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Ticklish?!?!?!?

Bekah

Bekah

New member
I'd like to know if anyone else has encountered this.....

When I'm handling my snake I hane no problems I pet him/her...all is fine...BUT...when I try to pet the snake when it's in viv it "twiches". Could it be that my touch is too light and I'm "tickling" my snake or could it be from something else such as intrusion upon it's "territory".

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Good question. I have no idea.

I do however know that my snake does *NOT* want to be touched after a pinkie meal. It's a pain in the *** to move her back from the feeding basket to the viv since no matter how i touch her she gives a big twitch. Like a heavy spasm. Worse, she gives one when she accidently touches het own tail or something. Makes her agressive and going all predator on me ;)
She also get's its when she's not in a playing mood and i need to take her out anyway. Seems to me a clear sign of 'no touchy'. After she digested her meal or is more relaxed in general she doesn't do that.
 
It may be that the snake is startled by your touch. My snake did that, but once I picked him up he was fine.
 
Maybe Ren is sleeping and I don't realize it (due to lack of eyelids)?!?! LOL! I don't know! Ren's really good about being handled, just gets "twitchy" now and then.
 
Snakes do that when introuduced to another snake for breeding, as well. I think it is a mating/territorial behavior.
 
Thanks for the input everyone! To CornCrazy - I too (if you see first post) was wondering if it was maybe a reaction to some sort of territorial thing. Or perhaps I just startle the snake now and then unintentionally. S/he's never struck at me in association with this behavior. It's interesting (and it puts my mind at ease as well) to know that I'm not the only one who's encountered this "twitching".
 
Actually, your first post was the reason I added the territorial part. I thought you were correct in your assumption that it is at least partially a territorial behavior. The main thing is that this post has put your mind at ease...it is definitely a normal behavior for them :)
 
CornCrazy said:
Actually, your first post was the reason I added the territorial part. I thought you were correct in your assumption that it is at least partially a territorial behavior. The main thing is that this post has put your mind at ease...it is definitely a normal behavior for them :)
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Thanks CornCrazy! Much appreciated!


(Will someone PLEASE give CornCrazy some points??? Pretty please? LOL!)
 
Already done Bekah! And my Aztec used to twitch quite a bit when I first started handling her. She was very nervous. She does it a lot less now.
 
Ahhh...yet another to encounter the "twitching". As said before, I am glad to here this is not uncommon. I certainly won't worry should it happen again!
 
Flygning said:
It may be that the snake is startled by your touch. My snake did that, but once I picked him up he was fine.
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As does Anubis i feel bad when it happens but it is just like someone sneeking up on u a grabing ur sholder
 
Every snake is different, just like every person. Maybe the one snake just "bonded" better with you then the other, but I think you're doing yourself a disservice by refusing to handle the other one. Perhaps if you started out petting it while it was in viv? Maybe very short periods of handling are needed at first for this one. I think you need to give him a little time and work with him. Some people say gloves work, others say it freaks the snake out. You have to see what works and what doesn't. Search this site...there are plenty of posts from people who say they have "hard to handle" or "don't want to be handled" snakes. I guess I'm fortunate...I never had a problem handling mine, but like I said...they're all individuals! Best of luck!
 
Bekah said:
Every snake is different, just like every person. Maybe the one snake just "bonded" better with you then the other, but I think you're doing yourself a disservice by refusing to handle the other one. Perhaps if you started out petting it while it was in viv? Maybe very short periods of handling are needed at first for this one. I think you need to give him a little time and work with him. Some people say gloves work, others say it freaks the snake out. You have to see what works and what doesn't. Search this site...there are plenty of posts from people who say they have "hard to handle" or "don't want to be handled" snakes. I guess I'm fortunate...I never had a problem handling mine, but like I said...they're all individuals! Best of luck!
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axminstersnow, this is very good advice. I have a mean 2003 Leucistic Texas Rat snake. I have been afraid to handle him because I was afraid of being bitten, and all of my other snakes are nice. This guy bites me over and over again every time I have him out. I had gotten to where I would use gloves to take him out, but I felt that he was getting the best of me. I finally decided to just go for it, and get him out with no gloves or anything. He bit me, of course, but I learned that it doesn't really hurt much when he bites. I just keep hoilding him. He has gotten a little better since then. Maybe I'll eventually be able to tame him down completely...

You should work with your little one...it'll be easier to tame him down while he is little.

And Meg...thanks for the rep. points, as well. It is much appreciated!
 
Good deal...

One thing I failed to mention is that if he ever bites you or poops on you while you have him out, then please do not put him up. You need to keep him out for a little longer. Otherwise, he will think he only has to bite or poop to get put down.
 
axminstersnow said:
ok day1 "fiesty one", hissin + head buttin the tank to start with biting the glove but it realised it was NOT detering me so its stoped that now when i pic it up, with out gloves ill add :) it just tryes to wiggle away .... its working so rapidly i wouldnt have imagined it working so fast on such a tempermantal snake ... i even like the little bugger a bit now
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AWESOME! I am glad it is working so quickly. Just be sure to handle him regularly so that he gets used to it. I think part of what is helping is that you felt more comfortable with the gloves on. I think he can sense that you aren't going to be intimidate by his bad behavior...
 
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