infection. Snakes can be fed a nutritional slurry injected into the side of their mouths with an oral syringe so they get sustenance without needing to swallow normally.
This assist feeding is continued until the snake regains full use of its jaws, which can take several weeks.
Other aspects of care include keeping the enclosure clean, monitoring for signs of worsening infection, and follow-up vet visits to check healing progress. With appropriate treatment and aftercare, most snakes make a full recovery from jaw dislocations.
However, prevention is still the best medicine when it comes to dealing with this painful and distressing injury. Providing proper housing, diet, and handling is key to lowering risks. Snakes use their jaws for capturing prey, exploring their environment, and defensive strikes.
Keepers should aim to reduce chances for accidents that could harm this vital body part.
Preventing Snake Jaw Dislocations
Choose Appropriate Prey Size
One of the most common causes of snake jaw dislocations is attempting to feed prey that is too large. Snakes are opportunistic feeders and will often strike at prey that is larger than what they can safely consume.
As a responsible pet owner, it is important to select prey items that are appropriately sized for your snake’s head width. Prey that is too large can overstretch the snake’s jaws and ligaments, leading to painful dislocations or even fractures of the mandible.
A good rule of thumb is to choose prey no wider than 1.5 times the width of the snake’s head at its widest point.
Pay close attention to your snake’s body language when striking at prey. If they seem to struggle swallowing it, the prey item may be too large and risks injuring them. It is better to err on the side of caution and select prey on the smaller side until you better understand your snake’s capabilities.
Handle Snakes Properly When Feeding
Another common mistake is improper handling of snakes during feeding time. Snakes can become very excited when food is introduced and are prone to striking quickly. If they miss or do not properly latch onto the prey item, the momentum of the strike can lead to jaw dislocation.
Here are some tips for safe snake handling when feeding:
- Use long forceps or tongs to present prey to the snake. This keeps your hands safely out of strike range.
- Do not wave prey wildly in front of the snake’s face, as this encourages uncontrolled striking.
- Allow the snake to strike and latch from a stationary position, then gently release the prey item on the ground.
- Support the snake’s body while eating to prevent excessive twisting or pulling motions.
- Never try to pry open a snake’s mouth or pull prey from their jaws as this can cause serious injury.
With some patience and care, you can minimize the chances of your snake becoming overeager and injuring themselves during feeding. Pay close attention and get to know your snake’s natural feeding behaviors.
Maintain Proper Husbandry
Ensuring that your snake’s basic husbandry needs are met goes a long way in preventing health issues like jaw dislocation. Here are some husbandry tips to maintain:
- Provide an appropriately sized habitat with adequate places for hiding, climbing, and resting. An enclosure that is too small increases stress.
- Maintain proper temperature gradients and humidity within the enclosure. Use gauges to monitor this.
- Change water regularly and keep the habitat clean and sanitary.
- Allow proper photoperiods with day/night light cycles.
- Quarantine new snakes before introducing them to other snakes to prevent disease transmission.
A healthy, low-stress environment is crucial for a snake’s overall well-being. Consult with a qualified herpetologist if you are unsure of your snake’s specific care requirements. Providing proper husbandry reduces the chances of your snake becoming injured or ill.
Conclusion
A dislocated jaw is quite a common issue for snakes, especially in captivity. While it may look disturbing, with proper treatment and care, snakes can fully recover from a dislocated jaw. Being mindful of prey size, handling techniques, and overall health can go a long way in preventing painful jaw injuries in our snake friends.
