Aggressive vs Defensive

[UwabamiReptiles]

I was just looking at another thread and it got me thinking about aggressive snakes and defensive snakes. I personally think there is a difference between the two. So I'm curious to hear what some of y'all think. If you have a specific species that you're referring to, please say so. A python is going to behave completely different than a colubrid. What makes a snake defensive and what makes a snake aggressive? Is there a fine line between the two?

[Dehlida]

I've never encountered a single aggressive snake in all my years of keeping all sorts of species. I have MANY defensive snakes (same with lizards). The only snake I heard of that was aggressive. My father encountered one growing up that full on stood up and chased him out of the blue, I assume it was a racer/coachwhip of some kind, and it was actually defending itself but who knows.

[SSSSnakes]

In my experience snakes are just like people in this aspect. If they feel threatened they will defend themselves but will settle down after they feel the danger is gone. As for aggressive snakes, they are just plain mean and don't want you around them even after you pose no threat to them. I have a Rock Python that is aggressive. He strikes at the glass and will come out of his hide to bite at you. No amount of handling him makes him any calmer. Were as my defensive boa will strike at you until you have removed him from his enclosure and handle him gently, at which point he no longer want to attack you.

[CDN_Blood]

Personally I think for the most part that snakes are more defensive than aggressive. Working with Blood pythons is a prime example a defensive snake which is very often mislabelled as aggressive, but really they're just such insecure animals that they spook really easily and that can get them into a state of panic which can cause them to lash out in fear at times.

There are very few truly aggressive snakes out there, and most of them are elapids, but where boids are concerned, I'd say that 95% of the time it's a question of defensiveness rather than aggression, but I can't discount that there are a few individuals out there in the boid family that have been conditioned to be aggressive, whether unintentionally through ignorant keepers, or on purpose by just plain stupid keepers.

Eons ago I took over the care of a young Reticulated python which I kept for many-many years without so much as a hint of aggression, however, I did make the mistake of inviting her previous keeper over to see how well she was doing and as soon as that snake saw her, she went mental - striking wildly in a very concerted effort to keep that woman at bay. The snake was fine within a few moments of the previous keeper leaving the room, but the same thing did happen when she came to visit a second time, so clearly that Retic remembered and did NOT like that woman and was indeed prepared to do everything she could to discourage her from approaching, all the while ignoring me who was standing right beside this person. Obviously, I did not invite the previous owner back for Round 3 because it was clear that just seeing her triggered something in my Retic and since she was such an absolute doll, I simply didn't want to put her through that anymore and risk her starting to hate me because I kept inviting this lunachick over :)

Those particular instances was certainly more aggression than defence, but again, it was brought about by the actions of an ignorant keeper that the snake clearly never forgot, and since Retics are really quite intelligent snakes, she recognized her on sight and went into aggression mode, which just illustrates that normally non-defensive snakes *can* be defensive and even aggressive under the right (or more accurately wrong) conditions.

[red ink]

I don't believe a single snake I have encountered has been aggressive, seen a lot of defensive snakes before though. All of the defensive ones were not the ones that "picked" the fight, they were merely reacting to my proximity to them.

[UwabamiReptiles]

In my experience snakes are just like people in this aspect. If they feel threatened they will defend themselves but will settle down after they feel the danger is gone. As for aggressive snakes, they are just plain mean and don't want you around them even after you pose no threat to them. I have a Rock Python that is aggressive. He strikes at the glass and will come out of his hide to bite at you. No amount of handling him makes him any calmer. Were as my defensive boa will strike at you until you have removed him from his enclosure and handle him gently, at which point he no longer want to attack you.



I feel completely the same way. Your description of an aggressive snake is exactly what I would consider aggressive. Just about anything else I would consider defensive.

[Terranaut]

I also believe there are few if any aggressive snakes. My sons hockey coach visits small villages in Africa as part of his job for weeks at a time. He told me about a time a snake chased a woman on a bike and bit her repeatedly. She died as it was a black mamba. Seems very aggressive . But even Todds story seems to me to be rooted in defence. The retic clearly was threatened by the previous owner for whatever reason and struck out to keep her away. So wouldn't that br defensive??

[CDN_Blood]

...But even Todds story seems to me to be rooted in defence. The retic clearly was threatened by the previous owner for whatever reason and struck out to keep her away. So wouldn't that br defensive??

Not sure...all that had to happen to get her going was to see that woman walk in the door of the room the snake was in. She didn't try to approach the snake or anything and it was certainly a very targeted ordeal because it's like I wasn't even there <shrugs> :)

[shaunyboy]

in my opinion.....

snakes are ONLY aggressive against prey

they are defensive against humans,NOT aggressive

even when we consider what we're doing in their tanks,non confrontational,non threatining...

biters percieve it as a threat,so act defensively and bite

cheers shaun

[Toronto1977]

I agree with Todd that there are very few truly aggressive snakes. Most animals are normally only aggressive when hungry, defending territory, or fighting for a mate. Having said that, the Black Mamba is known in Africa for being an extremely aggressive snake that has a nasty disposition, and a reputation for attacking without provocation.

[Caylan]

I have encountered 2 truly aggressive snakes and I own one of them... I enter my room, make a little noise... then Punk wakes up. I don't even have to go any where near her cage, and she is up and ready to fight, and will charge the corner of the cage if I get to close, again even without any attempt at opening any of the black cages... Thank god she can tell when food is in the air, then she just sits perched, waiting like a cobra... She even makes a hood out her coils, giving her an insane strike range... I used to think she was defensive... she was young and scared.. now she's quite a bit bigger and hasn't changed at all despite my efforts(well I shouldn't say at all...) I got better at handling open mouth carpets, so she's slowly getting better once she's out. Still, I consider her aggressive, not defensive.

[Toronto1977]

Whoa, that's one angry snake! lol

[StudentoReptile]

Although I'm as guilty as the next guy as using the term "aggressive" rather loosely, in all reality, snake are really just defensive, REALLY defensive, not very defensive, and/or have a REALLY strong feeding response.

Aggression, by definition, is essentially attacking/reacting without provocation. Very few reptiles exhibit this (the main exception is territorality). Think about it. Most of the time, when a snake bites you, its because it saw a huge pink, hairless primate reaching for it. Who wouldn't react defensively if a 200-ft giant tried to grab you? First you soil yourself, then you do whatever you can to prevent said behemoth from manhandling you. For a limbless animal, biting is your only option.

[shaunyboy]

I have encountered 2 truly aggressive snakes and I own one of them... I enter my room, make a little noise... then Punk wakes up. I don't even have to go any where near her cage, and she is up and ready to fight, and will charge the corner of the cage if I get to close, again even without any attempt at opening any of the black cages... Thank god she can tell when food is in the air, then she just sits perched, waiting like a cobra... She even makes a hood out her coils, giving her an insane strike range... I used to think she was defensive... she was young and scared.. now she's quite a bit bigger and hasn't changed at all despite my efforts(well I shouldn't say at all...) I got better at handling open mouth carpets, so she's slowly getting better once she's out. Still, I consider her aggressive, not defensive.

i would consider her nervous defensive mate,even a full grown carpets not that big compaired to us

just my view on it mate

cheers shaun:)