Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, In all my experiences with Great Basins, it seems that sometimes the females will sometimes shake/shiver when you pick them up. Is this because perhaps they are more sensitive than males?? I am not sure if anyone else has noticed this behavior, or whether or not males do it too.

I just know that of the GB Gophers that I have had, the females would sometimes do this. Could this be bad on the snake?? or is it just a normal behavior??

Also, has anyone notices the arching of the back(like a cat) on Pits if you caress their back??

Just some behaviors that I have wondered if are normal.

.....sounds more like neurological isues/damage.never kept great basins,but no pit or any snake i've ever kept has done that.may want to look into that a little more,perhaps see a good vet,read up about it,etc.
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"with head raised regally,and gazing at me with lidless eyes,he seemed to question with flicks of his long forked tongue my right to trespass on his territory" Carl Kauffeld

I am pretty sure that it is not neurological, and if so, then it must be caused by me when I pick her up, because that's the only time it happens. Perhaps I am picking her up too quickly when it happens, and she is trying to cling to something for stability?? Perhaps the shaking/shivering is cause by her flexing all her muscles??

It does not happen very often at all, and she seems to be in good health. I am not too worried about it because I have had snakes long ago that have done the same thing. And I am sure it was always the females.

I will just be very careful and gentle when I handle her and see if that eliminates the behavior.

Thanks for the help, and if it continues with extra careful handling, then I will take her to the vet.

Never noticed any of that. True my female is more nervous than my male SD Gopher was, but never seen the shaking. She's opaque now, but after she's thru I'm gonna see about the back arching thing.

reako45

I'm sure you would notice it, but are you sure it's not the tail rattling? Some of my Colubrids do that if they get nervous in my hands, including my female Gopher.
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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
3.4 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor
0.1.0 Dumeril's Boa
1.1.0 Rosy Boas (Mexican & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
0.1.0 Tangerine Honduran Milksnake
1.0.0 Honduran Milksnake
0.1.0 Pueblan Milksnake
1.2.0 Ball Pythons
1.0.0 Woma Python
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.1.0 Macklot's Pythons
0.0.1 Ribbon Snake
1.0.0 Western Hognose
1.0.0 Albino San Diego Gopher Snake
0.0.1 Sonoran Gopher Snake
0.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.1.0 Gray Banded Kingsnakes (River Road)
0.1.1 California Kingsnakes
1.0.0 Yellowtail Cribo
0.1.0 Blacktail Cribo

LIZARDS
1.0.0 Frilled Dragon
3.1.0 Bearded Dragons (2 Normal, 1 RedXGold, 1 Citrus)
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
2.3.0 Leopard Geckos
1.1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
0.1.0 Green Anoles
FROGS
2.2.0 Southern Bell Frogs
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
0.0.2 Striped Walking Frogs
1.1.1 White's Tree Frogs

I have noticed the rattling of the tails since most of my pits have been wild-caught.

Figured you'd know the difference. I am at a loss! Sound like they're doing OK, though.
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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
3.4 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor
0.1.0 Dumeril's Boa
1.1.0 Rosy Boas (Mexican & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
0.1.0 Tangerine Honduran Milksnake
1.0.0 Honduran Milksnake
0.1.0 Pueblan Milksnake
1.2.0 Ball Pythons
1.0.0 Woma Python
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.1.0 Macklot's Pythons
0.0.1 Ribbon Snake
1.0.0 Western Hognose
1.0.0 Albino San Diego Gopher Snake
0.0.1 Sonoran Gopher Snake
0.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.1.0 Gray Banded Kingsnakes (River Road)
0.1.1 California Kingsnakes
1.0.0 Yellowtail Cribo
0.1.0 Blacktail Cribo

LIZARDS
1.0.0 Frilled Dragon
3.1.0 Bearded Dragons (2 Normal, 1 RedXGold, 1 Citrus)
1.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
2.3.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
FROGS
2.2.0 Southern Bell Frogs
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
1.1.0 Striped Walking Frogs
1.1.1 White's Tree Frogs