Most Aggressive Snakes you've worked with

[IW17]

Well its late and I figured I'd start something. Wondering what species in particular you've worked with in the past that you would consider Aggressive or defensive. Not necessarily one animal that broke the rule, but a species in particular that keeps you on your toes. I myself have never owned any Snakes that didn't calm down after due time and I was curious to see if other keeper's experiences were different.

[Mikoh4792]

I think many carpets are defensive as babies. For my carpets that I've gotten as hatchlings, all but one has tried nipping me at one point or another. But they've all calmed down.

Both my cay caulker yearlings have been hissy and bitey in the beginning, but have also calmed down.

[SSSSnakes]

Rock Pythons, Big and BAD

[kwhitlock]

Rock Pythons, Big and BAD

What's it like working with rock pythons? I remember seeing you talking about you have then for educational purposes that not every snake is a big nice puppy dog tame snake. I can't imagine working with a rock python..

[infernalis]

My black racer... he will never "calm down"..... that's why I like him so much too.

[xSerpentGoddess]

We have a 3 1/2 foot argentine boa that launches out of her bin when you pull it out.

We have a couple kofiau locality green trees that used to hit the glass when you walked by. Now we are able to pull them out by hand and they are kittens.

[SSSSnakes]

What's it like working with rock pythons? I remember seeing you talking about you have then for educational purposes that not every snake is a big nice puppy dog tame snake. I can't imagine working with a rock python..

They tend to be fast and aggressive. They attack as soon as they have the chance. When you open their enclosure, you have to be ready to defend yourself. They strike repeatedly and never seem to run out of energy. I love them.

[Will0W783]

I think most people mislabel snakes as "aggressive" when they are generally actually "defensive." They are not coming after you, and if given the choice they will retreat rather than attack. I've worked with a number of hyperdefensive snakes, including WDBs and retic rescues.

However, I did keep one snake that I would call genuinely aggressive. I no longer own this snake for just that reason. I had an albino monocled cobra. The thing was nuts- it would try to get out and during feedings he'd often feint toward the food then lunge to the opposite side of the cage to try to escape. The one time he did manage to slip out of the cage, he hit the floor and charged me rather than running away. He was a snake who wanted to chase me away...very aggressive. I ended up giving him to a friend who breeds monocleds, because I just got tired of dealing with an animal that actively tried to figure out how to kill me every day, lol.

[IW17]

My black racer... he will never "calm down"..... that's why I like him so much too.

I've always wanted to keep a racer. I grew up in Florida and used to catch them all the time. I've heard so many stories of wild caught specimens not fairing well in captivity that it always turned me away from keeping an individual. I've since been hearing of several people keeping them successfully, such as yourself, and would jump at the opportunity if I was able to aquire one that was eating.

[pdomensis]

I've had some gophers that were extremely grumpy and would strike at the glass if you walked by. That was a long time ago though, and I think if I had provided better care (eg more hides) they might have been better to deal with.

[IW17]

Rock Pythons, Big and BAD

Is your experience that most rocks are Aggressive/defensive or is this a particular animal?

[kwhitlock]

They tend to be fast and aggressive. They attack as soon as they have the chance. When you open their enclosure, you have to be ready to defend yourself. They strike repeatedly and never seem to run out of energy. I love them.

holy cow. sounds like quite the interesting snake! whats the biggest rock python you have? I cant imagine duking it out with an adult rock python bit to much snake for me.

[Tsubaki]

Hmm, i have worked with several reticulated pythons and even though most of them calm down when they get older. Especially the larger ones, they still needed to be handled with caution. Not all of them give warning to when they are going to nip at you. And some just never calm down! But i cant say they are all aggressive by nature, i think more often than not they become reasonably docile. Or at least manageable.

However, i used to have one retic who would put up such a fight.. it always left me in awe, i would say the most aggressive snake i have ever dealt with. Lunging at the glass, had to keep her tank covered up. Couldn't even take a picture 8/10 times she would lunge. She hurt herself once slamming against the glass, had to take her to a vet to get a tooth extracted and the wound cleaned.. that was, interesting..... To say the least! Exhausted the vet techs who had to help hold her. (the next time i called the vet, she asked twice to make sure i wasn't bringing the same snake again or she would call extra help:p) Think i still have a picture of her tooth sticking out of her lip somewhere.. ill look for it later.

I never owned a rock python so i do not have owners-experience, but my friend did and i helped out at times.. and they were not very friendly. Rather agressive :)

[mclund]

I think most people mislabel snakes as "aggressive" when they are generally actually "defensive." They are not coming after you, and if given the choice they will retreat rather than attack. I've worked with a number of hyperdefensive snakes, including WDBs and retic rescues.

I was waiting for someone to mention Western diamondbacks...they are all nasty. I do agree they are more defensive than aggressive. Never had one charge me. Most of the crotalids will stand there ground, but seldom come out of the cage after you.

However, I did keep one snake that I would call genuinely aggressive. I no longer own this snake for just that reason. I had an albino monocled cobra. The thing was nuts- it would try to get out and during feedings he'd often feint toward the food then lunge to the opposite side of the cage to try to escape. The one time he did manage to slip out of the cage, he hit the floor and charged me rather than running away. He was a snake who wanted to chase me away...very aggressive. I ended up giving him to a friend who breeds monocleds, because I just got tired of dealing with an animal that actively tried to figure out how to kill me every day, lol.

I have a number of Monocles and most of them are pleasant to work with, but my albino male is the worst of them all, but I still wouldn't define him as aggressive.

[infernalis]

I've always wanted to keep a racer. I grew up in Florida and used to catch them all the time. I've heard so many stories of wild caught specimens not fairing well in captivity that it always turned me away from keeping an individual. I've since been hearing of several people keeping them successfully, such as yourself, and would jump at the opportunity if I was able to aquire one that was eating.

Got mine as a neonate, little monster refused to eat anything but anole lizards for the first few months.

It was a challenge, he's a full grown rodent eater now.

[Terranaut]

I am yet to meet an aggressive snake but my gopher will hiss and shake her tail at me. I also have a carpet that still bites 100% of the time but my gopher puts on an amazing display so she wins.

[Mikoh4792]

Would that be one of your adult jungles? I would not like to come across an angry full grown carpet. Just found out the other day how ling their reach can be.

My female was at the back of her cage and grabbed the rat as soon as i slid open the glass doors...

[KORBIN5895]

As far as aggressive species I have a female woma that is psychotic. If she sees the light come one she will come out of her hide and start tracking and striking glass. Anytime I reach in her enclosure she swings. I have only ever held her once where she didn't try and bite me. Now she is purely driven by a serious feed instinct. Many people have several stories about their female womas.

[Sublimeballs]

Never owned a rock python but I've met a few(all didnt hesitate to bite before I got in reach).

I've not owned a species that all were aggressive/defensive. But every black racer I've caught has been just insane. Caught a seven footer a couple years back that was determined to get my face. Never had one not have a go at me.

As for what I've kept. I've had a WC adult male blood that was super mean; but 2 female CBs that were really calm. And my jampea has a rediculous feeding response. You've got to be focused and prepared when opening her cage(she'll lounge 3+ feet out in an instant). But if I touch her with a snake hook I can reach right in no problem. And my other retics are really calm. They don't have the same feed response of the jamps.

[CosmicOwl]

I've lived in Florida my entire life, and I don't see the appeal of keeping a black racer. I've never caught one that didn't try to bite me repeatedly. You guys must be masochists lol.

[shaunyboy]

Crazy Bert one of my adult male Jungles wass the most defensive biter ive ever kept.....

anything that moves,he hits like a machine gun

cheers shaun

[CameronVarnish]

lol. my hatchling carpet is soooo tame, never struck yet, but one of my friends corns was a DEVIL WORSHIPPER no joke i was bitten at least 50 times by that bugger lol

[IW17]

Got mine as a neonate, little monster refused to eat anything but anole lizards for the first few months.

It was a challenge, he's a full grown rodent eater now.

That's so awesome. I really hope to find a young one someday, or one that's been established and is eating and healthy.

[Mr. Bacon]

My friend had a Boelens that would always strike at the glass whenever someone walked by.

[SSSSnakes]

Is your experience that most rocks are Aggressive/defensive or is this a particular animal?

I have found the ones I have worked with are all defensive/aggressive.

holy cow. sounds like quite the interesting snake! whats the biggest rock python you have? I cant imagine duking it out with an adult rock python bit to much snake for me.

My biggest Rock is about 8-9 feet.

[Wama]

Mangrove at night.....look out.....daytime not too bad

[Terranaut]

Would that be one of your adult jungles? I would not like to come across an angry full grown carpet. Just found out the other day how ling their reach can be.

My female was at the back of her cage and grabbed the rat as soon as i slid open the glass doors...


No my adults are very placid.

[UwabamiReptiles]

My radiated rat has started to grow into her adult temperament. She was very chill as a hatchling but as she has started to grow she has gotten more and more defensive. The other day she "chased" me and lifted the first third of her body up in the classic S-position and started to gape and strike. A lot different from the carpets I'm used to. But that is more defensive than aggressive.

[LiL Zap]

The most aggressive snake I handled was a juvenile California king snake. It also gave me my most painful bite lol.

[CK SandBoas]

I've never worked with, or encountered a truly aggressive snake. One of my Sand Boas, my female Snow, was a bit defensive when i got her, but has calmed down tremendously over the past year that i've had her...

[Sharlynn93]

My AC checkered is mine...she was never an issue till she went off feed in November...I switched her to fish, and she was still fine..now she is back on mice and tries to strike everything that moves near her cage...lol...but still handles fine once I pick her up...

[KORBIN5895]

Wondering what species in particular you've worked with in the past that you would consider Aggressive or defensive. Not necessarily one animal , but a species in particular that keeps you on your toes.

Let's simplify.....

[limey]

Yellow anaconda. Beautiful and they strike faster than holy hell. Plus they can strike from the side (90 degree angle) so they don't have to be looking at you when they strike you. Out of all the pythons and boa species I've personally worked with, I've never seen one strike so fast and so unexpectedly as a Yellow. Really impressive. Have taken several bites before trying to "tame her down". They will eventually get used to you, but it's a very slow, laborious process. Expect many bites along the way.

[IW17]

That's one species I would love to work with in the future. Unfortunately with the lacey act Idk if I ever will. I need to find one for sale in Ohio.

[Kimmie]

I have had a really mean male GTP manokwari he was a bitch struck his window every time u passed and if u took him out he would go straight for your face also had a baby anaconda mean little bugger I tell u :p

[Detroitboa13]

Here is a surprising one for you guys. My male Dumeril's is a complete pain in the ***. He has always been a little tenacious but within the last two years he has really grown to be a handful. He isn't so bad inside the cage with striking or anything but as soon as I open the front door he is immediately all up in my face. He does this weird thing where he puts the middle of his body against the side of the cage rears back and strikes. Almost like he is getting leverage. He has only gotten me once but it was truly one of the worst bites I have taken.

[CameronVarnish]

I think many carpets are defensive as babies. For my carpets that I've gotten as hatchlings, all but one has tried nipping me at one point or another. But they've all calmed down.

Both my cay caulker yearlings have been hissy and bitey in the beginning, but have also calmed down.

I always heard that lol, but I got lucky with mine I guess. I got him as a hatchling but he's never even struck at me and i hold him daily (except before + after feeding).

[KoLii]

I have a texas rat intergrade who will launch himself at people. :shocked: He's done it 3 times so now I don't let other people near him while I have him out. He's not too bad with me, as long as I listen to him when he tells me he wants to be left alone he'll just do his thing, even if I'm cleaning a spot right next to him. Only time he's gone after me when I opened the door was when I had a friend in the room who wanted to watch the snakes feed.

[infernalis]

I've lived in Florida my entire life, and I don't see the appeal of keeping a black racer. I've never caught one that didn't try to bite me repeatedly. You guys must be masochists lol.

Actually, the appeal to me is that this species of snake always seems to be thinking, analyzing.. at the peak of alert and aware.

Mine sits there and watches what is going on in the room, and I like black snakes.

[SSSSnakes]

Actually, the appeal to me is that this species of snake always seems to be thinking, analyzing.. at the peak of alert and aware.

Mine sits there and watches what is going on in the room, and I like black snakes.

My two Black Racers were very aggressive when I got them, now I can reach in and pick them up slow and carefully and they will not try to bite me. I also have a fondness for black snakes. To many people miss the beauty of keeping some of the less popular snakes, like Racers and Garters.

[Robin.M]

Western Diamonback Rattlesnakes..... snappy bastards.

Rob

[IW17]

These posts are great. I ask this because I myself haven't found any species to be particularly Aggressive. Even the few wild caught ones I've kept or caught always seem to calm down once they realize there not in danger and I'm not trying to eat them. This is the thing that so many people just can't see about Snakes. If only John Q public would be more willing to look at things from a honest educated perspective.

[Trent]

White Lip python [wc sub-adult]..crazy!

[marvelfreak]

I can testify to WLP and Yellow Anaconda. But for me it would have to been the two male Malaysian Red Blood Python's i had. The one was always trying to escape. One day he jumped out of my hand and chase my buddy around the snake room before i could grab him. The other would strike at anything and they both got worse with age. One cleaning session i took 7 bite and 5 near misses. A couple were almost in the face he was just plain insane.

On a side note with Red Bloods it seem to be a male thing as female tend to be a lot mellower or will at least settle down with time. Everyone i ever talked to with Red's say the same thing about males.

[Skits]

I'd say mine would either be my texas rat or a boa I rescued a few weeks back.

My rat snake will strike constantly, when I got him, everyone in the store was terrified of him but I was able to get him out without gloves with no problem. Once he settled in at home though, he became strikey again but I like him that way. He's my challenge. :p

The boa is another. The guy that we rescued her from was keeping her in a tank without water most days, with pine rodent bedding, not much heat, and was terrified of her. She was only eating mice (at 4 feet!) so being hungry probably didn't help. I took her out and he watched me shocked. As I walked out with her, she tried to strike multiple times at my boyfriend who was carrying the tank in front of me but I was handling her well enough so she couldn't get him. Now she watches me and sometime strikes whenever I'm around her tank but she's gotten a lot better! She's going to a great home on Friday with someone who works with large snakes, as I never had the space to keep a second boa.