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Opening Mouth?

CaseyUndead

New member
Well i opened his tank to clean out some poo spots, and my snake was being active around his tank, so i put my hand hear him to see if he'd climb on it. The first time he climbed onto my hand, from there onto his branch.(Since he's due for a shed, i didn't want to take him out, unless he decided to climb on me on his own) Then when he came back he put his head up like he was going to climb, but then opened his mouth(not wide, though). So i intinctively pulled my hand out, and he closed his mouth(he wasn't keeping it gaping open or anything) Then i watched him cruise around for awhile acting like he was trying to climb out(with no mouth opening).. I figured it was probably just a little yawn or something, so i put my hand back in so he could climb up if he wanted to. And he calmly slithered over to me, flicked his tongue a couple times, and opened his mouth(again, not wide) at my hand again. I pulled my hand out, he closed his mouth, i watched him some more, and he didn't do it without my hand in there. Since he was only doing it at my hand, i figured he must be pissed off at me, so i closed his tank up.

Does that mean he's angry? he didn't strike or anything, and has never bitten me. Could it just be because he getting ready to shed?(it's hard to to how far along he is, because he's an amel.. and his eyes don't turn blue. but he should sometime soon, though)
 
Do you hear any heavy breathing or clicking sounds coming from him? It might be a sign of a respiratory infection.

Or did you have a food scent on you, such as mouse or something?

It didn't sound defensive, maybe some other members can help with this.
 
If there were no other signs of aggression then id say it wasn't defensive aswell. You say your corns close to shedding? I suppose this might be why, but ive certainly never heard of it before, perhaps someone more experienced may have. I leave my snake alone during shedding, because I know he's not into me disturbing him. Has your snake shed yet? if it ws super close to shedding then maybe it was trying to start physically removing the shed? I dont know, keep a close eye on your snake though, cos as Green bean said, one of the symptoms of a respiratory infection is a gaping/open mouth.

Best of luck
Tom
 
Like TWG said, he may be trying to shed...

Keep in mind to begin their shed the snake breaks the skin around their lips first before they remove the old skin.

Did you feed it recently? A snakes jaw is not connected, like ours. Only by a very loose muscle. If you fed it that day it may have just been adjusting to put it back to normal.

Or worse case scenerio, respiratory problems.

Play it by ear and good luck.
 
Andrew5760 said:
Did you feed it recently? A snakes jaw is not connected, like ours. Only by a very loose muscle. If you fed it that day it may have just been adjusting to put it back to normal.

Good point I didn't think of that.
 
No heavy breathing or clicking sounds. I don't think i had food scent on me, I hadn't been handling any rodents. He still hasn't shed yet, but i'm still expecting it anytime(he's had a certain shiny look for the past week). And, no, i hadn't fed him that day. It had been a few days. I just fed him today, actually(and no problems eating).

So i just don't know. Maybe he's just weird?
 
I'd say he thinks you are feeding him.

If you are just laying your hand near him.....he is probably mistaking your figers for a pinkie?? :shrugs: I mean....they are warm and pink and just lying there nearby....he probably thinks he just found a free meal! :)
 
He still hasn't shed yet, but i'm still expecting it anytime(he's had a certain shiny look for the past week)

Sounds like he's starting the shed process to me, as well.

If they're going for food, they don't open their mouths and hang around - they go for it immediately. Doesn't sound like a feeding response unless he's usually slow to take food?
 
Drewby07 i think corn snakes find prey using scent, not by looking or mistaking objects. If his fingers hadn't come into contact with any rodents then i dont think that could be it. It could be a feeding response if the snake is fed in the vivarium, the snake could be associating your hand coming into the tanjk with feeding time, its the old Pavlov's dogs hypothesis.
 
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