Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey there. I have been trying to find out this information around a few sites now. I have a 3 - 3 1/2 year old Texas rat snake. He is in good health and his conditions are perfect for him. Just recently, as of late December, I brought home a female Kingsnake. She is only 4 months old. I just brought her into the same room as him 4 weeks ago and just this past week or so he has started to convulse and twitch when he moves. It happened 4 times already in the past week and a half and it never lasts long. Maybe a few minutes. He flicks his tongue normally and he is eating like usual. I am not so sure that its a seizure, he is still able to move, its just not controlled so well. He doesn't flip onto his back or kink up. The vet assistant told me, when I called in, that if it stops that it doesn't seem like too big of a problem. But then again, they told me RI was no worries and I didn't need to bring him in. Fixed that myself though. If you guys have any idea's, it'd be cool. I am new here and totally lost. I am not sure how this site works...so I hope I did everything right.

It sounds like your male rat snake is responding to the presence of a female. THe twitching is part of the mating ritual with most colubrids though rat snakes and kingsnakes don't typically react that way towards eachother. More like the kingsnake would consider the rat snake a possible meal, if the size of the kingsnake is much bigger. If you have other females in the same room as your rat snake, it could verywell be responding to them being in season.

A 4 month old kingsnake seems too young to give off the pharmones normally given off by sexually mature females.

Remove your male from the area of any other female colubrids and see if the twitching continues or goes away completely. If it continues or gets worse, I would find another herp vet to bring him to. The one you consult with now doesn't seem to know much about snakes. Move your male into a completely different room if possible, or as far away as you can. Pharmonies do travel through the air.
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PHLdyPayne

Hmmm, I went onto chat last night on this site and the people there suggested the same thing. I will move the little female since she is currently in a little ten gal. I am also looking for another vet. Our vets here are limmited. The one I called was supposed to be the best exotic pets vet. Meh...Maybe I'll luck out in another location. I didn't think my little king would be nearly old enough to give off proper pharamones, but maybe its the fact that he sees her and is stressed by her. I just really hope its nothing else. I love that mean brute of a ratsnake heh! Anyways thanks alot! I really appreciate it!

I am sure you can find a better herp vet. Below are a couple sites that have good herp/reptile vets to contact, if you find one in your area.

I have a leucistic Texas rat snake myself, without the bug eyes which I am glad. He was given to me by a friend who couldn't keep him anymore (military guy, new posts/training would have him traveling all over and he couldn't keep the snake because of it, gave it to me).

Here are the vet links for you to check out:

www.arav.org/

www.herpvetconnection.com/
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PHLdyPayne