kingsnake has swollen throat

Question
I've had my black kingsnake for nearly 8 years now and never seen this condition. His throat is significantly swollen right behind the jaw line.  I noticed it three days ago right before I offered him food, it was a slight swelling. He ate three mice no problem. He shed soon after eating, and the swelling seems to be worse. He has been keeping more in the open beneath his light, close to the glass, but other than that does not seem to be acting unusual. I have not made any recent changes to the habitat, and am using aspen bedding. Any idea what could cause this?

Answer
Hey Jacob

It could be one of two things as far as I know. Abscess is the most likely, and highly treatable in most cases. An abscess is a pocket of bacteria and dead cells that can happen either through the skin or via the bloodstream. Even though these can be drained yourself, I would highly suggest taking him in to have a vet do so and get some antibiotics.

The second cause could be a parasite, most likely a tapeworm, that can bury into a muscle or just under the skin. This is a vet-only treatable problem, as there are most likely others in the body as well. Tumor is a possibility, but they don't usually grow in size that fast.