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Shaking Snake

kayladewi

kayladewi

New member
I've only had my corn snake for about 2 weeks so forgive me if I'm over reacting, but I just got Colubra out to hold and she started trembling. I kinda freaked out and put her back in the cage. This is the first time she's ever done it. Is it a precursor to a bowel movement or a regurge? Is she too hot? Any ideas?
 
How old is she?
Did you wash your hands before touching her?
If not, what did you do after the last time you washed up?
 
She is around 3. 2-3 they said when I got her.

I'm thinking she had to poo because... well, she did. She may also be hungry. I make it a habit to wash my hands AFTER touching her, but I know I was washing dishes less than an hour before handling her. After she pooped, my boyfriend held her and she started shaking again. I have no idea. She had 2 separate meals last week, so her tank may not be empty yet if that's the issue. Is it possible she was shaking in excitement thinking it was food time? I don't know lol. I'm trying to think of anything and everything.
 
Are you sure it's not the herky-jerky way they move when excited during breeding season?

My hands have been totally clean...and still I've gotten the reaction.
 
I have seen as young as 2 years (maybe younger?) and above have the reaction. Having the reaction...doesn't necessarily equate to being size-appropriate for successfully completing a reproductive cycle.
Trying to delicately say beginning (copulation), middle, and end (successfully carrying and laying fertile eggs).
 
Just want to point this out. At 2-3 years old there shouldn't be any need or reason to be feeding twice a week. By that stage 7-10 days should be just fine. As for the shakey shake, I'm with vetusvates on the mating season possibility.
 
Is it like a twitching? If so, she's communicating with you. Are you positive she's a she? Females do do this, but males do it much more.
 
Just to be clear, she is NOT on a twice a week feeding schedule. I wasn't sure if she was ready to eat after I brought her home, so I started her on a fuzzie. When she kept that down, seemed disappointed there wasn't more, I started her feeding schedule.

And Nanci, I have no personal experience probing a snake, and I would like a 100% confirmation, but I am in no way comfortable without watching it done first-hand. Seems relatively straight-forward. I just don't want to chance it.
 
And I'll pay more attention once she does it again. It threw me off a little bit and I just hurried up and put her back. It may be a twitching, but it was more like when you get a cold chill and shudder. Or maybe I am exaggerating because I perceived it as more movement than was there because I wasn't expecting it. I wish someone from here lived nearby... I'm starting to question myself...
 
I wouldn't stress it. Sounds like she's just reacting to your touch. First snakes will make you question what you are doing more than once. :)
 
Well, I got her out today and she was fine. I'm sticking by my original thought that she just needed a poop (sorry). She was more than happy to be held today, no twitching. Now she's in her hide playing with the digital thermometer probe.
 
Also, this isn't exactly my first snake. I've cared for the snakes at the local zoo. But I had so many animals to take care of, I could never take the time to get to know their little personality quirks.
 
Like I said, I've been around snakes before, handled them, cleaned up after them, fed them... I'm pretty well read on general corn snake care now. I was feeling pretty confident I could take care of a snake, and that's the only way that I would have gotten one. But this twitchy thing wasn't exactly in corn snake 101. So sorry if I was stressing out over nothing.
 
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