Concerned about corkscrewing in a spider

Recently I picked up a spider ball python who was being neglected by his owner and I'm concerned about his corkscrewing.

I used to keep a mojave spider so I do have experience with them but I actually stopped keeping snakes and rehomed my corn snake and other bp because the sight of him corkscrewing turned me away from snakes and, quite honestly, scared me. It is not a pleasant site. But thats a different topic and now, years later, I'm back into keeping snakes.

I do understand that it is 'normal' for them to corkscrew but I'm not sure if I've been unlucky and both were severe cases or if something else is an issue, such as stress. I constantly see people justifying the continuation of breeding them but quite frankly, I don't see how they can. I do not want to get into that here but try walking around for 5 minutes swinging your head up and down and side to side wildly and tell me you have a normal quality of life.

On to the issue, I want to know what other spiders are generally like, my original mojave spider would do full corkscrews everytime I came near his cage and it got especially bad at feeding time. The new one I've picked ( I never wanted to own another spider but I couldn't leave him in those conditions) has been doing some fairly severe corkscrews, fully twisting the first 5 inches of his body and sometimes stretching back, twisted up and staying upside down for a period of time.

Do other spiders do this or could this be a different issue I need to address? Or have I just ended up with two severe cases of it?

Probably have gotten 2 severe cases of the spider gene. All BP's with the spider gene carry the Neuro disorder that causes the wobble. I have a spider as well that does not have it bad, only time you can tell it is when she's feeding and getting her food down. Usually excitement from what I have noticed with mine is what triggers her little bit of wobble. They do say blackhead gene seems to clear up the wobble with spiders.

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I'm currently sitting infront of his tub watching him unable to even stay still or upright. He is constantly twisting and curling and only stays upright with his head flat on the ground for a short period of time before he begins corkscrewing and honestly its quite sad to watch.

I can't fathom how this poor snake could possibly be living a good life when is constantly unable to control his head. Just because he is able to eat and survive doesn't mean he isn't living in absolute hell.

I don't think its fair to try to rehome this snake, my original plan when pulling him out of his previous home, even if the new owner was aware of the severity of it. I'm honestly considering euthanasia if his corkscrewing doesn't atleast lessen as he becomes more comfortable. This snake can not function 90% of the time and I feel cruel watching it writhe around

Im really beginning to worry, currently the top third of his body is twisted and he is moving upside down on his head, rarely able to right himself and not able to stay upright for any amount of time before he begins corkscrewing again

Whoa whoa whoa... Is he eating if so then why do you want to put him down because of corkscrewing? Stress and excitement causes corkscrewing in spiders even with mild wobble.

Mine is over 7 years old and has no degradation in his quality of life. He is in a very relaxed environment and as such he rarely corkscrews unless he is excited.

You say he was rescued so is it possible he is under stress currently?

Is his corkscrewing worse than this (jump to 2 minutes)? This is mine corkscrewing because he is having fun. Give your snake a chance to calm down. You rescued it so it is your responsibility to reduce it's stress

https://youtu.be/OVPskuJs7vo?t=141

He has not eaten for me, I have had him five days. He is fairly large so clearly he has eaten but his owner said not in the past few months.

I am not considering euthanizing him right now, I will of course allow him time to settle but it is much, much more severe than that. The top third of his body is upside down, head constantly spinning or literally moving upside down but completely unable to move normally or even stay still upright.

He is also not lifting himself off of the ground, he is moving only on the ground upside down

You have only had a snake for 5 days that was in a neglected environment. Relax about the corkscrewing and let that snake settle in and calm down before you think it is defective.

The snake is severely stressed!

My issue is that it seems to be much more than a simple corkscrew. I know what a normal corkscrew is like, this snake is writhing around on the ground, unable to stay still or upright. That seems to be more than stress does it not?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SDA

Whoa whoa whoa... Is he eating if so then why do you want to put him down because of corkscrewing? Stress and excitement causes corkscrewing in spiders even with mild wobble.

Mine is over 7 years old and has no degradation in his quality of life. He is in a very relaxed environment and as such he rarely corkscrews unless he is excited.

You say he was rescued so is it possible he is under stress currently?

Is his corkscrewing worse than this (jump to 2 minutes)? This is mine corkscrewing because he is having fun. Give your snake a chance to calm down. You rescued it so it is your responsibility to reduce it's stress

https://youtu.be/OVPskuJs7vo?t=141

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Man that seems almost normal.. Then again ive only seen severe cases on YouTube, never had Spider Gene or known anyone with them personally.

Personally I would advise against getting one, I have only had two so my experience is limited but the chance of ending up with one who has a severe wobble doesn't seem worth it to me. My first one, sure, he was a normal snake 75% of the time and likely continues to thrive with his new owner, this snake currently can't function and its heartbreaking to see and again, a turn off from snakes.