Tongue flicking?

[Rinpu]

I was just wondering, what is a snake thinking when it flicks out its tongue? Obviously, I know that's how snakes taste their environment, but I mean from a behavioral standpoint. I'm asking because my new baby, who I've had for 3 days now, never flicks his tongue out. All of my experience with snakes has been with wild ones who flick their tongues nonstop, so this seems very unusual to me.

I can often see him through the little doorway of his hide, curled up with his chin resting on his coils. The only time I've seen him move his tongue was when I first unpacked him from his deli cup, and one time when I picked up his hide to reposition it and accidentally startled him (I thought he was in the other hide at the time).

Based on the fact that both times I've seen him flick his tongue were when he was scared, and the fact that wild snakes are naturally going to be fearful while being handled by a human, it seems like a logical conclusion that tongue=nervousness. If mine never shows his tongue, does that mean he feels safe? I've followed the standard advice and haven't messed with him at all since I got him, so I'd be happy to know that he feels secure in his new home.

 

[PhilD]

Based on observations of my corn, there definitely seem to be 2 modes of tongue flicking. The first is short, brief flicks - he does these when exploring the viv. The second is long, vigorous flicking - this is when he has picked up the scent of food. The tongue comes right out and he gets excited.

 

[stuart]

your corn is fine, when he was resting his chin on his coils, he was most probably sleeping, next time, look at his eyes, u can tell that he is sleeping if his pupils are really small and look upwards , and they only flick their tounge when they are moving, if they are stating still, they dont normally do it, but mine always does it when he's out and about, hope this is any help to you !