Twitchy Retic?

[thedarkwolf25]

I had noticed this a while back with my 50% Dwarf Retic but never bothered to really ask anyone about it. Does anyone else have a retic that is twitchy? What I mean by this is that she is almost ticklish, if I gently touch her sides like I am tickling her she does muscle spasms that make her sides jump. If I didn't know any better I would swear it's a snake version of laughter. Is this unique to my girl or is this something that most retics do?

[Archimedes]

I think most snakes in general will do this. They tend to be ticklish just like anything else, it's a reflex action. =]

[thedarkwolf25]

I think most snakes in general will do this. They tend to be ticklish just like anything else, it's a reflex action. =]

I thought that might be the case but none of my other snakes react quite like this. The balls will move their muscles a bit, but the retic actually jumps when she does it lol

[Dehlol]

She'll do it more and more as she gets bigger. It's one of her ways of saying "yo leave me alone". My big females do it pretty often when they don't want to be touched or messed with at all.

[reptileexperts]

Yep - its a nervous reaction - not a laughing matter. When they are twitching its a knee jerk to get whatever it is to stop messing with them. Retics are known for doing this, especially when they do not want to be missed with. During feeding days if I need to clean the cage my Tigers will be slightly twitchy to warn me they are ready for food, so I always keep them out of reach to make sure I continue showing them respect. Remember, retics decide when its ok to handle them, watch for those signs.

[Mike41793]

I have a question for you guys with adult retics then:

What do you do if your snake made a mess of its cage but isn't in the mood to come out and play? Do you leave him be and try again the next day or what?

[reptileexperts]

you get him out very very carefully. I use a hook to get my adult male out when he destroys his cage. I tap him on the head, and if he's not feeling it I use the hook to pull him out and move him into a tub quick quick where he stays while I clean. They don't down right attack even during their bad days, they may strike out of the cage, but once they are out of the cage they will typically just try and take off on you. Fortunately my boy is not prone to too many days where he gives me any kind of "no", and my next biggest female purple is pretty much always receptive to coming out for a clean cage as long as its not a feeding day. On feeding days though, I have to use extreme caution if I need to move her, if its just urine and not too bad I'll let her cool down a hair and then open the cage and let her come out on her own. Just my ways.

[Dehlol]

I have a question for you guys with adult retics then:

What do you do if your snake made a mess of its cage but isn't in the mood to come out and play? Do you leave him be and try again the next day or what?

It really depends. My het albino girl is just twitchy, all the time, every time. She never strikes, just tosses my arm around until I pull her out, then she's fine. My tiger does it sometimes as well but honestly I've never had anything bad or had any defensive behaviors shown AFTER I pull them out, they all calm down fine once they are out....

I don't generally pull any of my large adults out "to play", but if they make a mess of their cage, and I have the time right then to clean it, I'm going to clean it, if the snake is happy with it or not is besides the point LOL

[thedarkwolf25]

Yep - its a nervous reaction - not a laughing matter. When they are twitching its a knee jerk to get whatever it is to stop messing with them. Retics are known for doing this, especially when they do not want to be missed with. During feeding days if I need to clean the cage my Tigers will be slightly twitchy to warn me they are ready for food, so I always keep them out of reach to make sure I continue showing them respect. Remember, retics decide when its ok to handle them, watch for those signs.

That makes sense, I have never seen her do this on her own though. She has only ever done it when I touch her, never before. I have seen her huff and puff at me before when I go to get her, but she has never just started twitching without being touched. I'll keep an eye out though and see if she ever does it on her own.

[reptileexperts]

neh, it happens from the touch, hence "jerk reaction" ;-) needs to be stimulated. Just be careful as she grows and learn to watch the signs.