You sure this is normal behavior?

Trollbie · 03-22-12, 04:53 PM

Her back and forth slithering against the front wall of the tank for hours and hours?

She just only does in the front of the tank

I'm telling you, it's for hours at a time. It's cute and I'm glad she isn't just sleeping all the time. But I don't want her to be missin something :/

**lady_bug87** · 03-22-12, 04:53 PM

if she flips on her back can she right herself?

jdavy · 03-22-12, 04:56 PM

That kind of activity sounds like a sign of stress to me. Is she getting rub marks yet? How long have you had her for (not terribly uncommon when a snake is just settling into a new home). Better double check all of your husbandry just to be sure.

Gungirl · 03-22-12, 05:11 PM

double check your husbandry and also I would reccomend covering 3 sides( back and both ends) of the tank with something. You can use fabric, paint, aquarium back rounds.If your husbandry is correct this will help her feel more secure.

theapexgerman · 03-22-12, 05:17 PM

Since you only had her for a week or so I say maybe she just getting use to her tank but I would cover the sides with something maybe not enough spots to hide my nelson does it when he's hungry so I would think its normal

TremTricolors · 03-22-12, 06:24 PM

Are you sure it is a her? It is breeding season and and sounds like you have a male instead of a female. My males are starting their journey to nowhere right now. Doing the exact same thing with no appetite. They only have one thing on their mind at this point.

theapexgerman · 03-22-12, 07:17 PM

Yea my male albino nelson is surfing his cage still eating but I think he wants an mate lol

snakekid6996 · 03-22-12, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TremTricolors

Are you sure it is a her? It is breeding season and and sounds like you have a male instead of a female. My males are starting their journey to nowhere right now. Doing the exact same thing with no appetite. They only have one thing on their mind at this point.

So would that be why my snakes been a lot more active lately in his tank??

youngster · 03-22-12, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakekid6996

So would that be why my snakes been a lot more active lately in his tank??

Most likely.

TremTricolors · 03-22-12, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakekid6996

So would that be why my snakes been a lot more active lately in his tank??

It sure is most likely. Especially if they are males. Females are usually the same all year except when they are ovulating or producing eggs. At this time the females appetite will become better and eat more consistently. Males are usually the most active during spring.

TremTricolors · 03-22-12, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theapexgerman

Yea my male albino nelson is surfing his cage still eating but I think he wants an mate lol

Not all males will go off food. I have one male that will eat until 21 days out of brumation and then not take his next meal until sometime in June.

Trollbie · 03-22-12, 08:05 PM

She doesn't really end up on her back. But the few times I've seen her fall on her back she was right back up. Well I didn't check for sex, but I saw the guy pop my soon to be BRB so I don't feel the need to question it since he obviously knows how to.
I guess she could be hungry, but she ate on Monday. She started with the wall climbing as soon as she got the mouse down, did it for a couple hours and then she slept for like the next 24 hrs or more maybe, left me my first surprise yesterday by the water dish lol and is back to herself again. I also think she sleeps at night and is active during the day. But I could be wrong. It just seems that way because I won't see her out of her hide when I go pee at night.
I've had for almost 2 weeks.
As far as husbandry, she did it a lot less when the temp was not high enough, and my humidity is between 50-60% (finally got it to not go over 65% lol)
I'm getting her a new house next week, so I guess I'll wait and see?

Also when she does this and I go pick her up, she stays very calm and relaxed. Even when I take her out. She isn't as calm if I touch her when she's just chilling.

I also have 2 hides in there, one of which is the snake den thingy, a half log, and the substrate is deep enough that most of the time I won't know where she is if she buries herself. She spends most of her hiding time under the log though. I arranged a fake plant on the back wall and pressed the log up against it so she can feel secure there. She seems to like the log when she's sleeping. The few first days I had her without any hides she just spent most of the time buried. Now that the log is there she prefers the log. Id think she would spent most of the time buried if something wasnt secure in there?

I was told she did it at the pet store too when he hasn been handled in a while an would always calm down immediately after being taken out. But I handle her for a bit pretty much every day lol

TremTricolors · 03-22-12, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollbie

She doesn't really end up on her back. But the few times I've seen her fall on her back she was right back up. Well I didn't check for sex, but I saw the guy pop my soon to be BRB so I don't feel the need to question it since he obviously knows how to.

Trust me, popping is not a guaranteed way of sexing snakes, even more so if the are bigger. Hatchlings yes it can be done but I will tell you from experience it is not always 100% accurate. Probing is the only accurate way of distinguishing the difference. Even some of the best breeders in the states will tell you this and some have actually sent 2 males or 2 females when they were supposed to be a pair. Just a thought, not trying to be negative just looking at other reasons why?

Trollbie · 03-22-12, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TremTricolors

Trust me, popping is not a guaranteed way of sexing snakes, even more so if the are bigger. Hatchlings yes it can be done but I will tell you from experience it is not always 100% accurate. Probing is the only accurate way of distinguishing the difference. Even some of the best breeders in the states will tell you this and some have actually sent 2 males or 2 females when they were supposed to be a pair. Just a thought, not trying to be negative just looking at other reasons why?

I know he probes older snakes. I remember being relieved that he popped my baby BRB instead of probing. Probing gives me the heejeebeegees lol. And he was like oh no i normally probe, just not babies... Don't males tend to have a bulge type thingy at the tail? And females tend to have a more gradual tail? If so I know it's a good way to sex. I'm just curious. Anyway, whenever I have a chance, I'll take her to get checked somehwere else just to make sure.

She better stay a she... Penelope is not a name that could go both ways lol

Trollbie · 03-22-12, 08:45 PM

She is a young adult btw, she's probably been probed rather than popped. I guess I could also ask when I'm there if they probed her themselves.