The awkward "teens" (in snake terms)

[Emily Hubbard]

Just some anecdotal ramblings about watching a snake grow up

My BP went through a little growth spurt over the last few weeks, had a good shed, bulked up a little, and all of the sudden it is like she is an awkward teenager. Now, she is knocking things over in her tank, which she has never done before, like she is getting used to her own increase in mass. I watched her crawl on top of her humid hide, stretch her head out a little, and then flip the whole thing backwards. I don't want her to hurt herself, so I am going to get something more weighty (it's just a tupperware with a whole cut in the lid filled with moss, but she has never budged it before. haha.)

Also today, I was lying on the floor and she was crawling over my chest, like she ALWAYS does, and all of the sudden, she just slid right off me like a slide and flopped over. She was perfectly fine, not a long fall AT ALL, but it was the most pitifully amusing thing I have ever seen, and never happened before. I don't know if now she just weights slightly more so there is more momentum when she slides downhill? haha. Either way, I am keeping a much closer eye on the awkward little thing. Snakes falling of of things, even from negligible height, is just pitiful, they look so darn helpless as they right themselves. I think the only creature more pitiful it that situation is a turtle.

Anyone else have silly snake stories, any amusing quirks your snakes have or awkward phases they went through? I think all creatures have a period of bodily adjustment, no matter how "primitive" they may be. Snakes may not be as spastic as kittens, but I for sure think they too reach a point of transition from baby to adolescent that is just a little awkward in terms of coordination. Mine sure has. haha.

[angllady2]

It's funny you brought this up.

My darling little pied male, who has always been a picky eater and a diminutive snake, switched over to rats as soon as he started breeding for me. He bulked up fast, and now he's just so awkward. He doesn't seem to know what to do with himself.

He's always been a shy little darling, who balls up so prettily when I pick him up, but now he's gotten so big he doesn't ball as tight, and he can't figure out why. It's pitiful to watch him try and squeeze his new big body into the tight little ball he used to make, and it just doesn't happen.

He has always loved to hang out around my shoulders, and he'd stretch himself way out to investigate things. Last week he tried that, overbalanced his new heavier self and started to fall. Luckily mommy was paying close attention and caught him, but he was so embarrassed by his clumsiness, he balled up as tight as he could {which isn't very} and refused to come out and see me again.

He's taken to flipping his hide over a lot, something he never had a problem with before. He's always loved to lay across the top of his plastic dollar store hide and watch me. Now he's so heavy if he tries, the hide flips over and he's left looking so pitiful and confused.

Gale

[Emily Hubbard]

I use dollar tree bowl hides too! She hasn't flipped them over yet, but she spins them around and then forgets where the door is. I will see her running her nose all along them all confused until she finds it.

Your guy sounds so adorable! haha. I have never actually seen my girl ball up, which I know is technically I good thing, but I think they are just so cute in a ball, so I am like "are you a ball python on aren't you!?" I don't know if she is just braver than most or what... haha. Occasionally if I accidentally move my hand too quick or something, she will flinch and then just freeze for 30 seconds or so like "I am a perfectly camouflaged branch, you cannot see me.... all right, I guess everything is ok now..." **resume slithering**

They are fun little creatures.