Kingsnake Shaking

[viper69]

I have a Mexican Black Kingsnake. He's about 3.5 ft long. Good appetite, shedding etc.

Periodically I have observed an odd behavior that I have not observed in my boa or pythons.

Sometimes he's slowly moving around his home (not an issue), and his whole body will contract a bit. I don't mean recoil. But literally just contract. It's not the head shaking that has been reported in corns and kings (people speculate that's a visual compensation issue).

For lack of a better description, it's like he's having a mini-seizure sorta or shivering like a human sorta. He's not flailing around mind you. His head stays in place and he keeps moving along.

I don't know the frequency as I'm at work of course during the day. But when I have observed these body jolts/shaking, it seems to last only a few seconds, then it passes, and maybe another episode occurs for a few seconds and it's over.

During the process everything seems normal though, he keeps looking around, seems normal, even remains mobile at times when I have observed this.

I'm at a loss on this one.

ANY idea or people who have observed this would be much appreciated.

He's a beautiful animal and if there's something I can do as his owner, I would like to know as soon as possible please.

[Tsubaki]

Does it look like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuyM_PqA_Do
nuyM_PqA_Do
Took me forever to find a proper video of it, if it is this. It is perfectly normal behaviour especially for males!

[EL Ziggy]

My kings will do this also. It's usually when I first pick them up. I'd also say it's more frequent and pronounced in my male.

[chairman]

I have a cornsnake and a kingsnake that do this. Just a reaction to spook predators, it is probably being triggered when a piece of substrate or furniture nudges him when he's not expecting it.

Both of my snakes started doing less of this as they aged and have virtually quit since I put them in a rack.

[viper69]

Does it look like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuyM_PqA_Do
nuyM_PqA_Do
Took me forever to find a proper video of it, if it is this. It is perfectly normal behaviour especially for males!

Thank you very, very much for this video. I searched for well over 5 hours on and off and could not find one. Even finding head shake videos was hard. How'd you ever find that one!?

That's exactly what my MBK does. I really, really appreciate your time and effort/help. :D

I thought for sure no one would be able to determine what's up because the description, while accurate is also so subjective too.

Thanks a lot!!

My kings will do this also. It's usually when I first pick them up. I'd also say it's more frequent and pronounced in my male.

This is good to know. He does a different type of shake when I try to pick him up. Even one of my pythons has the same response. Interesting info on the gender observation, helpful. Thanks! :D

I have a cornsnake and a kingsnake that do this. Just a reaction to spook predators, it is probably being triggered when a piece of substrate or furniture nudges him when he's not expecting it.

Both of my snakes started doing less of this as they aged and have virtually quit since I put them in a rack.

Thanks, I wasn't sure what to attribute the behavior to as I wasn't attempting to hold him.

I suspect he's observing movement from me as I sit my desk chair. His tank is only about 6" away. I'm usually working at my desk moving my chair back and forth at times. Who knows, maybe he's sees my arms moving at my desk too.

I keep all 3 other glass sides covered so he feels more secure so he doesn't feel like he's out in the open. He burrows under the aspen more than he uses his hide. Thanks!! :D

I'm really new to colubrids, not with pythons and boas. They are beautiful animals!!

[Tsubaki]

Thank you very, very much for this video. I searched for well over 5 hours on and off and could not find one. Even finding head shake videos was hard. How'd you ever find that one!?

That's exactly what my MBK does. I really, really appreciate your time and effort/help. :D

I thought for sure no one would be able to determine what's up because the description, while accurate is also so subjective too.

Thanks a lot!!

No problem, found this video with some google magic! Searching for keywords and word combinations exclusively on youtube. 5 hours? Wow I thought it took me a long time, but 15 minutes seems pretty short compared to that. Anyway, your description was pretty clear so I figured it was this immediately. This behaviour is mostly done by males when they encounter a female to let them know they're ready and willing so to speak.. Females do it too at times but a lot less than males, I once read that besides for mating purposes.. Snakes do this to communicate to another snake that they're not a threat..

[viper69]

No problem, found this video with some google magic! Searching for keywords and word combinations exclusively on youtube. 5 hours? Wow I thought it took me a long time, but 15 minutes seems pretty short compared to that. Anyway, your description was pretty clear so I figured it was this immediately. This behaviour is mostly done by males when they encounter a female to let them know they're ready and willing so to speak.. Females do it too at times but a lot less than males, I once read that besides for mating purposes.. Snakes do this to communicate to another snake that they're not a threat..

Yeah I was looking on YouTube as well. I think my terms were too specific perhaps. It drove me nuts. When I didn't find anything, I thought something neurologically was wrong.

Thank you for the information above, I didn't know this at all. Considering I own bumps on a log (boas and pythons) this colubrid is a bit more expressive haha.

[Tsubaki]

Bumps on a log hah! Someone should explain my retics that That's how other pythons act, mine are all hyper firecrackers:D

[IW17]

My male Tai beauty does this. Best way I can describe it, is like he's shivering. Freaked me out the first time I felt it.

[viper69]

My male Tai beauty does this. Best way I can describe it, is like he's shivering. Freaked me out the first time I felt it.

What is a Tai? Is it a kingsnake morph?

[Tsubaki]

Tai (Taiwan) beauty's snake, orthriophis taeniura friesei