Help!

[Selenotypus]

I have a BlackHeaded Python, He's 20months old, 6.5ft, he seems to have a unique problem. He won't flick his tongue and hasn't done this for at least a week, he's been to the vet but the vet doesn't know exactly what would cause him to do it and it was a reptile vet, so I need peace of mind, his mouth seems clear to me... I was hoping at least one person has had this problem before and could shed some light on my issue, I see him drink well minus the tongue but he seems to gulp it down though he won't eat, I held his head firmly and showed him a pet blue tongue I've done this before by mistake and almost lost the bluey however this time i had a firm grip he didn't even try to force his way out of my hand for the bluey I know the tongue is how they smell so without it... is he going to eat?

 

[Sezzzzzzzzz]

Did you have a thread about this recently?

 

[thomasssss]

yes 3 in-fact

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[Selenotypus]

yeah I need to figure out how to delete them... I put picture to this and a new title

 

[thomasssss]

. I put picture to this and a new title

wow nice bhp buy the way hope he gets eatin soon for ya

 

[FAY]

Maybe nothing has taken his interest smell(taste) wise for him to bother....

 

[Sezzzzzzzzz]

Hace you tried feeding him? Has he still got a tongue. (sorry I am blind as a bat and couldnt tell in those pics)

 

[Selenotypus]

Honestly I'm not sure where the tongue should be, I can't see why he wouldn't have a tongue though

 

[Bel03]

Honestly I'm not sure where the tongue should be, I can't see why he wouldn't have a tongue though

Im pretty sure you will find his tounge in his mouth....... if he is still behaving as normal, i wouldnt stress too much, how often are you offering food? Maybe wait a few weeks & then try again, or at least wait until you see him hunting, at which time you should see his tounge.

 

[Selenotypus]

Should I be able to see the snakes tongue easily? see I though the tongue may have come out of the glottus(sp?) but now I assume it is under.. a black headed pythons mouth is a lot of black making it harder to see...I can feel him trying to poke it out when rest my finger just under his head.. so he is trying to use it... it seems "stuck"

 

[DeadCricket]

I don't have a BHP but I guess they can't be too different from my pythons.

If the above is true then;

2 noticeable openings in the mouth. 1 is for breathing, its particularly noticeable during feeding and sits at the bottom/front of the lower jaw. Another contains the tongue. It should flicker out of this regularly, especially when you have him out as there is lots to smell/taste. This is located above the breathing tube. See my fancy scientific names? Haha

If you use a torch to look down the tongue tube (fancy fancy name) can you see any blockages?

 

[Selenotypus]

Okay so I found by looking at diagrams the tongue sits under the breathing thingamabob(sp?) lol... What is the best way to open his mouth and look inside? I noticed BHPs have a lips overlapping that doesn't seem to be common to other pythons

oh and he is ALWAYS hungry btw, even feeding him a monster rat he always wants more, though of course I do not give more... one large rat ever two weeks is good enough

 

[DeadCricket]

Okay so I found by looking at diagrams the tongue sits under the breathing thingamabob(sp?) lol... What is the best way to open his mouth and look inside? I noticed BHPs have a lips overlapping that doesn't seem to be common to other pythons

oh and he is ALWAYS hungry btw, even feeding him a monster rat he always wants more, though of course I do not give more... one large rat ever two weeks is good enough

Could be a two person job without anesthetic. Might be an idea to see a vet.

Whilst I highly suggest seeing a vet for the safety of you and your animal, if you chose not to then anything long and thin like what you used in the picture. Then get another person to look

 

[Selenotypus]

Thanks for the reply. That was a 3 person job, I was using a basketball pump to open his mouth due to it being small and round, the trouble is he hates it of course and he tried to pull away and if he pulls to hard you can feel his what I would assume to be his spinal discs coming apart, I suppose in the same way we can pull on our wrist and create a gap? He did go to the vet I did that on the 25Th of November, they didn't put him under, I wish they had! He said it was common for this to happen, a snake not using his tongue, but he was vague, this time he wants faeces and a blood test, I am taking him back on Thursday, I guess all I can do right now is give him water and keep his temps rights. Poor thing, just wish her was well. He's using his heat pit to move around, instead of moving around with a flat head his has it cock a little and facing down. other than he tongue and that. he is very active.

 

[Fantazmic]

If you are not happy with what this vet is telling you try and find another reptile vet for a second opinion

Elizabeth

Youc an search reptile vets in melbourne on this site and you will find there are a few.

Also I wouldnt be pulling the snake around anymore by yourself. There is no point putting the snake through all that stress and risk of injury when you don't know what you are looking at

 

[Selenotypus]

If you are not happy with what this vet is telling you try and find another reptile vet for a second opinion

Elizabeth

Youc an search reptile vets in melbourne on this site and you will find there are a few.

Also I wouldnt be pulling the snake around anymore by yourself. There is no point putting the snake through all that stress and risk of injury when you don't know what you are looking at

I know where this is another vet, I'll take him there soon.
There is a point to looking in his mouth. I do know where the tongue sits and I have been having a look each day. so if I find any changes I can tell the vet, the more info the better. MY BHP doesn't get defensive, very calm, doesn't overly stress. I really posted here to see who else has had the problem so they could share with me what they know about it, so far.. no luck. He will go to the vet, but it would be nice to know how you guys keep yours. Have you ever had this problem Elizabeth?

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Lack of tongue flicking is usually an indicator of a health problem. Snakes use their tongues constantly to test their environment, if they don't, or can't, there is something not right. This is often the first indicator of RI, inflammation or mucus from the lungs or respiratory tract can glue the tongue into the sheath in which it stays most of the time (even if you do force the snake's mouth open, you may not see the tongue because it will usually be withdrawn).

If the snake is not interested in food, this, combined with the lack of alertness (tongue flicking), indicates a problem for which a vet visit is warranted. A respiratory infection would be the first thing to look for, but a vet might find some other cause.

Jamie

 

[Selenotypus]

He saw the vet for the second time today, he drew some blood and I will have test results sometime today, hopefully we find out what is wrong and for future ref people can read this, the vet was hessitant to give me any idea of what it may be, however he said since my snake regurertated a rat he may have damaged his tongue, very soon I'll know what's up

 

[gosia]

Good luck and let us know

 

[Bel03]

He saw the vet for the second time today, he drew some blood and I will have test results sometime today, hopefully we find out what is wrong and for future ref people can read this, the vet was hessitant to give me any idea of what it may be, however he said since my snake regurertated a rat he may have damaged his tongue, very soon I'll know what's up

Did the vet look inside his mouth for a tongue, or damage to his tongue?