Strike After Feeding

DeviledDiablo · 12-05-05, 06:39 AM

Hello everyone.. well ive just recently been having this problem of my snake snapping at me after feeding. He never use to do this, up until 2-3 weeks ago.. hes not usually the biting type. but he struck at me for the first time (sucessfully biting me) after his meal. i was picking him back up after he finished gettin the rat down to his "belly" (as usual) and this past thursday i told my friend to put my snake back after he eats for me (because i was goin to go to sleep) and he said that he struck at him twice.. i was just wonder what could cause him to strike like that all of a sudden... is it cause hes still hungry? my snake is a 2 yr old boa about 5 feet in length and i feed him about once ever 7-10 days. the rat that i give him is about the size of his body. any ideas/solutions? thanks for ur time

Meltos · 12-05-05, 07:37 AM

Feeding frenzy. My snake has just taken it on, Hes 5 and half months old, I think its just random, But it seems to get more agresive after every feed, i have a video of him trying to strike at me threw a plastic container (watch it carefully, as he is very fast)

Maybe its a sign of he's still hungry, but im not sure. Wait for the experts to quote on that, but it defernetly sounds like a feeding frenzy to me.

Heres the video;

http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0...H0LK7G7V7QHFHP

peterm15 · 12-05-05, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meltos

Feeding frenzy. My snake has just taken it on, Hes 5 and half months old, I think its just random, But it seems to get more agresive after every feed, i have a video of him trying to strike at me threw a plastic container (watch it carefully, as he is very fast)

Maybe its a sign of he's still hungry, but im not sure. Wait for the experts to quote on that, but it defernetly sounds like a feeding frenzy to me.

Heres the video;

http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0...H0LK7G7V7QHFHP

well personally if i were gettin teased like that id be tryin to bite ya to.. i consider that pickin on him.. you were eggin him on to bite ya.

after they eat.. just leave them alone... thats all they want... after feeding all my snakes are in feeding mode.. there ready to strike, defend, maybe even eat more,... just give them like an hour to settle in and theyll be fine to grab and quickly put back in the cage..

what kind of snakes do you have.. its kind of on either side wether you should feed inside the cage of not.. i feed my 3 inside there cage.. they can tell the difference between feeding time and handling time..

DeviledDiablo · 12-05-05, 10:42 AM

ya i have a redtail boa.. i feed him outside the cage.. juss dont want no mistakes.. i feed him in a blue rubber container ( he could get out of it himself now ) its abot 2 feet in hieght.. no top.. cause i leave a light on for him

rrrrr · 12-05-05, 01:24 PM

He doesn't need a light on to eat. I'd put the lid on, put something heavy on top, and not look at him for an hour. He's striking because he's still in "feeding mode". If you insist on moving him immediately after feeding, when instinct is still telling him to feed, and the smell of prey is in the air, then get a hook. A light tap on the head with a hook will often get rid of feeding response behavior, but even if it doesn't, you can use the hook to move him safely.

gonesnakee · 12-05-05, 02:38 PM

Disadvantage of feeding out side the cage. Folks do it to avoid getting bit by having the snake not associate going into the cage with feeding. Downfall of it is the snake is in feeding mode when you go to put it back. As suggested wait longer after the feeding & get a hook for moving it back. I would go to bigger meals also. 1-3 prey items approx 1 - 2 times the girth of the snake in the case of a 5 ft Boa. If the prey items are only its girth like 2-3 if they are like 1.5 to double its girth only 1 prey item maybe 2 depending on size & feeding frequency. In your case I'd double the amount of prey or increase the size of it. Mark

Bluzmn59 · 12-05-05, 03:20 PM

One of the reasons I do not take them out of the cage to feed. I also have a redtail boa (and other snakes) and I feed them all inside their cages. I have never had any problems with her - she seems to know the difference between feeding time and the rest. I am in the cages all the time - changing water daily, cleaning when necessary, taking them out for handling 4-5 times per week, etc. It doesn't appear that she (or any of my others) ever seem to expect food just because the door is opening. When feeding time rolls around, they are all ready to go and I attribute that to the smell of rats in the air. I feed with long-handled forceps and then leave her alone for 24-48 hours, other than changing her water. Just my humble opinion, but I have never seen the wisdom of feeding outside the cage. In addition to the problem you are describing, there is also the issue of handling a large, hungry boid with the smell of thawing rats in the air. Others disagree.............

gonesnakee · 12-05-05, 03:40 PM

I too feed in the cages, but I do have a couple 3 Pythons that associate me with food also. I have to make really sure prior cleaning/interaction they know its me & that I am not food. Either way there are advantages & disadvantages. In larger collections its not feesible to remove them all for feedings. Mark
p.s. had an 8 ft Coastal try & "eat me" the other week, something to consider when feeding in cages that extra caution must be taken & respect that a large snake can leave a serious tag if you are not careful.

DeviledDiablo · 12-05-05, 06:41 PM

hey.. thanx for all the advice guys.. gotta love this forum :P haha but im juss wonder about putting a lid overtop.. wouldnt it be pitch black in there for him to eat? and with no heat? the light more or less is for heatin purpose.. i only have 1 pet snake and i keep it in a 6 foot cage ive built.. the only thing is.. my house isnt the warmest.. parents keep the heat down

so ive been rarely takin him out in this cold weather.. i mean.. i want to have him out and about.. but juss affraid for his health :P but anyways back to the feedin part. juss wanna no what would happen if its cold and dark for him to eat wit.. thanx again

rrrrr · 12-06-05, 01:45 PM

If it was a burm, I might worry about having him in a cooler environment for an hour or so, but boas seem pretty tolerant of temperature variation, so unless you're talking really cold, I dont think the lack of a heat source is going to be a problem for him. Keep in mind BCCs are found at elevations up to 3000 feet or so above sea level. Nights are pretty cool at these elevations in the jungles. Boas work more by smell than by sight. They are naturally nocturnal, and have heat pits for sensing warm-blooded animals in the dark. If the animal is warm, and he bites/constricts it, there is 0% chance he's going to lose it in the dark, so dont worry about that.

jjpython · 12-06-05, 02:51 PM

feed in the cage and you wont have a problem, or if you must feed out of the enclosure when hes done eating give him about 20-30min then use a snake hook and use it on the top 1/3 of the snakes body grab his bottom 1/3 and put him in the cage