I'm always interested in learning about how BPs learn and communicate, but there's not much information out there, so let me know if you think I'm off base here, or if you've seen something similar!
One of the first times I had my male out for handling, he started gripping onto my arm and anything nearby, getting a firm grip with his neck, then squirming around in place like he was dancing inappropriately at a nightclub. He also lifted his tail up in the air and wiggled it around, so you know what came next - he ended up pooping and peeing all over my couch. Since then, whenever I see him start the "poo-poo dance," I put him right back in his enclosure and haven't had another problem. Every so often during a handling session that's going a little long, he'll climb down to my wrist, grip it with his neck, and start with the squirmy routine - what I realized recently is even after I put him back, he almost never actually poops.
I've heard that putting a snake back in its enclosure after getting tagged teaches them that "bite my owner" --> "go back to tank", do you think mine has maybe learned "do the poo-poo dance" --> "go back to tank"? It'd be great if he did, being able to communicate to me "hey I don't really want to be handled anymore" would be a very useful thing (especially without actually going to the bathroom on me). I have heard of overstimulated/aggravated snakes just pooping on the owner to be like "leave me alone already!" but this seems to be a step down from that. Or, he does just need to get some poop moving and I'm reading too much into it - either way, back he goes!
Reply With Quote