biten yet again

[ricorice]

hi all

well my red tail is growing fast as they do but nearly every time i put my hand in the tank she bites me which dont bother me that much as shes a baby then i continue to get her out and shes still snappy out of her tank think its about 3 times shes bit me out of her tank and she lunges at me when im holding her

but when do u think she will start to calm down a bit coz shes getting bigger now and the bites r starting to hurt more lol

[Linds]

She might not ever calm down, or she might eventually. Snakes are individuals. You can try to influence their behaviour with frequent handling and minimal environmental stess, but even that may not always yield a calm adult. Sometimes even adults that have been calm for years may become fiesty. It is really just best to be prepared for anything when dealing with these guys.

You may want to try to use a hook when removing her, or a shielding techinique of sorts to block her head until you have her in your hands. Make sure when you have her out you do not make any sudden movements, and try to keep any movements you do make to the rear of her... stay behind her motion so you do not threaten her or provoke a feeding response out of her, rather than in front of her. Just gently follow her movements and try to guide her, but not force her to move a certain way. Calm handling like this is the least likely to provoke any negative responses.

Good luck with your little girl... a calm adult is can be quite the impressive animal, but don't be discouraged if it doesn't happen

[ricorice]

nah it wont discourage me

would just mean my mam wont let me have another 1 till i move out lol

at 1st she was only doing it while she was in shed but thats normal and i didnt handle her during that time but she struck at me when i was changeing her water

i just joke about it saying shes a tipical woman (dont mean no offence to women)

[AZpythonDude]

Do you feed her in the enclosure? If so, feed her in a seperate feeding container.

[ricorice]

yeh i feed her in the enclosure but then i feed all my snakes in there enclosures and none of them bite me when i get them out

[MouseKilla]

Linds is absolutely right, each snake has it's own inate temperment that you can only influence to a certain point. Some high strung snakes will mellow once they are mature, with frequent handling, but some are just jerks that will bite you any chance they get and always will.

I haven't encountered many bci that are belligerent by nature but if you get one like that I think you just have to appreciate them the way they are and learn to keep out of the way of those teeth. I have some snakes like that and believe me, they're fun in their own way.

[ricorice]

heres a sujestion that might have something to do with it what u guys and girls think

could it have something to do with the tank shes in at the mo is a top opener so when i do go to pick her up im comeing from above her which is makeing her feel that im a predator and thats y shes biting me as a way to defend her self ????

never though about that till just now when it came to feeding time and hers was the only tank that opend from the top

ill feel so stupid if it is that now but no harm in asking

[C.ADAMANTEUS]

It's probably some to do with defensiveness, like you suggested, but most likely IMHO just needs time to learn. Mine was always trying to eat me when I got her, it quit after about 6 months.
I think all baby's look at anything that moves, as food, or enemy, until they learn better.
Like stated also, some (though not overly common) will always be that way. In that case, you gotta do the learning. LOL

Good luck in yer taming efforts.

Ciao,
Rick

[Linds]

Originally Posted by AZpythonDude

Do you feed her in the enclosure? If so, feed her in a seperate feeding container.

Whether fed in or out of the enclosure, it has been proven time and time again that it will have absolutely no influence on behaviour. In fact, you are much more likely to get bitten feeding out of the enclosure than in it since you will be having to move a snake around in feeding mode, and with the scents of prey in the air.

[ReptiZone]

She speeks the truth.

The ReptiZone
Marc Doiron

[ricorice]

just have to w8 and see then lol