Ball Python... Spasming?

[Bogertophis]

I bet he is doing that male bucking that some males do when females are nearby (I'm talking about Ball Pythons, y'all..)

I had my male for 6 years before I decided to breed him to the females. He only occasionally did that "get off twitch". Once he got to be around the girls, though, whew !!!

Every time I tried to lift him out of the tub his whole body would arch and he tried to literally fling my hand off of him. Once picked up he would buck hard enough to almost jump out of my hand !!! He was soooooooooooo TOUCHY during that time. After three or four bucks he was usually done after picking him up.

He stopped doing that after breeding season. Went back to normal. I've had a few snakes do that "back off" fling with their body. Even seen them bounce small rodents off of them. But the only time I've seen this so extreme was in my male. During breeding season....

Interesting...I've never heard of that, nor seen it, even when I had an adult breedable group of BPs of both sexes, some years ago.
I HAVE had snakes (all kinds) do the "shove off" maneuver, but I wouldn't call that a whole body spasm...

[Hawkshadow]

Here's a video of what he's doing, if that will help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1-n...ature=youtu.be
Maybe it IS a breeding thing...? Hopefully >.<
That's the tub he was in. I managed to get the lid on after putting him in it before he started (he bucked the lid right off the first time and nearly escaped).

[redshepherd]

Here's a video of what he's doing, if that will help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1-n...ature=youtu.be
Maybe it IS a breeding thing...? Hopefully >.<
That's the tub he was in. I managed to get the lid on after putting him in it before he started (he bucked the lid right off the first time and nearly escaped).

I don't know what it is, but that looks wild... I think it's definitely not breeding related, but I haven't heard of that being a thing before. It could be a neurological issue?

I hope you figure out what it is!

[zina10]

Yes, he did exactly that ! But never just on his own in the tub.

He only did it when I touched him or tried to pick him up. Once he did it so wildly he almost threw himself right out of my grip !!! I started calling him a spazz !!

Since your snake is doing that seemingly randomly, it does seem odd.

[zina10]

Interesting...I've never heard of that, nor seen it, even when I had an adult breedable group of BPs of both sexes, some years ago.
I HAVE had snakes (all kinds) do the "shove off" maneuver, but I wouldn't call that a whole body spasm...

Yes, he was the only one who did that.

And I do know the shoving off thing. I call it bucking, because that is what it reminds me off.

My male put so much effort into it, it made his whole body jerk. But ONLY when I tried to pick him up to move him into the females enclosure, or to move him to clean the tub. And ONLY during the breeding season. Never before or after. Other then the regular little shove here and there.

[Bogertophis]

Hey what about internal parasites??? Have you had a fecal done for this snake???

I'm still thinking about something bothering him internally...

[Hawkshadow]

I mean, it's kind of random. He doesn't just do it when he's in his enclosure. That video was right after I put him back in after cleaning his sopping wet towel because he knocked over his water bowl. Normally (I say that even though it's only been happening for the past 4-5 days) it's when I go to pick him up or put him down.

But your snake never had any major issues when he did that? You said he stopped after breeding season, did he do it every season?

When he did it months ago it wasn't so aggressive of a spasm. And it was only once.

No, I haven't had a fecal done on him. The vet only offered to prescribe pain meds but I denied it because I didn't think I could get him to take it and he didn't appear to be in pain in any way.

[Bogertophis]

I WISH it was something to do with breeding, but I don't believe that...that doesn't look right to me at all. And the fact that it's increasing should tell you something.

Pain meds might help but don't get to the root of the problem anyway. Some kinds of internal parasites (worms) can migrate & cause a lot of havoc, and
killing them off aggressively all at once can also kill the snake if & when they die off & block vital functions. Please take a fresh stool sample to vet. You
said he was underweight when you got him...and now with you he's a good eater...maybe enough for himself plus "guests"...??? When snakes eat well,
so too do their parasites.

How long after he eats does he defecate?

[zina10]

I mean, it's kind of random. He doesn't just do it when he's in his enclosure. That video was right after I put him back in after cleaning his sopping wet towel because he knocked over his water bowl. Normally (I say that even though it's only been happening for the past 4-5 days) it's when I go to pick him up or put him down.

But your snake never had any major issues when he did that? You said he stopped after breeding season, did he do it every season?

When he did it months ago it wasn't so aggressive of a spasm. And it was only once.

No, I haven't had a fecal done on him. The vet only offered to prescribe pain meds but I denied it because I didn't think I could get him to take it and he didn't appear to be in pain in any way.

Sorry, I've just now seen this post.

Mine only did it when I reached for him, as soon as I touched him to pick him up. Whether I picked him up to put him into a females enclosure, or back into his own. Or into a holding tub, while I cleaned his.

It was clearly a reaction to being touched/picked up. It always seemed to me that he was either moody/excited/combative.

This only started during the breeding season. Never before. Stopped as soon as breeding season was over and he started eating again. Then he was back to the calm sweetheart he was before.

During the episodes he never hissed, never attempted to bite or strike. Just that rather violent bucking around like a bronco. It always only lasted a couple of seconds (few bucks) and he was done, even if I still held him. It was directly related to that first touch/picking him up.

I hope its nothing serious. Just keep an eye on him, write down any changes and if things get worse, take him back to the Vet for some diagnostic workups. (blood/stool/etc..)

[Hawkshadow]

Uhm, I haven't really timed it. I just fed him last night, I can keep an eye out this time. I know he defecated twice last week though. The second time was Friday night, not sure when the first was. I usually feed on Mondays. What are the possible ways of a snake getting an internal parasite?