Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Head twitching is usually caused by IBD from what I've read, heard, etc... Could there be any other cause of it? I just noticed that my new burm, Samson, twitched his head a couple times today for no reason, like a convulsion. He's going to the vet tomorrow morning along with Sonya, who I've had living in the same quarters, which really makes me mad at myself because I didn't keep Samson quarantined before I put them together. She's prolly going to shed within two days, and seems ok, but she's going in as well. Is there anything else the tremors could be associated with? I'm so mad at myself!!

Stuff like that can be caused by a whole range of things. Not all of them are contagious. So good luck, I hope it's something simple.
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

Thanks, I hope that it IS simple...

Lee

Stuff like that can be caused by a whole range of things. Not all of them are contagious. So good luck, I hope it's something simple.
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

Hi –

I don’t know if this is something you’ve posted about more extensively before – any illness in your collection, etc. But just responding to the Burmese head twitching thing: I used to see it ALL the time when I had large animals that were easy to observe. The behavior was as follows: it begins when the python lowers its head to the cage floor; as soon as its chin touches the substrate, the python turns its head up to around 45 degrees in one direction, then turns it the same amount in the opposite direction, all the time keeping its chin in contact with the substrate; it may repeat the movement a couple of times more; the whole series usually lasts only a second or two. I kind of equate it with getting comfortable, nothing more. It is entirely normal!

This is separate from the full-body twitching that gravid and brooding female Burmese pythons do to elevate their temperatures. And it DEFINITELY has nothing to do with any “tremors” or “convulsions” which might be induced by some disease process!

Just from reading your one post, I wasn’t sure how much experience you have with pythons, but I thought I’d throw this out. Actually, I always found the Burmese head twitches to be very endearing! I hope that’s all it is with your snake.

-Joan

Joan is right here. All burmese do this little, brief head twitch when they are settling down to relax and sleep. It's perfectly normal. Now,.. on the other hand, if your python does this at all times as it moves about and has an obvious lack of coordination and direction, THEN you have something to worry about and I doubt any vet could help that. (are there any cures for neurological aflictions yet? I don't think so). But if he/she is just doing a little head twitch as he/she lays down to rest, it's what they all do. Don't worry.

>>Hi –
>>
>>I don’t know if this is something you’ve posted about more extensively before – any illness in your collection, etc. But just responding to the Burmese head twitching thing: I used to see it ALL the time when I had large animals that were easy to observe. The behavior was as follows: it begins when the python lowers its head to the cage floor; as soon as its chin touches the substrate, the python turns its head up to around 45 degrees in one direction, then turns it the same amount in the opposite direction, all the time keeping its chin in contact with the substrate; it may repeat the movement a couple of times more; the whole series usually lasts only a second or two. I kind of equate it with getting comfortable, nothing more. It is entirely normal!
>>
>>This is separate from the full-body twitching that gravid and brooding female Burmese pythons do to elevate their temperatures. And it DEFINITELY has nothing to do with any “tremors” or “convulsions” which might be induced by some disease process!
>>
>>Just from reading your one post, I wasn’t sure how much experience you have with pythons, but I thought I’d throw this out. Actually, I always found the Burmese head twitches to be very endearing! I hope that’s all it is with your snake.
>>
>>-Joan
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"If I had 365 enemies it would only take a year out of my life to settle all scores." Mia Miselfani

You don't want to know why I know so much about this but...
If the snake has the early stages of bacterial encephalitis or menengitis, or certain types of poisoning, there may be treatments. Otherwise, there aren't. At least that what my vet's Big Book O' Snake Ailments says.
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

Guess I'm still on the sharp end of the learning curve... I promise I'm learning as fast as I can!!! My senior mechanical engr classes must be taking up what little gray matter I was born with.

Thanks for putting up with my posts,

Lee

I know what you mean... I think my brain was pretty much at capacity when I was 17... I can't even remember what my major is...
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

Brian,
Have you noticed this behavior in your pimbura or with molurus? I have noticed this in every burmese I have ever owned but have never seen it occur with any of my pimbura. Curious if you have noticed the same. Would be interesting if it only occurs in bivittatus.

Kelly

No I haven't noticed it in either of these. But then, they are usually much more active and alert and watching me instead of how the burmese are much more casual and more prone to relax at any given moment. Perhaps it happens when I am not present though.

>>Brian,
>>Have you noticed this behavior in your pimbura or with molurus? I have noticed this in every burmese I have ever owned but have never seen it occur with any of my pimbura. Curious if you have noticed the same. Would be interesting if it only occurs in bivittatus.
>>
>>Kelly
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"If I had 365 enemies it would only take a year out of my life to settle all scores." Mia Miselfani

Be sure to check for mites.