HELP! Snake is acting very odd!

[edenlore]

My ten-month-old snake is acting completely out of character. Normally he's fairly docile, just likes to sit on his log or burrow in his substrate (the simple things in life, I suppose!)... He's a great feeder too, never missed a meal since I got him about 8 months ago.

But tonight I returned, having been out for about 6 hours, and he had somehow managed to soak his tank completely. His water dish is too heavy to knock over, so I can only surmise that he must have been thrashing about and splashed the water all over the place. The dish had been refilled before I left and was empty when I got back. The paper substrate was soaked, and that had resulted in a lot of evaporation and condensation all over the plastic of the tank.

Could have coped with him just being messy, but when I opened the tank he was just lying, perfectly still, along the back of the tank, and his body scrunched up in what I can only desribe as 'squiggle-like' (to be technical about it...). Like the 's' shape they make when drawing back to strike, except all along hid body and really tightly. When I moved my hand over him he didn't move, and when picked up, he seemed lethargic.

I cleaned the tank and changed the substrate and since putting him back in he's gotten more active, but why on earth would he be acting so strangely?

Thanks in advance for all help and advice. :)

[Rich in KY]

You need to check the temps in his viv immediately!

[edenlore]

72 in the cold end and about 76/77 in the warm...

[Rich in KY]

How is he doing now?

Is there any way his viv was bumped or knocked around?

[edenlore]

There was no-one here except the cat (who happens to be a very small kitty and absolutely terrified of the snake-- avoids at all costs...). I suppose it's possible she knocked his tank, but I think it's highly unlikely. Any ideas as to the weirdness?

[Rich in KY]

The spilled water could have resulted from him climbing and falling in his water dish.

It is the lethargic part that I would be concerned with. Do you have plenty of hides in his viv?

[edenlore]

He's got a little hut-type thing (he just about fits into it but I think that's why he likes it), a log under which there is enough room for him to hide, and several layers of paper substrate (he spends a lot of time under there and just moves about 'undercover' as he pleases.)

[edenlore]

Also, he's gotten more active in the past few minutes. He's exploring the tank. He knows tomorrow is feeding day, I bet. :)

Why would he scrunch himself up like that though?

[Rich in KY]

Also, he's gotten more active in the past few minutes. He's exploring the tank. He knows tomorrow is feeding day, I bet. :)

Why would he scrunch himself up like that though?

He couldv'e been that way just because he was asleep. That would also explain the lethargic part.

I would still keep an eye on his temps. But otherwise just watch and see how he does.

[edenlore]

OK. Thanks so much for your help.
:)

[MerlinsPop]

Hi... if possible, bump the warm side temps up a bit. You said it's 76/77. Try going up to the low/mid 80s.

I know the position you described. It's like the head stopped but the body kept crawling for a bit. I've seem mine do that now and then. Never thought of it as a sleep position, but it very well could be I suppose.

[Susielea]

I agree with Merlin, the warm side should be a little higher.

I've seen one of my corns do that full bodied ess bend, when my cat spooked the living daylights out of her!!

So maybe your kitty got a bit naughty while you were out?
That could also account for the water spillage.

[strawberry_bunny]

i hope hes ok, when we got jack from the breeder (hes my sisters but shes away at uni so im looking after him) the breeder said that every time she went to check on them/feed them etc he'd sloshed all the water out of his bowl he did this alot. However if this is not usual for him then just keep an eye on him.