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Please advise: Snake started burrowing and just struck at me

J

JakeMiller13

New member
My snake has recently started burrowing all the time. To pick him up Ive been using a stick to uncover him and scoop him up. I just tried to do it with my hands though and he struck at me...luckily he missed. I left him alone and came on here but read that I really should not leave him alone after he strikes or he will learn that striking will cause me to leave every time. I went back and picked him up with the stick just fine. How should I avoid this in the future? Just keep using the stick? Thanks
 
My Attitude strikes and connects on a regular basis. I just ignore it because Attitude is small. How big is your snake? The little ones' bites hardly hurt at all so I figure I can ignore it so Attitude doesn't learn that biting gets me to leave.
 
Sounds normal to me. Some snakes are just nippy. But he could also just be settling in to new surroundings. How long have you had the snake? Burrowing is a very normal behavior.
 
If the snake is buried under the sub and you suddenly poke him with a stick or uncover him he probably was startled. I have found that if I put both hands down in the vive near the snake and hold them there without touching the snake he will come out and start checking things out. If he does not I keep one hand in front of him and touch his tail with the other. This prods him to come out of his hide and he is easier to approach. If the snake is small you can lower your cupped hand over him and he will stay calm as well. My snake is very nice though so experience may vary.
 
Dont have a scale so I cant say exactly how big he is, but he was born last June I was told and I have had him since the beginning of December. The burrowing is a very recent behavior
 
Both my snakes love to burrow. We've had to put the 3 year old's waterbowl onto the bare floor and build the substrate up around it or he'd always end up tipping it everywhere.
It could be that your snake needs a different temperature this time of year so he's burying instead of basking. Make sure the tank has a warm side and a cool side and he'll choose what's most comfortable for him
As to picking him up, I find the tail tickle a sure way to get him to pop out and see what's happening too. I've got the added complication of a home made hammock of hessian and bamboo poles. When he wraps himself up on there it'd be impossible to get him out without a little touch on his tail to get him moving!
As long as the snake knows you're there and isn't surprised awake by being hard out of the substrate you may well be able to stop using the stick.
Practice makes perfect!
 
It's Spring. . this is the time snakes are most active and seeking
mates. Most species are more aggressive during the mid to late spring.
I have an adult female normal that is wild caught, so I'm not sure about
her age, but every year about this time, she starts destroying her cage
and all the decorations. I usually have to refill her water dish a couple of
times a week, because she either burrows around under the substrait until
she comes over to it and turns it over, or she pushes the aspen shavings
into the bowl and soaks up the water. She is also a lot more aggressive,
and when I try to pick her up during this time, she isn't as "eager" to
have my hand in the cage around her and if it takes me a few minutes to
get a grip on her, she goes into that "s" shape and takes "The Position".
She has struck at me a couple of times, but it's always been a closed
mouth strike. . . . . . I find it's better to just in quickly, grab her near the
middle of her body and lift her. She still seem more "aggitated" but once
she's lifted, she calms down very quickly.
This works for me. . . .not sure about the reaction you'll get with yours,
but just a suggestion. Also, her appetite chages during this time. Last year
she skipped a feeding once or twice. This year, she is now on her third
straight week of not eating. Eventually (I HOPE) she'll get hungry and eat
again. She has settled down the past couple of days, and she's a lot less
active than she's been the past few weeks. . .hoping she's settled enough
to eat again. Tomorrow is feeding day for her and my two smaller snakes.
 
My corn that is about the age of yours burrows all the time. That is nothing to be worried about. Also just continue to pick it up even when it strikes at you. Like you said earlier it does get worse if you leave it alone when it acts up, I know from experience. So just keep it up, mine came around and I'm sure yours will too.
 
Thanks for the advice. I also read somewhere not to be timid when picking him up, but to just do it smoothly. I think I may have been a little too aggressive when he struck at me before. I've been picking him up no problem with that stick since then though. I'll just keep practicing like was suggested.
 
I definitely agree with the advice given by Spurticus. My Okeetee is a burrower and a bit nippy. If I hesitate at all to pick him up I'm sure to get tagged at least once. I find it best if I remove decorations/plant (this usually stirs him from where ever he is burrowed) then I swiftly scoop him up with both hands, or with one hand as near to the middle as possible. Once he gets in my hands though he is much more calm! Good luck!
 
my baby corn, her name is jasmine. she keeps striking at me. and i have no idea why. she does this when she has just been fed as well and i go to pick her up to put her in her cage from the feeding one. chester is our other baby corn and he is so calm. im finding that girls are alot more feisty then males why is this. and why is jasmine striking.
 
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