Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay, I know that I've stretched my credibility with tales of an unusually tame Tex Rat. You may question my mental health now (smile). Undaunted, I proceed...

I have ALWAYS read that snakes lack eyelids. Their brilles cover their eyes permanently - at least with all the snakes I've had. True of kingsnakes; true of garter & gopher snakes.

Imagine my amazement when I look at my Tex Rat while he naps and I see him with one eye half open, looking very sleepy. At other times in the mornings, his eye looks like a light gray cover has been placed over it. When I move or he becomes alert, the cover seems to disappear and I see the dark, intense pupil again.

Internet research so far has found nothing about this phenomena. Do rat snakes possess eyelids? What is going on??

"What is going on??"

No, they do not have eyelids. What you are witnessing is the snake sleeping/relaxing. While they do this, the eye WITHIN the brill relaxes to the point of drooping down. Then when they see something that stimulates their eye again(movement), it instantly raises right into place in the middle again.

This is how nature allows them to rest, and still be able to ambush prey in the wild while lying hidden for long periods of time when it walks past them. This is very typical, and quite normal behavior.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Well that's interesting Doug. I've never seen this before. I'll now have to keep my eye out for that.
If that's the case and that's all it is, forget the first part of my post Ameron.
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Randy Whittington

Yeah, isn't that cool??..LOL!. I've seen it many times before while very slowly going up to a snake's cage when it is resting next to the glass or plastic enclosure. Sometimes you can see their eyes EXTREMELY drooped-down, and it sometimes looks like they are "cross-eyed"..LOL!. Then as soon as they see movement......BOING!! the eye instantly comes back to it's normal position to focus on the movement..LOL!

A good friend of mine and I were talking about that very same thing a few months ago. And he said he has seen it many times before too. I remember noticing this for the first time as a young kid in the late 60's, early 70's with some of my snakes.

This is definitely something that many people are not aware of I'm sure.

You will get a real kick out of it when you see it happen for yourself Randy!..

later!, ~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

I've seen snakes at rest with their pupils down/forward many times before when their relaxed or resting but I never thought of it as appearing to have a film or eyelid as Ameron was describing. It seemed he was describing something more extreme.
I guess I never heard the term eye drop related to it. I thought eye drop what what I got late at night in Daytona after....ahhhhhh....to many cokes. lol
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Randy Whittington

"I thought eye drop was what I got late at night in Daytona after....ahhhhhh....to many cokes"

HAHAHAA!,..I know what ya mean there man!.....BOY! DO I

Speaking of which, I look forward to seeing you there again this year.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

It's definatly not eyelids. Post a pick if you can when you see what looks like a film or "eyelid". It's possible it's some kind of discharge or something caused by a little infection. If it comes and goes, it's definalty not a retained eye cap. A slight bit of antibiotic ointment on the eye might be a good idea(very little so as not to have any trash stick to it).
Nice looking setup he is in Ameron but with the screen top and no sign of a good size water bowl I would guess it's too dry (low humidity). I would consider putting a humid box in his cage for now. Also I would cover much of the screen top to keep up the humidity some and add a larger water bowl. Although texas rats might not need as much humidity as some other ratsnake species they should have some. A humid box would especially be good until he gets in better shape.
Someone mentioned it before but I would also leave him alone for now until he is in better shape, giving him access to a warm and cool side, a good size water bowl and a humid place to hide (on the cool side).
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Randy Whittington

Doug's right, it is a drooping of the eye when the snake is asleep. Good call D-man!
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Todd Hughes

........One of those very cool subtle things I found out from very close observation decades ago. I remember being quite thrilled to see this for the first time as a kid. I also remember me thinking........"hmmm,...I wonder how many other people know about this too"..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com