Jacobson's Organ And Water???

ballpython5000 · 03-26-03, 06:04 PM

ok first time i have witnessed this event also. i was giving my new ball python a bath, it wanted out, quick. so it would put its entire body almost totally under water, and its head would stay under water for 30 seconds at a time. it would act as if the water was not even there, it swam around rubbing it's nose on the bottom in search of a way out. and all the while it was flickin it'd tongue as if it were in air. my question is: can the jacobson's organ actually work under water? or was the python merely doing it as reflex? i dunno but it was submerged for long periods at a time and it just kept flicking it's tongue, it was odd to say the least.
also my baby ball when getting a drink from it's dish will submerge its entire head for long ammounts of time while getting a drink. sometimes nearly a minute. its whole head it just completely under and it actually drinks! is that normal? i catch it doing that every now and then, most of the time it drinks normal.
ball pythons are very odd............i gotta catch this stuff on camera sometimes.........

snakemann87 · 03-26-03, 06:08 PM

yes, their jacobsons organ can pick up molecules even under the water. And yes your ball drinking with its head submerged is normal, mine does it also

marisa · 03-26-03, 06:16 PM

I would assume it would have to be able to in water. Or else they wouldn't mind taking a huge sip of my coffee! *L*

Aside from that specific organ, Green Iguanas can submerge themselves underwater for 30 minutes at a time. But like you mentioned, Roxy acts as though she is in the air and swims, smells, scratches, and watches all normally underwater.

Marisa

ballpython5000 · 03-26-03, 06:19 PM

yeah i heard that about green iguanas once. its weird.......but cool!

snakemann87 · 03-26-03, 06:22 PM

snakes can move much quicker and easier in water. Iguanas can stay under for up to an hour too.

fr0glet · 03-26-03, 06:52 PM

Too weird... I also just gave a ball a bath and noticed the same damn thing. Not even 30 minutes ago! Nice thread to wander in to, your timing is impeccable!

Linds · 03-26-03, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ballpython5000
submerge its entire head for long ammounts of time while getting a drink. sometimes nearly a minute. its whole head it just completely under and it actually drinks! is that normal?

Most of mine don't submerge themselves completely while drinking, but I wouldn't consider it by any means abnormal for them to do so. Snakes can also hold their breath for 45 minutes under water.

nouserpif · 03-27-03, 12:01 AM

well, I tried it with my bearded, and it doesn't work with him. Anyone got a 1.0 bearded for sale? LOL J/K
I believe most iguanas can stay underwater, and the water ig (obviously named) can stay for like an hour and a half or something...
Dan Conner

Dom · 03-27-03, 07:26 AM

I am pretty sure though that crocodilians take the cake for who can stay under water the longest..

They have a special valve in their heart (not sure but it could be the bipedal valve) that can shut off oxygen to their body and redirect it to there brain......

Then again many turtles can do some cloacal breathing under water ...

Hummm - I made myself wonder now