Spins and shakes in Spiders - Genetic Connection?

I think this is getting blown way out of proportion I myself have never seen my spider do anything out of the ordnary maybe I don't have the trained eye. But I do have a normal female that shake's a little.

I personally am facinated in the little genetic 'quirks' that comes with the spider, super cinny's and caramels. I'll try doing a little research at my college's library data base (I'm at an ag. college, with one of the nations better vet schools) to see if anything pops up, and if I can find my herp vet's e-mail address I'll ask him if he knows if there are any researches that are going on right now with the spider gene. If not, I'm sure it would make an awesome genetics research project to do when I'm in vet school.

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Originally Posted by Emilio

I think this is getting blown way out of proportion I myself have never seen my spider do anything out of the ordnary maybe I don't have the trained eye. But I do have a normal female that shake's a little.

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Than you have not seen a really bad example. Check out this link(registration is required) Page 1 and 8 have some pretty disturbing pics.
http://www.ralphdavisreptiles.com/fo...?TOPIC_ID=9716

Here I have found a good thread on this issue

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...52&page=1&pp=5



Chuck

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Originally Posted by pfan151

Than you have not seen a really bad example. Check out this link(registration is required) Page 1 and 8 have some pretty disturbing pics.
http://www.ralphdavisreptiles.com/fo...?TOPIC_ID=9716

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I wouldn't argue that there must be some pretty bad example's out there, but if someone that know's nothing of spider's read's this thread they might think a spider is a waste of time and money. I'll tell you this i have a pretty big collection and yes I only have one spider but it's probably my fav right now. I'm just trying to defend them a little I think they might be the most important(bad arse) mutation out there.:2cent:

I spied on mine last night as he roamed about his tub, and I really don't see him doing anything wrong. I did inquire to the seller when I bought him and was told that he exhibited none of this behavior, and i have never seen it and have had him for quite awhile now.

Its not necessarily shaking/spinning. It could be something as subtle as a slight head tilt like a dog that hears something. I've seen enough to believe that they are all at least slightly tweaked.

Hm.. ok :) I have never physically seen another Spider other than mine.. but he just acts normal and boing like any other ball python..
I think that if I were in the market for a Spider, and just starting out, I would not let this trait scare me into not buying one. Spiders are really one of the best-looking morphs out there in themselves in my opinion; not to even mention what they can help create in designer morphs. I hope that sellers of Spiders are honest about them and disclose the severity of their behaviors to buyers.. but then again I guess you could say that it is Buyer Beware.. I knew about the trait and asked before buying my guy.. I hope that in breeding him, his non-spinning is passed on to his offspring.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v6...urnOnChair.flv

Video of Hepburn, my pet spinner. I was told she was 100% healthy, and got taken for $2200 IMHO.
I DO have Sam, who in my opinion is NOT a spinner. I've never seen him exhibit spinning.
IMO, I think that a slight head tilt means nothing. I've seen other species of snake show a tiny amount of headtilt. If you really look at any snake, looking for some defect, you'll see something you can point to and go "Aha!! See! It's got a defect." I think that spinning is more common in spiders than some breeders want to admit. But I also don't believe every spider has it.
I've seen a lot of snakes that their head shakes, especially when excited over feeding time. I don't consider that to be the spinning defect myself. A semi-permament head tilt would be considered a very mild case of spinning by me. Hepburn can LOOK almost normal, with a bad head tilt, while crawling flat along the floor. But if she lifts her head you see her go all wacky.
I have no plans to breed Hepburn, unless it's ONLY to see if she passes the spinning on. I wouldn't breed her to sell babies, nor would I place the babies produced by her as anything but pets, whether they spun or not. I don't know if she even would breed, since she's what I consider a severe spinner.
When I get a chance, I'll have to video Sam to use as a contrast, but the uploading video takes forever. And he tends to do the typical BP thing and lie there looking reproachful that I expect him to DO anything. Rather boring on video, since it looks like a still picture.
I like spiders, and both of mine are very calm lovely animals, Hepburn's spinning notwithstanding. She's a wonderful snake and GREAT for PR. You have NO idea how many folks that "hate snakes!!" that see her, get told she is disabled, and suddenly feel sorry for her, and see a snake as a pet animal, not a monster. I've been astounded by the reactions I've gotten to her. Some that wouldn't be in the same room with a live snake ended up petting her back while cooing "Awww.. the poor poor dear baby!"
All the while I was thinking I was ripped off, when in fact I apparently was handed the best ambassador to the world for snakekind. LOL.
Sorry so long winded. It's the wolfy.

I like your post :) I really do not see anything odd about my guy either. People might just say that I am an inexperienced dolt, but I do not believe that he has ever or will ever show any wobbling or spipnning behavior.
But personally I can relate to what you said about not wanting to breed your spinner. I could not breed such an animal.. normal life has to be stressful enough as it is for a snake like that. Breeding it would be like torture in my humble opinion. Maybe, just maybe, if it were a male that spun but not all the time, and he showed interest in breeding a female.. but to have eggs in her and spin like I have seen some do, would just not sit right with me ethically.
I plan on breeding Spiders with my male, out of normals, this year. If they spin or wobble or anything, I will fully disclose this to any buyers. I don't even care if I lost money about it; I am not in it for that. But since my guy shows no weird signs, I am breeding him full force.