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Normal behavior change?

N

nsmar4211

New member
So I thought my little okeetee (4 months old) had lost his little mind.... up until yesterday, he'd never struck at me in the 6 weeks I've had him. He'd just finished his second molt (!!!) since I've had him, so I knew he was hungry. But before, even when hungry, he never went after me. After reading posts here, I decided to feed him in a seperate container and went to get him... he started eyeballing me as soon as I took off the lid... struck at me (teeth and all) several times. Reactions took over even after I had picked him up and I (hiding head in shame) dropped him. Took me several more tried to get him, ending up pinning his head down with a rock (gently!) and then picking him up. Immediatly plopped him in his feeding container, whereby he proceeded to buzz his tail (never did that before) and strike at me (getting a thumped nose for his efforts). I dropped in two pinkies when he wasn't looking, after about 2 minutes he found them. He used to let me watch him eat, no prob, but every time I went near the tank he buzzed at me. I thought they were supposed to calm down as they got older, not get ornier!
So......when he decideds to be a brat like that, is it okay to do the "pin the head down and pick up the body" thing, or will that just make it worse? I wasn't about to let him get away with not getting picked up! Once I had him, as long as I moved slow he was normal (tried to get away as usual). I know he can't hurt me, but try telling my arm that when he strikes at it LOL. I tried the approach with a palm first thing, but he's so little ... and the approach from the side, again he's so little it's tricky......... any hints? I'm just concerned because he wasn't this testy before... even after his first shed....
 
I wouldn't do the "pinning the head with a rock" thing again, no matter how gently. Now that you've been bitten, you know that it's no big deal. My rosy boa strikes me all the time, and it actually hurts a little. I get scared of hurting him with my reflexive reaction, so I've gotten in the habit of only looking at him with my peripheral vision (or not at all) when I first grab him. You could also try gloves until you're more confident. Good luck.
 
It could just be a bad snake day :) My psycho-B female can be a real pistol some days, and others, she's o.k. It just depends on how she feels that afternoon, evening, time of the month....you get the idea. I suspect that yours will be fine the next time you handle it. Had there been some time since you last held it? Sometimes if you go a while without handling, they get a little nervous.
 
Roy-
Yeah, I more worried about dropping him and him slithering away (I'd never find him!) than I am about him hurting me. I raise a ton of animals and it isn't the first time I've been bit, there's just something about a snake striking! Hadn't considered doing the periphral vision way, that's good idea, I'll have to try it next time!

Meg-it'd been a few days since I handled him... see, the problem has been.. okay, you aren't supposed to handle two or three days after they feed, so there goes three days of handling a week. You aren't supposed to handle as soon as the eyes go milky until they shed... on him, that's about a week. I've only had him six weeks and he's shed twice.... so out of 42 days, there's only been really 9 or 10 days I can handle him! I make it a point to take off the lid (he's in a shoebox type thing) everyday and look in on him and say hello... plus his water dish gets changed every few days.. so it's not like he only sees my face when it's feeding time. Maybe he was just in a bad mood, but he's going to have to get over it.... I'm just wondering if the pissiness could be another problem. I don't want to encourage the defensiveness, and was unsure if I should even have fed him after he was so nasty. I thought maybe he was being nasty cause he was hungry though (after coming off a shed)... wish they could talk!
 
nsmar4211 said:
Roy-
Yeah, I more worried about dropping him and him slithering away (I'd never find him!) than I am about him hurting me. I raise a ton of animals and it isn't the first time I've been bit, there's just something about a snake striking! Hadn't considered doing the periphral vision way, that's good idea, I'll have to try it next time!
Click to expand...

I know what you mean; humans seem to be hard-wired to overreact to a striking snake. My cat is a hundred times more dangerous than any of my corns, and has proven it to me on occasion, but I still have to overcome my hesitation, even with a tiny feisty hatchling. :shrugs:
 
I wouldn't worry about handling him when he's in blue unless he appears to be stressed. I handle mine when they clear, no problem. Depending how they seem, I might handle while in blue. You know your animal best.
 
I often find myself handling when they are in blue. Being a new snake owner with a snow and a creamsicle (red eyes) I can't ever tell until I am already holding them. When I notice this I just keep my handling brief. They seem none the worse for wear. Is it true that they are nearly blind when deep in the blue phase?
 
nsmar4211 said:
(getting a thumped nose for his efforts).
Click to expand...
I wouldn't do that if I were you. I hope you don't think I'm trying to be mean here, but corns aren't dogs. I'm not sure they know about "right and wrong" so I don't think thumping them on the nose is going to do any good, other than making him more upset. I wouldn't pin him down either. Just be quick about picking him up and if he strikes... let him. Wear latex or rubber gloves. I've heard that it discourages them from biting because the smell/taste is nasty. I've been tagged a few times by my little guy who is about the same age. Yeah, its freaky, but you've got to be able to get over it. I handle them when they are blue, but just not as long as usual. Like 5 minutes instead of 15.
 
"(getting a thumped nose for his efforts).
I wouldn't do that if I were you"

LOL boy that was easily misinterpreted...
I meant he thumped his own nose on the side of the container, not that I thumped him! ROTFL

He's beng even more ornery-I picked him up using gardening gloves twice, and the second time he sat there and struck the gloves about 5 times before deciding he'd rather try to get away. Not sure what's gotten into him, he's getting a 10 gallon tank soon (he's in a plastic box about the same size right now). Will try the latex gloves next, I know those things taste terrible (dentist uses them) so perhaps that will work...thanks!
 
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