Kinks and spurs are a deformity found along the spine or ribs of a snake. They are caused by as number of factors - such as incubation mishaps, frantic flailing, physical injuries, and occasionally genetic inheritance. Some are apparent right out of the egg and others may form or develop in the months and years after hatching. The severity of the kink or spur can range from barely noticeable to detrimental. There is no cure for a kink or other structural deformity.

There is some controversy out there in regards to the morality of keeping and raising a kinked snake - some people believe all kinked snakes should be euthanized immediately while others believe in giving them a chance to flourish. We stand somewhere in the middle of the road. Over the years, we have kept several kinked snakes in the collection. All of them have had only minor kinks that have not interfered with their ability to eat or pass waste and have had little to no difficulty in their ability to move about.

Breeding a kinked animal is not recommended - especially for a female snake as the kinking can possibly interfere with her ability to successfully drop a clutch of eggs and might increase the chance of egg-binding. There is also the chance that the offspring of a kinked animal will turn out to be kinked - though the percentage of kinks and spurs that are caused by genetic factors are fairly low.

The most common cause of kinking is the result of a mishap during incubation. IE: A heat spike, too much moisture, not enough moisture. The best way to prevent this kind of kinking is to closely monitor the temperatures in the incubator, avoid adding too much water during incubation, and keep the eggs from completely drying out. This will not prevent all kinks from occurring - but it will help reduce the likely hood of a kinked baby hatching out.

Another fairly common cause of kinking is wild flailing and thrashing of a snake when handled. The snake panics and throws itself all around causing their backs to be knocked out of alignment. The best way to prevent this is to support the snake's entire body, avoiding holding it just by the neck or tail.

As a snake matures, it will most likely become more difficult to detect any kinks and spurs - this does not mean that the deformity fades away or heals, it simply means that the muscles and tissues that develop tend to mask them.

Photo of Sage's Kink:

 

If you have any questions about the snakes in our collection that have kinks, or if you'd like to see more pictures, please feel free to e-mail us.

Thank you,