Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my bp cracks when i hold him. whenever he bends i hear cracking. this began as he got bigger and bigger.
is this normal?

seriously though , you're probably not hearing things (except for those little voices in your head ).
sedentary beasts will do that after a long sit-still. think of it as crackin' your buddy's back , we've all done this: you grab your
(fully attired) friend from behind lift up a little , arch back a
little , and before ya know it , all those little vertebrae are crackin' like a hot bag of orville reddenbacher's microwave popcorn.
it's perfectly normal , and socially acceptable (if fully attired as previously stated) behavior. the snake probably enjoys it , releases all sorts of adrenaline , endorphines , and other serpentine chemicals into it's little bloodstream.
so keep up the crackin' !
peace , ck

...just a little head to help brighten everyone's day

I have noticed this cracking sound as well. Though, I would describe it more as a crackling sound. From my experience, the sound is caused by their scales catching on each other as the snake coils around in hand. As you have observed, I do not hear this with younger individuals as the scales are smaller and do not "stick out" and catch on other scales when the snake bends around.
This may be what you are hearing. Is the sound audible as if it is external, or does it feel and sound as if it is internal?

It seems internal.

Yea I believe it is the vertebre also because my rosy boas do this same thing, and it happens when I stretch them out straight not when they curl around my hand. Plus remember how many vertebre they have, it would make sense it makes a crackling sound.

Hmmm. That's something different then. I have not noticed this with any of my adult Rosy Boas or Ball Pythons - only the crackling sound because of the scales.
Sorry I can't be of more help.