very strange behavior... need help

DeesBalls · 07-15-11, 12:04 PM

Okay, so i wont lie 1st off, its been over a month since i have held or fed any of my snakes... with my wedding, honeymoon, moving, unpacking and all of that i just haven't had time, well everything is finally over, and im getting back into swing of things...

Monday, went to take my BRB out for some handling, and she was like acting weird... pushing me back away with her tail... its hard to explain, but usually she just crawls away and i pick her up, not a problem.. well this time she was acting like she didnt want me to touch her so i took the hint and put her away... i thought well its been a month and a week since she ate, so im prolly getting a feeding responce... so....
Wednesday, i fed all snakes, my BRB ate a small f/t rat... took it right away!!! left her alone for wed. and most of today ( i got up at 7am) just about 20 min. agao 1:35 ohio time, i tried to get her out again... well she did the same weird acting tail thrusting and she crawled away.. i went to pick her up and this is were it gets freaky....

i grabbed her lower 1/3 like i always do, and she wrapped around my hand, TIGHT!! i thought huh okay??? i just sat there for about 10 min. then she came at my hand like it was a f/t rat ... she was nudging my hand like she does her rats... so i knew she was going to bite, and i grabbed her (gentellay) behind the head and i got her in mid strike. she did bite my other hand, but i had a glove on...

what the hell?!?!? i am assuming that this is all just a feeding response. she is the girth of a bratwurst, or a smoked sausage.. is this a feeding response? or something else?

temp and humidity is EXACTLY THE SAME nothing in her tub has changed..

please help me out here...

marvelfreak · 07-15-11, 12:20 PM

Bet anything she in shed. My yellow Andie does this when in shed. When was her last poop?

DeesBalls · 07-15-11, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvelfreak

Bet anything she in shed. My yellow Andie does this when in shed. When was her last poop?

last poop was few weeks ago, same with shed... when i fist got home from honeymoon, i checked all my snakes, and she was in blue, few days later she shed.. i would say about 3 weeks to 4 weeks ago... Does your yellow like... attempt to eat your hand, i know she cant/couldnt, its just like my hand was a rat to her..

Quote:

As marvel said its probably shedding time...but could it possibly be that she is still in feeding response mode because she hasn't eaten in so long? Still a bit hungry?

It is possible i suppose she is in shed, she is growing very nicely... but she just shed 3 or so weeks ago, and im thinkin she is just still hungery, but not sure, thats why im asking on here... i will keep all you updated, cuz i will feed her again tonight, (if i get to store) and try and get her out sunday...

thanks for replies..

marvelfreak · 07-15-11, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiL_Boa

Does your yellow like... attempt to eat your hand, i know she cant/couldnt, its just like my hand was a rat to her..

Yes my buddy Shawn's Mexican Black King Snake does the same thing. He'll bump your hand first then bite. Just like my Yellow. I guess it their way saying i am going to bite you now for messing with me.

DeesBalls · 07-15-11, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvelfreak

Yes my buddy Shawn's Mexican Black King Snake does the same thing. He'll bump your hand first then bite. Just like my Yellow. I guess it their way saying i am going to bite you now for messing with me.

lol well she got the point accross, she is still young/small, but those teeth are UGLY!!!! lol what do you think i should do? feed her another small rat (the one didnt leave a bump at all) and leave her alone for a lil bit?

marvelfreak · 07-15-11, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiL_Boa

lol well she got the point accross, she is still young/small, but those teeth are UGLY!!!! lol what do you think i should do? feed her another small rat (the one didnt leave a bump at all) and leave her alone for a lil bit?

If it didn't leave a bump I would feed her another, maybe a little bigger. Then give her about 5 days and try handling then.

NennaMeerkat · 07-15-11, 12:23 PM

As marvel said its probably shedding time...but could it possibly be that she is still in feeding response mode because she hasn't eaten in so long? Still a bit hungry?

DeesBalls · 07-15-11, 08:54 PM

I will bum her up, I can't get a mouse today thought, I just got off work... I hate working in a restaurant.... any way, I was always worried to over feed bc I read they are prone to obesity... so I wanted to be careful.... I will feed her 2 med. Rats and see what happens.

Snakesitter · 07-16-11, 02:40 PM

LiL Boa, one of out "temporary" residents just did this to me. (She had been sold, but the buyer re-negged.) Like yours, she had not been held much in a month (except for biweekly quick handling while cleaning and changing water), and had not been fed in a month either (due to shipping arrangements which were then rendered moot). I fed her the other day, and she she seems move relaxed now..but really, I suspect it's more of a handling rather than feeding issue. Good luck, and never put her down right after a bite!

DeesBalls · 07-16-11, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakesitter

LiL Boa, one of out "temporary" residents just did this to me. (She had been sold, but the buyer re-negged.) Like yours, she had not been held much in a month (except for biweekly quick handling while cleaning and changing water), and had not been fed in a month either (due to shipping arrangements which were then rendered moot). I fed her the other day, and she she seems move relaxed now..but really, I suspect it's more of a handling rather than feeding issue. Good luck, and never put her down right after a bite!

thanks snakesitter!! i didnt put her down, after i seen she was going to bite, i did grab her by the by the neck, and help her and see if should would calm down a bit. she didnt lol. so i had to unwrap her from my hand..

i will feed her as soon as i can!! and continue to handle her!!

DeesBalls · 07-24-11, 06:19 PM

UPDATE!

so, i fed her... last tuesday night i believe (19th) and let her sit and leave her alone, today i opened the tub and rubbed her back (i always do this when i get her out) and she didnt act strange at all, no more pushing me away with her tail or any weird things like that... for about 4 min. i rubbed her back and she crawled away (like always) and she even crawled out of the tub and i grabber her and put her back...

no agressive behavior at all!

i hope this was just a feeding response i was experiancing b4. i didnt mess with her too much, just about 5-6 min.

stephanbakir · 07-24-11, 06:22 PM

Avoid grabbing snakes by the neck.
Why was she in a tub?

DeesBalls · 07-24-11, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephanbakir

Avoid grabbing snakes by the neck.
Why was she in a tub?

when i say "Grab by the neck" i didn't forcefully grab it by the neck, i gentally grabbed it by the neck just to pick it up... i said this in my 1st post...

any way, she lives in a 41 qt tub...

Snakesitter · 07-25-11, 06:18 PM

Glad to hear she's calmed back down, LiL Boa! Regular contact works wonders with these guys....

DeesBalls · 07-25-11, 08:18 PM

Yea, i I am very haooy she's getting back to normal... I usually get her out a lot, I'd say 4 to 5 times a week, but like I said with the honey moon and wedding, and moving to a new house, I just couldn't... and my snake sitter was scared of her... lol...