feisty retic advice

[CollinGallows]

hello so I have a 4 foot male tiger reticulated python. I've had him since almost a hatchling. most of the time he is pretty mellow he doesn't move around much unless you hold him which then he is pretty active and sweet. but there are some days you just does not want to be messed with, you walk into the room and he strikes at the tank, if you try and remove the lid or anything within the tank he strikes at you. Bites at snake tongs, but only so often. On days he isn't being like this, he comes right out of the tank, isn't head shy, adventurous, lets other people hold him. It's mostly after feedings wihich its my understanding this is pretty normal as of the hunting response however sometimes it uunprovoked, completely random. I'm just wondering if this pretty normal for tiger male retics? Or does mine just have a bit more "personality"haha. Will this get better with age? Worse? The same? Thanks!

[Lankyrob]

My Sd retic was like that, i just left him alone on the days he obviously wanted to be left alone. Tap training helps if you really need to get them out tho, each time you are going to handle him tap him on the head with a snake hook or something similar, NEVER do this when you are feeding tho. The snake will soon associate the head tap to mean no food.

You must also learn your snake tho, sometimes even a head tap wont turn off that mood :)

Good luck

[guyabano]

Hook/tap training should definitely help with that. Personally I go for a tap on the nose then pet a bit to be absolutely sure that she doesn't think my hand is food.

[waf]

I have a super tiger who is around 5 feet and did the same, but not longer. 2 or 3 days after feeding, he was relax... after that, everytime you get near his enclosure, he was very active, and sometimes striked, he was looking for food. With the time, he learned: now, when he sees or feels the snake-hook, just calm down, if he doesn´t feel it, its time to eat!

[Ivanator]

That's pretty normal for a male retic. I agree with everyone about the tap training. I personally first rub the snake hook along their body before taking them out or messing around in their cage, but if he still is curious, then I do a tap on the head. Just make sure to always have someone around when he gets bigger as a safety precaution.