Top 41 How To Open A Ball Pythons Mouth 9101 Votes This Answer

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Why cant my snake open its mouth?

This is generally a sign of a very sick snake. Open-mouth breathing is never normal in snakes. Although the most likely cause is a respiratory condition, it can also be seen with gastrointestinal disease and severe pain. Most respiratory problems are rooted in poor husbandry.

How do you release a ball python bite?

Though alcohol will sting a little, pouring alcohol over the bite area is known to effectively make ball pythons unlatch and release you. Expert Tip: You can also try pouring cold water or drinking alcohol into your snake’s mouth.

What helps a snake to open its mouth wide?

The mandibles are loosely connected at the back to the skull, allowing for much greater rotation than most animals have. This is how the snake can open its mouth wider than its body.

Why is my snake not eating?

Refusing to eat is a signal that your snake is stressed. It should come as no surprise that snakes are routine animals and don’t like change so very much. If your snake has just been brought to his new home and is not eating, there are very high chances that your snake is refusing food due to the stress of moving.

Do ball python snakes yawn?

Ball pythons often yawn when they are getting ready to feed. By performing a simple yawn, the jaw of the pet realigns or repositions itself in preparation for swallowing a whole prey.

Does it hurt when a ball python bites you?

Does a ball python bite hurt? You will probably feel the effects of a python bite because it can cause scratches, puncture wounds, bruising, and even possibly deeper internal damage. These bites may be painful during the bite and as your injuries heal.

How painful is a ball python bite?

Is It Dangerous? Simply put, ball python bites are not very painful. While their teeth are quite sharp, ball pythons don’t have strong jaws. Accordingly, bites typically feel like a series of tiny pinpricks.

Why did my ball python strike at me?

One reason that Ball Pythons are so popular is their docile nature. They are generally deemed to be a safe, laid-back reptile. That said, there are very specific situations where they may strike at you. The main reason is of course hunger, but fear, stress or illness could be at fault.

Do pythons unhinge their jaws?

No. Snakes have no chin, no chin bone, so their jaws aren’t connected the way ours are. There’s nothing to dislocate.

How wide can a Ball python open its mouth?

Hinged jaws, in fact, enable the snake to open its mouth wide enough to accommodate humans. “Once they reach 8 to 9 feet (2.4 to 2.7 meters) in size,” Snow says, “you don’t want to be alone with a python.”

Can snakes break their jaw?

A green tree python named Toothless was rushed to the vet after she broke part of her jawbone during a meal. After an X-ray revealed a broken part of her jawbone too small to mend using traditional surgery, doctors decided to craft her “braces.”

Can you hurt a snake by popping it?

Popping is a way to sex your snake that should only be performed by an experienced owner. That’s because popping can cause serious harm if done incorrectly. Popping is a method most recommended for young and small snakes. Larger and older snakes typically have enough muscle tone to hold their hemipenes inside.

How do you treat a respiratory infection in a snake?

Treatment of respiratory disease involves oral or injectable antibiotics and occasionally nose or eye drops. Severely ill snakes require intensive care, including fluid therapy and force feeding in the hospital. Septicemia is a true emergency that requires aggressive treatment in the hospital.

Can a snake open its mouth?

Some people mistakenly believe that snakes can unhinge their jaws, but that’s not what’s happening. Snakes can open their mouths wide because their jaws are two separate pieces of bone that are only attached by stretchy ligaments that hold the lower jaw in place.

What causes respiratory infection in snakes?

Pneumonia and most other respiratory infections in reptiles are caused by bacteria. In some cases, however, viruses, fungal infections, or parasites may be to blame.

Why is my snake yawning a lot?

Potential Respiratory Infection

This act of yawning could be a sign of illness or a sign of disease. Snakes can gape because they aren’t getting enough air. Yawning opens the airways, allowing more air into the lungs. Respiratory infections or respiratory diseases can cause a snake to have issues breathing.

How to open a snakes mouth (two ways!!)

Snake Health 101 – Reptiles Magazine

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Reptiles Magazine

Snake Health 101

The first publication on the “Diseases of Reptiles” was written by a medical doctor, not a veterinarian, and was a total of four pages lon

The first publication on the “Diseases of Reptiles” was written by a medical doctor, not a veterinarian, and was a total of four pages long. My last book on Reptile Medicine and Surgery had more than 70 veterinarians contributing chapters and was 1,242 pages!

That said, I was asked to write an article for Reptiles USA on common snake diseases—in 2,500 words or less! Ok, here goes…

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Common Diseases

There are the “real” diseases, and there are the lay diseases. You’ll find that many of the lay diseases are actually a simple name for what could be any number of medical conditions with similar symptoms. For instance, one disease that I constantly hear about is “respiratory.” For example, “My snake has respiratory.”

Respiratory is not a disease. It is a description only. When someone says that their snake has “respiratory,” they are generally referring to any condition that has a nasal discharge bubbling from the nostrils, foamy and copious saliva, open-mouth breathing, etc.

There are many diseases that can cause these same signs. Bacterial, viral or fungal lung infections, for example, can cause respiratory signs. So can lung mites, lung worms, lung abscesses, lung cancer and heart failure. These are all very different and respond differently to different treatments.

I’ll discuss the most common conditions that present to veterinarians and help point out the many causes for similar presenting signs.

Anorexia or Lack of Appetite in Snakes

This is perhaps one of the most common conditions seen in captive herps. Anorexia is not a disease, it is a symptom—a consequence of something else that is wrong with the snake.

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Douglas Mader This python has not eaten in several months, was covered with mites, was septic with bacteria, had pneumonia and an underlying viral disease. There is no rule that a snake can have one disease.

Not so much anymore, but back when ball pythons were still being imported from the wild, it was commonplace for them to not eat once they were in captivity. A combination of many factors—stress, parasites, housing, food type and more—created a condition called “maladaptation syndrome,” also known as a “failure to thrive.” Regardless of what was done, many of these ball pythons never ate and eventually wasted away.

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Husbandry deficiencies (housing, temperature, lighting, humidity, nutrition) are by far the most common causes for anorexia. Any medical issue has the potential of causing anorexia. Obvious events, such as trauma, can either physically preclude an animal from eating (a broken jaw, for example) or cause enough pain that the animal refuses to eat.

Not so obvious are the internal diseases—infectious, metabolic or organic. Again, an animal with severe pneumonia that is struggling for each breath will not eat. Animals in liver or kidney failure are metabolically deranged and this suppresses their appetite.

When an animal becomes anorectic you can’t just “force feed” them, thinking that as long as they get calories they will be cured. While it is true that nutritional support is often necessary to help an ill snake get strong enough to recover from their ailment, the underlying cause must be addressed for the animal to make a complete recovery.

Vomiting/Regurgitation in Snakes

Following along the lines of anorexia, another common presenting condition is vomiting/regurgitation. “Vomiting” refers to food that is expelled from the lower gastrointestinal tract (below the stomach), and “regurgitation” refers to food that is expelled from the stomach and above. The distinction may seem insignificant, but from a medical perspective, it makes a difference.

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The most common cause for either condition usually stems from husbandry or management problems. The two most common causes in snakes are low environmental temperature and handling the animal too soon after eating.

I would say that these two conditions account for approximately 90 percent of the vomiting/regurgitation problems seen. Fortunately, these are easily diagnosed. A thorough examination of your husbandry and management practices should reveal the problem areas. If you have questions, have an expert review your management practices.

There are a number of other causes that make up the remaining 10 percent of cases. There are several diseases that can cause a snake to vomit or regurgitate shortly after taking a meal. Examples include bacteria and fungal infections, viruses, parasites, obstructions, cancer, kidney, liver and pancreatic diseases, and brain damage. The diagnosis of some of these conditions can be as simple as examining a routine fecal sample or as intricate as performing elaborate laboratory tests or even an MRI. Unfortunately, some of these latter tests can be quite costly.

The bottom line here is that if your snake is having problems with vomiting or regurgitation, thoroughly review your husbandry. If all is good, then you need to take your snake to the veterinarian for a more thorough physical evaluation.

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Infectious Stomatitis or Mouth Rot in Snakes

“Mouth rot,” or infectious stomatitis as it is called in medical terms, is not a primary disease. This generally refers to any disease condition that affects the teeth and gums. Just as with anorexia, infectious stomatitis is a consequence of some other, generally serious, underlying condition. The infection in the mouth occurs when snakes are immunocompromised, or stressed, from some other cause.

Snakes kept under poor husbandry situations, with inadequate nutrition or concurrent disease (e.g. mites) and the like, are all disposed to develop infectious stomatitis.

Douglas Mader “Mouth rot,” or infectious stomatitis as it is called in medical terms, is not a primary disease. Advertisement

Infectious stomatitis can be a consequence of injury, such as rostral trauma (rubbing the cage with the nose) and bites from prey. Again, there has to be a cause for the mouth infection.

A thorough physical examination is mandatory for proper diagnosis and treatment. The physical examination will include a hands-on evaluation. Laboratory testing, such as blood tests, bacterial cultures and x-rays, may also be necessary.

Minor cases often respond well to correction in husbandry deficiencies, antimicrobials and, if needed, pain medication. More serious cases, such as those resulting from broken bones (a misdirected strike into the glass), bone infection or cancer usually require substantially more effort, and generally cost. Needless to say, it is important to have the snake examined by a qualified veterinarian to determine the cause before any treatment is initiated.

Pneumonia (Respiratory) in Snakes

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, “respiratory” is a lay term often used in herpetological circles. The word refers to any ailment involving the nasal cavity, the airways or the lungs. In fact, respiratory illnesses can range from a stuffy nose to fulminate pneumonia. The sad truth is that for many reptiles, by the time they are presented to the veterinarian, they are already suffering from advanced disease.

A common presenting “sign” for many sick reptiles is a nasal discharge (in other words, a snotty nose). A discharge from the nose may simply be an upper respiratory problem and easily treated with antibiotics. Often times, however, this may be a component of progressed disease and associated with pneumonia in the lower respiratory tract. Pneumonia in reptiles is a very serious disease and one that can result in high mortality.

Respiratory infections in snakes can occur anywhere from the nostrils to the trachea (wind pipe) to the lung(s) and air sacs. Snakes lack a diaphragm and are unable to cough. As a result, if their lungs fill with fluid, such as pus, as happens with pneumonia, they have extreme difficulty breathing. These affected snakes may posture, that is, prop themselves in the cage, head and neck held up, with an open mouth. Gravity keeps the pulmonary fluid in the dependent portion of the lung(s), keeping the airway open to allow breathing. This is generally a sign of a very sick snake.

DOUGLAS MADER Open-mouth breathing is never normal in snakes. Although the most likely cause is a respiratory condition, it can also be seen with gastrointestinal disease and severe pain.

Most respiratory problems are rooted in poor husbandry. If a reptile is not housed at its POTZ (preferred optimal temperature zone) it can become stressed. Over time, this will depress the animal’s immune system, predisposing it to disease. Without a properly functioning immune system, the body is unable to attack and defeat bacteria or other disease-causing agents, such as viruses, fungi, bacteria and parasites, that ordinarily wouldn’t cause a problem.

Humidity is a key factor in treating many respiratory diseases, but it is also a key factor in the cause of many infections. A desert species placed in a high-humidity environment will not have the ability to cope with the excess water vapor in its lungs. The reverse is also true when high-humidity species are kept in too dry a climate. The mucous that helps keep the lungs moist and allows the removal of dust will simply dry up, and infection will soon set in.

Nutritional issues (such as a vitamin-A deficiency), lung mites, various parasites and other organisms can all predispose a snake to respiratory disease. This is the reason why some reptile patients seemingly respond well to antibiotics. The antibiotic treats the secondary infection, but then, as soon as the drugs are finished, they break with pneumonia once again shortly thereafter.

Most pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi) are opportunists. In normal situations, when the host is healthy, the organisms will either coexist with the host or be eliminated by its healthy immune system. When the host is stressed and the immune system is compromised, these organisms become disease-causing agents.

One of the challenges a veterinarian must face when diagnosing respiratory disease is determining which organisms are actually causing the disease, and which ones are incidental findings that don’t actually need to be treated.

While some snakes with “respiratory” may respond well to a course of antibiotics, it is clear that not all will. If a snake has a refractory respiratory infection, a thorough examination will be needed to determine the cause. Bacterial culture and sensitivity testing, pulmonary washes, cytology and X-rays may all be needed. In advanced cases, MRI, CT or endoscopy might be used to get to the root cause of the disease. Blood tests, as well as viral screening, can also be done as a diagnostic aid. This is especially important when there are multiple snakes in a collection.

Dysecdysis or Retained Eye Cap

Improper shedding and retained eye caps, or dysecdysis, is a symptom of a problem, not a primarily problem itself (that is, dysecdysis is not a disease but rather a symptom of a disease).

Douglas Mader Dysecdysis in a ball python. The animal had a severe mite infestation, became septic with bacteria and then was not able to shed normally.

Skin shedding, or ecdysis, is a dynamic function that actually occurs throughout the lifetime of a snake. As soon as one shed cycle is completed, a new cycle is begun. This repeats itself until the animal dies of old age or from some other cause.

Douglas Mader Retained eye cap in a ball python (arrow). It is not uncommon for snakes to retain an eye cap when they have problems with their shed cycles.

A healthy snake sheds its skin in a single piece (like an inverted sock). The length of the shedding cycle depends on a number of factors. Two factors which are very important are age of the animal and nutritional state. A young animal on a good diet will shed more than other groups of snakes. A healthy, growing snake can be expected to shed at least once a month.

The average period of time from the first visible sign of shedding to the actual sloughing of the old skin takes about seven to 14 days. It begins with a subtle dulling of the skin. After a few days, the skin becomes markedly dull and the eyes turn a whitish blue. This is the stage where the snake is said to be “in the blue” or “opaque,” to use the vernacular expression.

During this time, the snake will usually refuse food. Also, and more importantly, the underlying skin is not fully developed at this stage, and handling the animal can cause severe damage to the new skin

This dulling over is followed by a three- to four-day period, where the skin looks shiny and the eyes return to being clear. The skin is still easily damaged by rough handling, so care must be taken when touching the animal. At the end of this phase, the snake begins to seek out rough objects in its cage, such as branches or rocks, which it can use to start its shedding process.

DOUGLAS MADER This snake was not able to eat. An X-ray showed the reason—a broken jaw from accidentally striking the terrarium glass (arrow).

The snake will rub the skin off the tip of its nose and lower jaw first. It continues to rub on cage furniture until the loose skin snags on an object. Once this occurs, it can then proceed to crawl through the remainder of its skin, inverting it back over its body as it moves along. The final shed should be one complete, but inverted snake skin.

Whenever a snake sheds, you should always check that the spectacles, or eye caps, come off with the shed. The spectacles act as clear eyelids, which protect the snake’s corneas from damage. If an eye cap gets stuck, or is retained, as it is often called, the underlying eye may become infected.

The majority of shedding problems seen in snakes are due to husbandry and management problems. The aforementioned issue of handling a snake during its shedding cycle and causing severe damage to the developing new skin is a good example of a situation that may result in dysecdysis. Other management factors that cause improper shedding include: low cage temperatures, low humidity, improper nutrition and insufficient cage furniture (logs, rocks, etc.) for rubbing. Once these husbandry factors are corrected, the shedding should return to normal.

If changes in management and husbandry techniques cannot rectify the dysecdysis problems, then a veterinary consultation should be obtained. There are many medical cases of dysecdysis. Although they are far less common than the management problems already discussed, they are frequent enough that they bear mentioning: fungal skin disease; systemic diseases, such as septicemia, mites and microfilaria (parasites); thermal burns and old scars. As with any health problem in snakes, if the obvious causes are not responsible, an appointment with a snake-savvy reptile veterinarian is needed.

Acariasis

Infestation with mites and ticks, called acariasis, is not only a nuisance, but it can be associated with disease and potentially a costly problem in any reptile collection. Fortunately, once the ectoparasites have been identified, they can be treated.

The most commonly seen ectoparasite in snakes is the snake mite (Ophionyssus natricis). Adult mites are hematophagous, meaning that they suck blood, and in large numbers, they can debilitate a host (snake) by causing a life-threatening anemia. In addition, the mites can act as vectors of disease as they travel from animal to animal or cage to cage.

Douglas Mader Snake mites tend to hitchhike between the scales, in the labial pits and around the folds of the eye caps.

Acariasis is commonly associated with unsanitary cage conditions, poor husbandry practices and recent imports or acquisitions. Mites commonly enter a collection arriving on newly acquired animals that have not been quarantined properly. Once established in a cage, mites can quickly spread to other animals throughout a collection.

The snake mite has been implicated as a vector for various infectious disease-causing agents in reptiles, such as Aeromonas hydrophila, Leukocytozoon and certain hematozoans. Aeromonas hydrophila is a bacteria commonly associated as a cause of pneumonia and infectious stomatitis. There has also been speculation that mites may be involved in the transmission of inclusion body disease of boid snakes, but this has not been proven.

Mite infestations can be anywhere from subtle (mites hiding in the skin folds under the jaw) to obvious (mites covering the entire animal with additional mites crawling all over the cage). The mites vary in color depending on the species, sex of the mite, the age of the mite and how recently it has taken a blood meal.

Mite-infested animals will usually have a dull, lackluster appearance. The mites tend to accumulate in areas of the reptile’s body that afford the most protection from the environment. These areas include the area under the chin, or gular folds in snakes, under the scutes, the periocular regions around the eyes and inside the skin folds around the cloaca.

In a large collection, mites and ticks can be extremely difficult to eradicate. Even in an individual pet, ectoparasites are a source of disease and debilitation. The parasites are easily diagnosed, and with the right plan, can be exterminated. The most important point here is that it is not just the snake that needs to be treated, but the entire cage/room/facility. If the environment is not treated, the mites and ticks will come back. Since some of the suggested treatments can be just as toxic to the patient as they can be to the pests, it is wise to get advice from someone with experience.

Pet Snake Diseases and Conditions

These problems are just the tip of the iceberg of snake diseases, representing the most common conditions that I see in my hospital. Gout, vascular emboli, cancer and neurological diseases are examples of several other diseases. In addition, there is no rule that a snake has to only have one disease. It is not uncommon to see a snake that has not eaten in months, has mites, is emaciated, is septic (bacterial infection), has pneumonia and is immunocompromised by a viral infection.

Douglas Mader Establish a relationship with your herp veterinarian and get regular check ups on your snakes. It is easier to prevent problems than treat them once they develop. Pictured here: Several veterinary professionals perform a routine exam on a Burmese python.

A common thread for many of these conditions is bad husbandry. In fact, to be a good snake doctor, you have to be a good amateur herpetologist as well. If you don’t know the normal, you will never be able to recognize the abnormal.

I’ve been doing this for a long time. That said, I am the first to admit “I don’t know” when it comes to some of the more unusual species. I count on working with my clients to maximize the health care for their snakes. Find a good, experienced herp vet and establish a relationship with them. That way, when a problem does arise, you are not in a panic, trying to find someone who can help.

Finally, it is always best to prevent disease rather than treat a problem once it happens. Make it a point to have your snakes examined by your veterinarian on a regular basis.

Douglas R. Mader, MS, DVM, DABVP (REPTILE/AMPHIBIAN), is a graduate of the University of California, Davis. He owns the Marathon Veterinary Hospital in the Conch Republic, and is a world-renowned lecturer, author and editor. He sits on the review boards of several scientific and veterinary journals.

Ball Python Bite 101: Causes, Treatment & Do They Hurt

Understanding ball python bites is important for all owners of this species. While rare, there’s a lot of information a bite can give you about how to improve certain aspects of their care.

Not only that, but you should know what to do in the event of a bite so you don’t injure yourself and your snake.

Read this resource to learn everything you need to know!

Do They Bite?

So, let’s start with the obvious question. Do ball pythons bite?

Yes. They are snakes after all!

But there’s more to it than that. Ball pythons are generally docile snakes, which is one of the many reasons why they’re such popular pets (check out this guide on them to learn more). This means that bites are not very common at all.

However, there are occasions in which they may bite you. Ball pythons typically bite for one of two reasons – hunger or defense.

We’ll dive into these causes further on in this guide, but it’s worth pointing out a couple quick things…

A hungry ball python biting you is always an accident. They simply got confused about what the food is!

If your ball python bites out of defense, it’s because they are stressed or nervous. You can reduce the chance of this happening significantly by practicing smart handling and paying attention to the signs your snake gives you. Sometimes they just want to be left alone!

Does A Ball Python Bite Hurt?

Ball pythons are not venomous, and like most other non-venomous snakes, they do not have fangs. Instead, ball pythons have up to 100 inward-facing teeth – four rows on top and two rows on the bottom.

This sounds pretty intimidating, and leads many people to believe this would hurt more than fangs. We disagree.

Don’t get us wrong, a ball python’s teeth are very sharp. They are designed to capture and restrain its prey.

If you are bitten, it will definitely hurt a little bit (we’re not going to lie to you). Your snake’s teeth may scratch, puncture, or bruise your skin.

However, the pain from a ball python’s bite is relatively mild and you’ll probably shake it off rather quickly. This can obviously depend on your level of pain tolerance, but the general consensus from owners is that it doesn’t feel too bad.

Are They Venomous?

Venomous snakes inject their prey with venom, and ball pythons are not venomous. Rather, ball pythons constrict their prey by wrapping their bodies around it.

Like we mentioned above, this is reflected in the kind of teeth they have. Their teeth are simply meant to help grab and restrain whatever is on the menu.

Expert Tip: Interestingly enough, many owners say that this knowledge can actually help the pain feel a bit less intense. If someone gets bitten by a ball python and assumes that venom is now in their bloodstream, they typically panic and become far more concerned. This can actually heighten how bad the bite feels!

Common Reasons Why They Bite

Your ball python might mistake your hand for food when it’s hungry. That’s why it’s recommended to use tongs to give them their meals.

It’s also important to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your snake’s meals so that your hands don’t smell like their prey. Your snake may also bite you if you try to handle them while they’re still digesting their food (since they’re more vulnerable).

There are several reasons your snake might give you a defensive bite, which is the other most common cause.

These include handling your ball python incorrectly, handling when it’s young and not used to you, or when it feels threatened. Your python may also bite you if they’re ill and not feeling well.

Expert Tip: If your snake is hiding excessively, lethargic, exhibiting skin color changes, or won’t eat, take them to your veterinarian to get checked out. These signs may indicate your ball python has a health problem.

Your ball python may become irritable when it’s shedding as well. You can aid your snake in the shedding process by providing them with fresh water it can soak in and by using a spray bottle to mist them every day.

How To Remove Them If They Are Latched On

A ball python will typically bite and release quickly. However, there are occasions where they may latch onto you.

If this happens, it’s very important that you remain calm. Your reaction will affect your snake (and how easy it is to remove them from your hand). Don’t panic if your ball python wraps its body around your hand or arm. This is their natural behavior when constricting prey.

Do not jerk your hand or arm away even though this is a natural response to a bite. Do not try to pry your ball python off your body, either. Doing so can result in ripping out some of their teeth, which can in turn cause health problems. Trying to pry your snake off your body may also cause worse injury to yourself.

So what can you do to unlatch them?

If your ball python bites you and latches on, you should try giving your snake a minute to release you first. As we’ve established, they’ll bite most often when they’re hungry, stressed, or feeling threatened. If you give your snake a minute, it will realize you aren’t prey and will likely release you.

If it still doesn’t release you, you can pour cold water or drinking alcohol over the bite area. Though alcohol will sting a little, pouring alcohol over the bite area is known to effectively make ball pythons unlatch and release you.

Expert Tip: You can also try pouring cold water or drinking alcohol into your snake’s mouth. If you use this method, make sure your snake’s head is pointing downward so that no liquid gets into their airway.

Always use drinking alcohol, and never use rubbing alcohol for these methods.

Recommended Bite Care & Treatment

Remember that ball pythons are not venomous snakes, so you won’t need anti-venom if you’re bitten. With that being said, there are still some things you should be aware of when it comes to treating the bite.

The way you treat the bite depends on how severe it is. If you want to play it safe, you should consult your doctor any time you get bitten no matter how minor or severe the bite is. While ball pythons are not venomous, their mouths contain bacteria. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic for you to prevent infection.

For minor bite wounds, immediately wash the wound with soap and warm water. Using an antiseptic soap is recommended. Be sure to rinse out the bite with a lot of warm water.

If your wound is bleeding, apply pressure to it to encourage clotting. Once your wound is clean and stops bleeding, you may want to put a bandage on the injury site to help prevent infection. Watch the wound for signs of infection.

If your bite is more serious, you may need a higher level of care. A severe bite is most likely to occur if your snake latches onto you.

Immediately wash more serious wounds with soap and warm water. If you experience severe discomfort or pain around the bite wound, you should seek immediate medical care.

How To Avoid Getting Bitten

There are several things you can do to prevent your ball python from biting you.

Let’s start with feeding advice:

Make sure you feed them on a regular schedule, and do not handle your ball python before or after mealtime. Also, don’t put your snake’s prey into their tank with your hand. Use long-handled tongs instead. Wash your hands thoroughly after feeding your ball python so that you wash the scent of their prey off your skin.

There are also some tips for you to remember when it comes to handling.

Handle your ball python regularly so that it gets accustomed to being handled and to your scent. Snakes can pick up on your emotions, so always be calm when you are handling your ball python. Your snake will sense your fear if you are afraid, and this may make them defensive and more likely to bite.

Shedding can make your ball python irritable. Avoid handling them while they’re shedding. Additionally, avoid handling your snake in loud environments or in large crowds.

Expert Tip: Learn the warning signs of a possible strike. One classic warning sign your snake is getting ready to strike is if their head and neck form an S shape. If you see your snake in this position, calmly put them back into their tank right away.

When A Doctor’s Visit Is A Good Idea

While a ball python isn’t venomous, its mouth still harbors bacteria. These bacteria can lead to infection. You’ll need to watch your bite wound for signs of infection. The most common signs of infection include pain, redness, swelling, and inflammation of the wound.

Pus coming from the wound, a loss of feeling around the bite, red streaks near the injury, fatigue, breathing difficulties, fever, swollen lymph nodes, night sweats, muscle weakness or tremors, and tenderness around the bite may also occur if your wound becomes infected.

If you are bitten on your finger or hand, an infection can cause limited use of the finger or hand. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any signs of infection.

Note: Everything below is only in rare, worst-case scenarios. We’re including it to make sure you’re totally informed, but it’s highly unlikely that things will progress this far.

If your bite is severe, your doctor may want to get an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan of the wound to determine if you have any underlying damage. Magnetic fields and radio waves are utilized to develop detailed pictures of your body’s tissues in an MRI.

The removal of tissue or foreign objects may be necessary to help heal your bite wound. If there is damage to your nerves or tendons, they may need to be surgically repaired.

Closing Thoughts

Ball python bites are rare and not dangerous. In other words, there’s really nothing to worry about!

As long as you know what to do if it happens, you’ll be just fine. As long as you follow our recommendations you should be to keep yourself and your ball python safe, and find out how to prevent a bite from happening in the future.

How Snakes Swallow

Wayward pythons are not uncommon in the Australian bush. Still, one camp manager was quite surprised when a python she relocated began to cough up its last meal: an even larger python. A snake’s ability to swallow enormous prey has long been the stuff of nightmares and fascination, but just how do they do it?

Scientist Kenneth Kardong, writing in Copeia, explains that snake swallowing is all about the jaw. A snake cannot swallow something that won’t fit past its jaws, so snakes have a unique adaptation that allows them to increase their jaw width, or “gape” as it is technically known. Contrary to popular myth, snakes do not in fact dislocate their jaws. But they can certainly perform some spectacular feats of jaw agility.

The snake’s head “walks” forward in a side-to-side motion over the prey’s body.

In snakes, the lower bones of the jaw, or mandibles, are not connected like they are in mammals. At the front, each mandible is attached by a stretchy ligament. The mandibles can therefore spread apart laterally, increasing the width of the mouth. The mandibles are loosely connected at the back to the skull, allowing for much greater rotation than most animals have. This is how the snake can open its mouth wider than its body. The mandibles move independently of each other, slowly inching the prey into the throat. Simultaneously, the snake’s head “walks” forward in a side-to-side motion over the prey’s body, so as the prey is levered backward the head moves forward. The process can take a while. Backward-pointing teeth help ensure the prey does not escape if it is still alive.

Swallowing is only half the battle, though, and prey must also be digested. Snakes don’t chew their food; they chemically digest it. So there is limited mechanical breakdown. Digestive enzymes can only act on the tough outside of a meal. Consequently, snake digestion can take a while, and snakes often cough up partially-digested meals.

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According to scholars F. Harvey Pough and John D. Groves in American Zoologist, pit vipers have a particularly terrifying way of dealing with the digestion problem. Pit vipers have large heads and thick bodies, allowing them to swallow extremely large prey relative to their body size. As a result, digestion for pit vipers can be especially slow. This poses real risks to the snake, as snakes are vulnerable while digesting. Also, if digestion does not outpace putrefaction, partially-digested prey might expand inside the snake’s body with dangerous consequences. Pit vipers, however, have an ace in hole: venom. Their long fangs inject protein-dissolving venom deep into the prey’s body. The venom aids digestion by turning the prey’s insides into goo. Problem solved.

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