Missing scales?

[Hankj]

This snake I found/rescued has some scales missing on his head. Do they ever grow back when they shed their skin or anything?

Also I have noticed a lot of the time when I am sitting by the tank watching him he will come closest to me and open his mouth. It almost seems like he is struggling too or yawning. The left side of his mouth opens faster then the right. The right side is also the side with the damaged eye. I can not see any teeth either. I don't know much about garters but I thought I should be able to see some teeth?

[guidofatherof5]

The teeth are hidden by the gums for the most part.
Would the missing scales be the result of the injury to the head?
Yawning could be the result of an injury to the jaw.
Can you post a photo or two, that would be great.

[ConcinusMan]

Teeth aren't easy to see. Like Steve said, they are obscured by soft gums. They only protrude out when the gums are pushed down, like when gripping food. Besides that, even when you're looking right at the teeth, they are tiny and somewhat translucent like fish teeth, making them difficult to see.

I can't see teeth in the mouth of my biggest garter (about 3.5 feet) but when I was feeding her recently, she missed the food and bit my thumb. I could definitely feel her teeth, and they are so sharp, it drew blood.

Their lower jaw is two pieces, left bone and right bone, so they move independently. Not like our jaw which is one bone. It's perfectly normal for one side to open separately from the other. I think you're just seeing a normal yawn but it's possible he's doing this because of discomfort caused by the injury.

[guidofatherof5]

If you look closely at this photo you can just make out the tips of the teeth.
I call them needle teeth.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/big_mouth.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Great photo! Yes, they are like little needles. Very sharp. So sharp, you don't feel them penetrate your skin. You only feel it once they are in, and you try to pull back, or the snake pulls back.

[Hankj]

Okay. So it's not like a territorial thing? Like he's trying to intimidate me by opening his mouth? He's always pointing towards me when he does it.

But the scales will grow back right?

[ConcinusMan]

When it's a threat display, they will usually get in a strike pose, and lunge toward you with mouth open, as if they were going to bite you. Like here:

EVqIwmbrrYM

The scales will not grow back.

[EasternGirl]

Oh Richard....that is my favorite video on here...lol.

Hankj....My snake, Selena, often opens her mouth like that when she first wakes up (yawning) and other times when she comes up to me and does it...I feed her and she usually gobbles up her food. Maybe your snake is telling you he is hungry?

[EasternGirl]

Oh Steve, btw...awesome photo!

[Hankj]

Yeah he is not getting into strike mode. He is just opening his mouth lol. It did seem to me like a "help me i'm injured" thing or a "i'm hungry" thing, but we are new to each other I didn't think he could instinctively look to me for help, maybe they are smarter than I think =). I'll try to feed him again tomorrow, buy some fish and worms.

What negative consequences can come from his missing scales? He can live fine in captivity without them, right? : /

[ConcinusMan]

No Marnie, he's telling me "leave the hell alone or I keel you!"

[EasternGirl]

Lol, Richard...I was actually talking about Hankj's snake being hungry! Yes, your little guy in the video is definitely telling you he wants to "keel you"! Lol....

[ConcinusMan]

What negative consequences can come from his missing scales? He can live fine in captivity without them, right? : /

Yes, he should heal just fine(if he hasn't already healed) and can live just fine without the scales. The only negative consequence is that he might have a bit of trouble shedding around that area. You might have to help to make sure all the skin comes off at shedding time.

[Hankj]

Alright guys thanks!

[erinlovessnakes]

i feel bad for the snakes that are missing scales:(

[Hankj]

I know! I held him for the first time today haha, with a glove on. I actually kind of have a fear of snakes, so I really don't wanna get bit =p. He didn't make any attempts on biting me and was fairly calm. I put a night crawler in his face and he had no interest in it. His other eye doesn't look to hot either, I don't even know if he can see :/

[guidofatherof5]

Just a thought and an opinion. Biting as a rule is a last resort for most garter snakes.
Your snake will not feel the warmth of your hand and you won't get a good feel for holding your snake with a glove. I can't tell you not to worry about being bit but when it does happen you'll wonder why you worried so much.
Try holding your snake(bare handed) inside the enclosure. Let him go in and out of your finger. You'll get more confidence and your snake will associate you less as a threat.
It will take time for both of you to trust each other.
Best of luck.
Keep us posted on your progress.

[Hankj]

Yeah I know I'm being a little ridiculous but it's just one of those things for me = p.

[guidofatherof5]

Yeah I know I'm being a little ridiculous but it's just one of those things for me = p.

I do understand;)

[Hankj]

Your words actually encouraged me and I just went in there and held him for about five minutes haha. He did a thorough smelling of my hand lol.

Are wild caught garters known to carry any diseases dangerous to humans?

[guidofatherof5]

Your words actually encouraged me and I just went in there and held him for about five minutes haha. He did a thorough smelling of my hand lol.

Are wild caught garters known to carry any diseases dangerous to humans?

Great question.
Salmonellae is always a threat. Coming in contact with fecal matter is a big transmission point.
I'm sure there are other possible problems but this seems to be the most talked about.
Salmonella - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmonella)

[Hankj]

Hahah oh great, hope my mom doesn't read this ; )

[guidofatherof5]

Hahah oh great, hope my mom doesn't read this ; )

In all my years of keeping snake/reptiles, I've never heard of a person being sickened by one of their animals. I'm sure it happens but nothing I know about.
Standard precautions should be enough. Gloves and a full bio suit with respirator.:D
Just kidding. Wash your hands between handling's.

[kibakiba]

I've gotten sick a few times from handling a snake, but it wasn't that bad. It was around the time I had Malady, too.
Garter bites don't really hurt unless you're allergic to their saliva, a lot of people don't seem to be though.

[ConcinusMan]

I'd say the risk of getting sickened by salmonella from handling your snakes, is less than the risk you take whenever you eat raw food such as salad.

What Steve said. Just wash your hands after handling them. This goes for any snakes or other animals, wild caught or otherwise.

I went out and handled wild snakes all the time as a kid, came home smelling of musk. I didn't always wash my hands right away or correctly. I'm happy to say, I was never sickened by anything that could come from them.

[EasternGirl]

Well, first of all, I want to tell Hankj that I completely understand where you are coming from... I used a glove the first couple of times I held Selena too. I just didn't have any expereince with wild snakes and was afraid of being bit too. Now I hold her all the time with the knowledge that she could bite me if she wanted to...but she never has.

Second...oh great....if there is a weird illness within a 30 mile radius, I will get it. I mean, I have had my share of illnesses. If there is a cold going around at my son's school, I'll get a horrid stomach virus and end up in the hospital. I actually had salmonella once...but not from a snake. I guess I need to be careful...of course, I eat sushi everynight too...for me that is probably playing with fire, but it's worth it...so is holding my snake!

[Hankj]

I wouldn't imagine it would hurt to bad I just didn't like the idea. Like when a cat walks on me I just know it could scratch me and I get anxious lol.

When I would pick the snake up to move it he would try to curl up and I thought he was going for a bite but I've learned he's just trying to get support on my hand haha

[ConcinusMan]

It seriously doesn't hurt, even if it happens to draw blood. It's more of a psychological thing. It surprises you, and you'll even say "ow!" but in reality, it doesn't hurt one bit.

I had salmonella once too. Bad potato salad. Worst sickness I've ever been through. Even worse than the time I had hepatitis. The illness from salmonella was intense and horrible, but thankfully it didn't last long. I felt fine 2 days later. But seriously, the odds of getting it from your snake is very slim, unless you let your snakes crawl and poop in your food.:rolleyes:

[Hankj]

Lmao you are a crazy man. Very open and adventurous. Thank you for all your help.

[EasternGirl]

Try meningitis sometime...it's a hoot. Yeah, food poisoning is no fun. I've had it twice and ended up in the hospital both times. Feels like you want to die. I got it from seafood for my birthday this year...best birthday ever!

I'm not really afraid of Selena biting me anymore..I figure, if it happens, it happens. She has never even attempted any sign of aggression.

Hankj, it sounds like you are doing well with your snake. Selena still just tries to get away when I hold her. I guess when I am complaining about her being antisocial though..I should just be happy that she isn't agressive at all. Does your snake have a name yet?

[kibakiba]

I've gotten food poisoning a few times. Once was on my 11th birthday I think, we went to red... something. I had some cheese sticks and got sick after eating them... I got to stay home from school for a week, though.

[Hankj]

I haven't named it because I am still questioning if he's gonna make it, and I don't really know the gender even though I call him a him. My friend calls him Lewis.. and my mom calls him slimy or something, she's not a fan of him.

Today I've noticed he hasn't been very active, and hasn't for the last few days. He's just been laying around under the lamp, but he was active when we held him. His other eye doesn't look to hot either now I'm not sure if he has any sight. I'll try to get a good picture on here eventually.

[HazAnga]

It seriously doesn't hurt, even if it happens to draw blood. It's more of a psychological thing. It surprises you, and you'll even say "ow!" but in reality, it doesn't hurt one bit.

I'll bump into the wall or something stupid and say "ow!" but it doesn't obviously hurt.

I've also gotten food poisoning too, bad... ruined Christmas... Christmas eve around 9pm it just hit me... felt sick then the run to the bathroom, barley slept, couldn't enjoy any of my Christmas dinners... it just sucked!!! Big time.
Never ate chicken from Wendy's after that since.

[EasternGirl]

Hankj...if he/she is inactive and his/her eyes look cloudy along with a general lackluster look to the skin....he/she may be getting ready to shed. The first time Selena shed, I thought she was sick and wasn't going to make it...I didn't know anything about shedding. She looked dusty and her eyes were cloudy and she was very inactive...turns out she was getting ready to shed. Take a pic and post it. Also, if you hold the snake up and take a pic of the bottom end of the snake...people on here can tell you if it is a girl or a boy...like this pic of Selena:

[Hankj]

He only has one eye.. and the other eye doesn't look very good.. I thought it was red in the sun but now it just looks black. I don't really know if he is anymore lackluster than usual because we are new to each other. He just lays around, I mean he'll move spots time to time but normally just coiled up nappin.

I'll have some pics today or tomorrow most likely