I could be crazy....

[Jessica]

So I could be crazy but my diamond python is yawning an awful lot... I take him out about every 1-3 nights and I have began to realize that soon after I put him in he starts yawning... 1-2 times a night this occurs. Now I am not sure if that is normal behaviour.. but when he is awake I have noticed him yawning. I don't watching him constantly, but his tank is near my bed and as I go to bed a night I place him back in and notice the yawning... I also have a GTP but I have seen him yawn maybe once if ever... So I am a little worried about my diamond... I have heard that yawning can mean a dificiancy in something? I am not really sure... but I have not heard of snakes yawning much.. perhaps he just needs to stretch his mouth? I duno... please help :/

Cheers from Jess

 

[gosia]

Can really help as to why - but our Diamond has been doing the same! Maybe its the time of the year or we are just bad company lol

 

[alrightknight]

Maybe its time to think of some more exciting conversation topics. haha.

Maybe having some trouble proeprly relocating its jaw after feeding??? im not sure just a wild guess haha.

 

[Jessica]

gosia: Oh yay not just mine

alrightknight: Haha >.< and that is a good guess actually >.< sounds logical

 

[Kimberlyann]

Mine done the same thing the other night as well

 

[varanus]

Feed it.

 

[briiiziii]

I have no idea why my Peanut yawns (she only does it once in a blue moon!)
But...ITS SO CUTE!

 

[gosia]

Feed it.

Dont think thats the case. does it all the time.

 

[Sarah11]

as far as im aware they generally do it after feeding to relocate their jaw. is it all the time or at specific times

 

[FlippinBirdies]

Ive read about it cause my coastal does it and I loooove watching her. Apparently its just to realign the jaw. cause they have so much flexibility in there they just need to yawn to realign it. Thats general consensus but its just a theory like a few other theories about it around

 

[Cockney_Red]

No reason...they just yawn

 

[Bluetongue1]

Snakes do yawn and for a number of different reasons.

As has been mentioned, they will often yawn shortly after swallowing a meal to ‘realign the jaws’. This allows the jaws to sit back together they way they are meant to go. Top and bottom jaws separate the most but each half of these also operates independently. It is bit like having a dislocated finger and pulling the joint apart so that it sits back in properly.

They yawn coming up to a shed to stretch and loosen the old skin around the mouth, so that it comes free of the new skin. Once that has been achieved they will start rubbing to break the loose skin so they can they can then begin their slough.

At other times, snakes will yawn to limber up the muscles and ligaments of the jaws, which may not have been used for a while. The human equivalent is stretching in the morning before you get out of bed.

Snakes also 'yawn' to say 'stay away'. If a snake coils back, in the typical s-shape, and opens its mouth wide, you don’t have to guess what it is trying to tell you.

Under normal circumstances, snakes do not yawn to take in more oxygen – as is the case in humans. However, if they are suffering respiratory infection, they may display gaping or open mouth breathing where the mouth is kept open for prolonged periods (does not really qualify as yawning) and the head is often support in an elevated position in the enclosure. There will be other very obvious symptoms as well.

Blue

 

[Jessica]

Thankyou very much blue for the information.... But I am not sure if any of them fit... He yawns every time I put him back in his tank... He is not due to shed and is fed regularly. He does not try to bite me and is very placid and it does not look like his jaw is in anyway out of place or uncomfortable (as far as I can see).... so.... :/

 

[sher_khan13]

ekans my wee spotted loves a good yawn. cute is pretty much the only word for it