Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is it alright for my baby ball not to be actively flicking its tongue while I hold it?

Yes, but they should start flicking their tongue when they start moving around.

Thanks! Yeah, he's just starting to get accustom to being held....still pretty shy.

Well after taking a second look he is not flicking at all...I caught him yawning an it looks as if he has some small shavings of substrate in his gums...I have already changed back to newspaper. Should I attempt to remove the substrate? Its just a type of moss. Will there be any negative effects from the lack of flicking?

Lack of flicking would be a symptom not a disease. Nothing bad can happen from not flicking, it just means your snake might not be alert and active. If the snake eats well, sheds well, moves well, and all in all looks good and just does not flick its tongue...It would be little concern to me. Switch back to newspaper though, a substrate in the mouth can cause illness.

Do you think I should just let the substrate in his mouth pass, or should I attempt to remove it. I do not want to cause anymore stress for him.

It depends on how easy it would be to remove. That would be your call...if it is hard to see then I would try and let it pass as I would think it would be hard to remove as well.

Yeah, I think I will just let it pass. Thank you very much for your assistance.