What would cause a very tame corn snake to bite?

[anthony1991]

My corn snake has never bitten me before nor has he ever shown any signs of aggression. I just went to handle my corn snake and he bit me. There are no environmental changes going on with his tank, the temps are right where they should be, he isn't hungry because he just was fed three days ago, and he is not shedding.

Generally when I hold him, I put my hand in his cage and let him climb onto me. Today I didn't feel like waiting for him so I went to scoop him up and that's when he bit me. It didn't hurt but it shocked me. Is that small change in handling enough to startle a snake?

 

[danielle]

Snakes are animals and their behavior is never predictable. He wasn't in shed, hungry, and you didn't smell like food so the obvious factors weren't present, but he was sleeping, warm, and comfy, and you screwed that up when you woke him up

They have their moments just like we do-don't take it personally

 

[wade]

Danielle is right. One bite doesn’t mean this is the beginning of a trend. One thing I might say is that snakes are often defensive in their cage and then fine once you take them out. I have some large snakes that I would never reach in a pick up. I always pick them up with a hook and take them out of the cage and then handle them. That may have been the situation for you. ??? Maybe.

 

[Caryl]

Maybe he was sleeping and you startled him awake. Being seized in his sleep might trigger a reflex bite. After all, his instincts tell him that being grabbed during dream time means likely being eaten.

Even calm snakes will occasionally bite if they smell food or a predator on an approaching hand. Had you been handling mice, or other prey animals? Hout about handling human food? Raw meat and lunch meat smells can trigger a feeding response in some snakes. If you'd been touching a cat, dog, king snake, or bird, your snake may have reacted to a perceived threat. Corns trust their sense of smell the way we humans trust our sense of vision.

Don't let it worry you too much. One bite does not an aggressive snake make.

 

[bitsy]

Garlic does it for mine. Whether I've been cooking with it or eating something like garlic bread, I have a couple that will try to nip me if I go near them fo a few hours afterwards. Had you been eating or cooking with anything particularly spicy?

Some brands of perfume or cologne are reputed to contain a pheramone that gets them antsy. Anything new in that line in the house?

 

[necromantica]

Then again depending on the type of snake, movement is the main trigger for striking for food. Especially if you had just fed your snake recently. Not technically the smell, but just the fact you were lowering something "your hand" into the cage/ tank.

Sometimes my snake thinks when I am putting my hand in his tank I am lowering a mouse, even if I haven't touched one at all. Its prime instict to presume sudden movement is potential prey. He / she probably bit you thinking "OH boy I am getting fed AGAIN!" Then realized, this is not food... and then backed off.

Then again this could be pre-shed behavior, sometimes it comes before a shed, before the signs are evident, lookout for a shed within the next week. If it comes that's probably all it was.