First Tag ..... odd behavior too

[ThuSandman]

Well.... why would I think MY snake would be any different?

I fed him Sunday morning.... so I waited until this morning to get him out and say 'hey' again. I noticed him sticking his head out of his hide, which was a bit unusual at this time of morning. I have the pleasure of having his tank right across from my desk since I work from home. Anyway.... saw him pokin his head out looking around so figured I would get him out.

Got him out and he was way more 'active' than normal. Usually he just sits in a ball in my hand or lap for a while and will eventually start 'exploring' around, climbing around on my hands, etc. This time he was moving from the git-go, very active. I didn't keep him out as long as normal because he was acting different. So I went to ease him back into his 'home' and he started slowly going back down into it.... and BAM! My left hand was holding him and my right was just to the side of my left. He turned a little over 90 degrees and tagged my right hand. Very light hit (never been tagged before so not sure), didn't even draw blood. I didn't move or drop him the rest of the way or anything... just let him ease on in.

So now he is in his hide with his head pokin' out..... looking around again. He will ease out a few inches.... tongue flickering like crazy (was also flickering way more than normal when I was holding him earlier), then he will ease back and rest his head on the edge. Then he will go back inside for a bit... then repeat.

It appears his skin is dulling getting ready for a shed. But eyes seem clear (there he is again pokin his head out looking around). Are these signs of "I'm hungry already, where's the next course"?? He's never acted like this before. Usually you never even see him during the day unless I go get him to say 'hey'.

Help Help

[extensive]

um... hes hungry. feed him and see if he eats?

[Samuel]

FEED MEH!

^_^

I would say give himt something to munch on, and if that doesn't work .. call the shrink and see if he is stressed out? Congrats on the first tag though, I am waiting for mine .. not really looking forward to it, but just waiting for it to happen ... because it will.

[ThuSandman]

So feed him again? Even though he just ate Sunday? That's only 2 days. He ate one adult size mouse and a fuzzy Sunday.

[ThuSandman]

Here's a snapshot of him just resting his head on the edge.... lookin out. Then he'll go back in for a while.... then repeat..... Can snakes look Sad??

[Argentra]

Yep, he's still hunting. No, don't feed him NOW. Take this as a signal from him to up his prey size at the next feeding. What size and type did you finally manage to get for him? i.e. what did you give him 2 days ago?

Cute shot... and much like Basset Hounds snakes can look VERY sad just by being themselves.

[ThuSandman]

He was at 150g when I last weighed him. I was feeding him 'fuzzies' per the shop's directions. That was way too small.... so I got an adult large mouse (two feedings ago). This past feeding (Sunday) I gave him one large adult mouse and then a fuzzy.

So snacks between feedings are a no-no, eh? lol Poor snakes. Hell... if he's that hungry NOW.... I don't think I'll pick him up again until after he eats again. May take my arm off next time.

[JoMo]

It appears his skin is dulling getting ready for a shed.

This may be the answer.
If he´s preparing to shed, it´s normal to be a bit "cranckier" (sp?).

If you fed him 2 days ago, don´t feed again so soon. Let him be for a while and at the scheduled feeding day you´ll see what happens: either he is deep in shed and you just let him be (increasing humidity) or he´s not in shed and ready for a meal.

[starmom]

Do you know how much the mouse weighed? I have a female who is on live mice and when I go to Petco to purchase hers, their mice can range from a really small 15g to a larger 24g. Could you have just fed a smaller one this time?

I take my gram scale into Petco and weigh the mice. Yes, the staff believes me to be rather eccentric for doing this, but I don't care!

[ThuSandman]

Just weighed another frozen one in there.....

What they called L-Adult is 18.5
Fuzzie is 5.5