Has anyone else's snake

[Mike521]

struck at them through the glass and bashed his face into it? Mine has done this twice over the 7 years I've had him. It makes me a lot less trusting of him. Usually he does it when I've just fed him (within the past 24 hours) and he's all pissed and looking for more food.. he's never actually bit me though

[tightsqueeze]

i think my female Central American Boa dose it because she is prego she never did it b4!

i would worry too much unless it starts doing it all the time then you might want to work with it on temperment......
i hope your little guy dosn't hurt himself buy hitting the glass...

good luck

[Emily-Fisher]

Once I was feeding my corn and my friend Erin stupidly started wiggling her finger at the other side of the glass when he was still hungry so he struck at the glass and banged his nose. You could tell that something bad must of happened to his nose because he started twisting and wiggling (in pain?). Erin broke into laughter and I swear, I could of punched the daylights out of her. I couldn't hold my snake for four days after that or else he would strike. Finally I managed to calm him down but I am still really mad at Erin.

[fateamber]

My Bp striked at me once when i was watching him in one of his hides. Luckily he was to far away to hit the plastic. But he was shedding so that probably explains it. I'll never sit there watching him 'sleep' again though!:D

[Emily-Fisher]

What difference does it make if he's shedding or not? Does their level of stress rise when they are shedding or something?

[fateamber]

No, if they are shedding they can't see properly, so they don't know if they are striking at food or at a person.

[Emily-Fisher]

Oh. Heh...I'm surprised that my snake doesnt always strike at my finger! I just adore eating skin therefor most of my fingers have only a very small amount of skin covering them and I must say, they look exactly like pinkies! Especially since the scabs are a darkish pink which might look a bit like closed eyes to my corn :P I will just cross my tasty fingers and hope that he doesn't decided that he wants to change his diet! What happens if a snake's eyecaps arent shed when he sheds the rest of his skin? Will the snake not be able to see properly for until the next shed?

[fateamber]

If the snakes eyecaps aren't shed you can try to help it shed them before its next shed.

[Emily-Fisher]

How do you do that? Would tweezers damage his eyes? Or do you use oil or a liquid or something? I am getting really curiouse just incase my little Hamlet doesn't do a complete shed sometime during his life.

[Jayson]

Put your snake in a pillow case that is moistened with warm water and let the snake rub its own eyecaps off. (This is from Christina btw....I cannot figure out how to change the nic back and forth from me and hubby yet)

[Emily-Fisher]

Thanks :) I will keep hat in mind :) So far Hamlet has been able to shed his own off though so I'm happy :)

[Lisa]

Once in a while on feeding night one of our snakes will do this...

[reverendsterlin]

My oldest female WDB will strike anytime she thinks your close enough usually leaving a nice spot of venom for me to clean, one time she struck the screen top of the holding enclosure while I was cleaning her cage and squirted venom 4 ft.

[RachelS.]

My ball python does it ALL the time. It's because of the movement outside the enclosure... he might think there's food. It makes me kind of nervous to take him out to show people, so I'm usually a bit reluctant. I think it's because he was from a petstore (W.C. most likely), and because he won't eat frozen/thawed...I've tried EVERYTHING imaginable, trust me! I held him all I could when he was younger. It helped a little, but he's still a kind of nippy. When I take him out he calms down, except for when my dog walks by and starts wanting to play then he starts striking at her. One time (this really startled me) he bit me on my nose!! It didn't hurt, lol... he thinks he's so tough :p. But it was just a little surprising. I still love him like my rest, though :)

[Linds]

It happens from time to time with some of the animals in my collection, however my female hog routinely strikes at outside movement through her cage. If I get up at night and walk past her cage you just hear a big "thwack!", or anytime within 48 or so hours after a meal :flick:.

Originally posted by fateamber
No, if they are shedding they can't see properly, so they don't know if they are striking at food or at a person.

Hehehe... half the time when their vision is at its prime they still can't tell if they are striking at a person or food... if that was the case then there would never be feeding response bites ;) Main reasons they sometimes get edgy while they are in shed is not only are they feeling uncomfortable, but also the fact that they are nearly blind makes them more defensive than they would be ordinarily. Many snakes will refuse to feed while opaque, however they are more prone to strike. :medvampir

[boa]

my old ltc always did that every day wow he was a a--hole but mint looking.

[eyespy]

If my big iguana is walking past my Mex black's cage he will strike. As if he could eat a 4 ft. ig!!!