Had to pull on him, crunching noise?!?!

[dusterdust]

Hey. I was just putting my 2 y/o ghost back in the tank after he was in a pillow case for awhile and while lowering him in, he hooked on to the lamp (one of those big arm joint lamps). Pic included...1and twisted himself in REAL good...I had to unravel and at one point pull on him a bit...I heard a crackling noise, almost like rice crispies...I'm assuming this was the scales? I'm not sure though... Could someone reassure me that I didn't break a million bones...This was only a few minutes ago, he went right into his new hide, then stuck his head outside, I'm guessing if he was hurt he wouldn't do that...
Dustin

 

[gwb8568]

when i first started out and was still getting used to holding/handling my snakes, i had heard this happen a few times and always assumed that it was the backbone stretching out. it only happened a couple of times and was usually when i was trying to measure them next to a pulled out tape. since then i have just gone to measuring their sheds as i am not sure if it is good for them to receive a "chiropractic adjustment" from a human. i do know this though, it sure feels good to me after hanging upside down on a gravity machine for 10-15 minutes. :grin01:

 

[Nanci]

Why don't you take him out and set him on the floor and see if he moves ok?

Nanci

 

[dusterdust]

He seems to be moving around the tank normally now...I was just concerned...

 

[chibitamalove]

It's happened to me a few times. I'm sure it's fine, my corn is 3 years old and hasn't suffered any ill effects. I think it's just like when you crack your knuckles. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but it won't do any damage, unless you try too hard.

 

[Derek54]

since then i have just gone to measuring their sheds

Just to let you know, sheds strech a considerable amount. So... its not very accurate. you should use the serpwidgets program. as accurate as can be

 

[antsterr]

I'm pretty sure it's their back bone cracking, like gwb said "chiropractic adjustment".
I doesn't seem to hurt snakes.

 

[gwb8568]

Just to let you know, sheds strech a considerable amount. So... its not very accurate. you should use the serpwidgets program. as accurate as can be

yes, i am aware of the stretch/shrink factor. i don't use it as a "guaranteed" or "accurate" measurement, just something that i can keep in my FreeHerp file. i had tried downloading serps program, and even had him try and walk me through it, but something on my computer will not allow it to load. more than likely the culprit would be a crappy computer. thanks anyway for letting it known, hopefully allot of other people that did not know about it will go out and get it now.
http://www.serpwidgets.com/Apps/apps.html

 

[dusterdust]

So I cracked the snake's bones? Nothing about this makes me feel good at all...
No I think he'll be chronically affected!

I just assumed it was the scales latching the metal!

 

[chibitamalove]

Don't worry, I doubt that it will do anything to him. Like I said, it's probably like cracking your knuckles or some other joints. Uncomfortable, but not damaging.

 

[connord94]

. . . . .and its not like you do it that often that your snake will come down with arthritis

 

[Plissken]

I once had to pull gently at Connor to stop him going somewhere he really wasn't supposed to go. There was a noise of sorts. I wouldn't describe it as a "crack", but he made a sound, so I'm guessing that it's a similar thing to what you experienced. That was some time ago now and I can assure you that Connor is perfectly okay.

 

[gwb8568]

just a little more added information.........in my particular case, i could actually feel a slight "vibration" through the body which led me to believe it was the spine being adjusted to a certain degree. :shrugs: also, neither snake has had any problems since it happened.