To retract her head she'll coil back in an S-curve, but the TIGHT S-curve is the one to beware of. My snakes all elevate a portion of their body as well. The biggest things I'd look for--that is, easy to ID even with no experience--are your snake following your movements, dilated pupils (well, mine does this anyway), and a slowed flickering of the tongue. A carefree snake has a longer, faster, flickering of its tongue more often than a defensive snake. Try feeding your snake live once, you'll soon see the "strike curve" used in conjunction with a slower tongue flicker. I can look at my snakes and tell you when it has caught the scent of a rodent just by its misdemeanor. It will change posture in the moment right before it actually strikes.

You can also see the S-curve if you scare your snake, but that is generally not a good idea and is also a great way to get bitten. Don't do that. I figured that out the hard way the very first time I got a snake sent to me--that little lady did NOT like being taken out of her box in a totally alien environment!

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