Diamond no tounge

[Dave211]

Hi just bought a pair of diamonds one missing it tounge found out that it had been force fed wrong as a little one.
Just wondering what kind of affects this could have on it

thanks

 

[PythonLegs]

Probably hamper its ability to find food and water, may well be a problem feeder forever.
Should never have been sold to you, I'd be getting a refund asap. Pretty poor form by the breeder.

 

[Evil_Birdy]

I have read that a missing or deformed tongue will make for poor food recognition and therefore poor feeding response, and the snake may even have difficulty striking, (this information was about ball pythons who have been brutally and mercilessly inbred in America all for the sake of 'some nice paint jobs' where deaths from fatal genes and deformities in clutches is so common it is expected and almost considered normal. It is needless to say that the ball python with the deformed tongue may well have had other issues going on, hence the difficulty striking) but this does not mean it will be so for your diamond.

How how old is it? You said this happened when it was young, indicating that it is no longer a "little one" as you put it. If it has managed to make it to an adult with this issue, then you should be okay, although it will more than likely always be difficult, if not more so than your other snakes.

Definitely get a refund. Demand one. What the breeder did was so dodgy and wrong.

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

Not convinced that a missing/deformed tongue has anything to do with any method of force feeding. As mentioned above potentially from breeding inline but I would lean more towards the incubation temperatures as the culprit.
Whatever the cause, unless it hadn't been noticed it should never have been sold.

 

[pinefamily]

It must have been noticed if Dave211 was told how it lost its tongue. Agree with the others that it should never have been sold to you, and you should inquire about your money back. Did you get it offered cheaper because of the lack of tongue?

 

[Wokka]

Someone,either has to keep it or euthanase it. Perhaps its condition was reflected in the deal as the cause of the missing tongue appears to have been discussed. Once it has started feeding I doubt that the missing tongue will be a major problem in captivity.

 

[pythoninfinite]

Probably shouldn't have been sold, possibly given away. Once habituated to feeding without a tongue, it will probably be OK, but active responsive tongue-flicking is a good diagnostic tool when considering the health of a snake, so it has more uses than just those of the snake.

Jamie