10 month ball python acting strangely

I got a 10 month old spider ball python, male, on Wednesday. (12-9-15)

He ate a live hopper Friday morning and had no complications. His scales look healthy and I detect no bumps or deformations on him. He flickers his tongue a good amount and as far as I saw from his feeding, his mouth looks pink and healthy. His eyes are also clear.

I named him Papyrus. When I hold him, he tends to do this... thing... that seems like some form of stargazing but at the same time it doesn't. He'll lifted his head up real high then bend backwards and then wheel his head around back to normal. I have uploaded a video to show everyone what I'm talking about.

https://youtu.be/cMZn4kQYQLw

I'm praying there isn't a problem with the nervous system.

And look, my mom is a real pain. She doesn't want to spend money taking them to the vet unless there is a REAL problem. If you guys are 100% positive there is something unhealthy going on with him, then I will take him to the vet, but you have to be 100% sure. I've only had him for a few days so I don't know if I should wait and see if the problem persists or gets worse, or if it even is a problem.

Thanks.

I'm no expert - but it looks like Spider 'Wobble' to me. My Black Widow boy does that now and then, to a lesser degree.

That's the spider wobble? I've heard of it but I thought their head just shook a bit more than usual when hovering over something. If that's the spider wobble then that's a relief.

Thank you for answering.

If that's what it is, then as long as he can eat okay, he should be fine. Look up 'Spider Wobble' on Youtube, and you can compare it to your boy.

I did. That's defiantly the spider wobble. Thank you for the help.

Yep, that's the Spider wobble. It ranges in severity from snake to snake. I only see it in my bee when I'm about to feed him and he gets "excited".

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On another note....you only feed your 10 month old HOPPERS? You are severely underfeeding that snake.

Do you know how little this guy is? If I fed him anything bigger it would tear his insides. I asked the breeder but maybe he got the age wrong. He's defiantly not feeding on medium mice, as they claim.

Wait...

Dang it, I did it again. 10 WEEKS OLD.

1) I agree with spider wobble.

2) Switch his feeders to rat pups while he's still young and hungry. Otherwise when he gets older he will need to eat multiple mice as opposed to one small rat, which is cheaper.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nixon

Wait...

Dang it, I did it again. 10 WEEKS OLD.

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Okay that sounds much better. And I agree with the previous poster - see if he'll switch to rat pups for you. They provide a bit more sustenance. I've got a couple at 12 weeks that snap up rat pups as soon as they hit the tub.

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The problem is that nobody nearby sells rat pups. Only adult rats. There's no way I'm breeding rats, either, those things smell and I already have guinea pigs to deal with.

You can try finding an online seller to buy rat-sicles from. That way you don't have to deal with live rodents, just keep them in your freezer, thaw them out, warm them up, and feed them. That assumes your snake will take f/t rodents, though... I've got three that are delighted to have them, and one that won't even consider them.

My oldest python doesn't. She'd go two to three weeks without eating and she'd eat the f/t out of desperation.

Rat-sicles tho.

I'm going to try to get Papyrus here to eat f/t and when he's used to the mice then I'll buy some frozen rats online and try to switch him to those.

Thanks, guys.