Spinal_osteoarthropathy
Spinal osteoarthropathy (also known as Charcot's disease) is a rare disease affecting reptiles (including snakes[1] and lizards) which causes abnormal bone growth on vertebrae, giving the reptile a lumpy appearance. The growth of animals with this disease is limited (a python may only grow 2 feet (61 cm) long), and their life spans are greatly shortened.
The movement of reptiles with this ailment appears jittery and wooden, and the head movement will be greatly restricted. The condition worsens as the patient ages; the end result is a reptile fused together by its own bones. They are usually euthanized well before this stage, but in general these animals can live their short lives comfortably with little pain. Spinal osteoarthropathy can also occur in humans.[2]