Baby's tail twitchin!?

[eddieg536]

I observed my little 16" BCI and noticed something very...very..peculiar. I just hope to God he is OK. Anyways, I noticed the tip of his tail twitching. He was just coiled up like normal but the tip of his tail was almost convulsing/twitching. I have never seen this before, and am wandering if maybe he has some nervous system disorder. Please help!

[sclark]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

Hi eddieg,

That is a hard question without being there.. These is possible 20 different things that can be what you described.. Now you say the tip of the tail, how long of the tip, 1/8 inch, 1/4 inch, 1/2 inch, etc... My guess, and that about all anyone can do, but mine based on what you said is a defensive move. They mimic a rattle. They will do this as a warning.. Doesn't mean they will strike, they like to bluff alot.. I wouldn't be to concerned at this point. Just make sure any new snakes that come in your house are kept in a different room from your current snakes for atleast 3 months, and wash super well after holding the baby.. If you keep feeling concerned, take the baby to a good reptile vet and have it checked out..

Good luck and keep us posted how the baby is doing..

Steve

[WeLsH]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

I dont even know what you people are talking about, lol

[sclark]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

Twitching tail Welsh.. Picture a rattle snakes tail twitching.. Does that help?

Steve

[Damian]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

Is it just me or is tail twitching usually a colubrid characteristic. Especially in king snakes, i have never seen any member of the boidae family mimic this behavior but i could be wrong.

[sclark]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

Hey Damian,

I think in gerneral you are right, Kings, corns and rats do this alot to mimic the rattle snake as a defence.. But I have seen a few boas do it as well as Rocks and Retic.. But over all it is for the Colubrids..

Steve

[Red]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

You need to check out the snake for a problem at the vent... look around there... may be look under the flap for mites ect...\
You also should run you fingers along the tail to feel for a kink, swelling, or any out of the ordinary things in that area... If you have any other snake I would be care ful about this snake comming in contact with it... Because intell you find out if it is in fact anything at all... It welll... could be anything.. lol
Eric aka....Red

[Gun Lover]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

iam w/ red and steve..make sure you wash your hands before and after w/ a anti-bact soap...never seen a boa do this..

[___LEE___]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

yes i have never seen boas do that but my king does it all the time hoping that i don't bother her LOL never helps her out but she still does it LOL yes i would definately keep him away from any contact with any of your collection being lizards or snakes until u get him checked out for any problems.


LEE

[eViL_KaRoT]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

I don't know, Ursula does something like that every once in awhile too. But it's not the tail that twitches. It's her whole body. It kind of looks like she's got the hickups. I'm not sure if boas can get hickups, since I don't know if they have a diaphram. But that's what it looks like.

[Barracuda_41]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

8) Ive seen it befour in only 2 baby boas and it was just befour feeding time or during feeding time.. Almost like oooooh im gona get ya.. My corn snake does it to during feeding, like its trying to atract its prey in closer..I argee with everyone else make sure ya was your hands and keep the baby in quarenteen for a few to make sure.. Its really funny when the gex put there tails up and rattle them just as they go in for the kill on there prey... :P ;D

[ClayEnglish]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

Hehe... Boas do tail twitch, but it is generally the males that do so, and it is during breeding

That's the tail twitching we WANT to see.. lol

[sclark]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

Never noticed that Clay.. Guess my next breeding season I will have to watch closer for that..)

Steve

[scottysrm]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

I have never heard of a boa doing that. I have a king that does that now and then when he is angry.

[MormonBoa]

Re:Baby's tail twitchin!?

If you have the "boa constrictor manual" look at the bottom of page 8. "...the author published a report of tail luring in baby boa constrictors to attract lizards..." could it be this???? i dont know if that helps any...