Agression In Snakes

[CoolioTiffany]

To think about it, there are no species of snakes (well, exclude venomous species, I'm talking about the colubrids, pythons, and boas) that are aggressive. When people say, "Yeah, these species of snakes can be quite aggressive.", it makes me think that really not all can be that way. For instance, take the JCP for example. Babies can be nippy, but some can be quite calm and tame. So, really, they aren't considered to be aggressive but some can be nippy, but not full on aggressive.

A snake can take some time to actually become 'aggressive'. Without handling, a snake would become nippy, and if you let that continue, the nippy snake would form into an aggressive snake because it had no human contact. Yeah, snakes can be nippy, just not coming out of an egg or of it's mother aggressive. A Ball python can be aggressive without human contact, just like any other snake that has not been in human contact. Blood pythons have been known to become very aggressive, but are also known to be total sweethearts when handled often. To me, handling avoids the snake becoming aggressive. So, even though a snake would be born or hatched nippy, it would only become aggressive if it has not come in human contact.

[h00blah]

aggression or defensiveness?

im curious to kno how snakes get AGGRESSIVE. but i totally understand why they would be DEFensive.

[wuffielover]

My personal opinion on aggressive vs. defensive and bitey snakes:

I consider an aggressive bite to be a feeding-related bite- the snake thinks you are food, it's hungry, it strikes and maybe even constricts you. This kind of bite is avoidable, just feed regularly, make sure your hands don't smell like snake food, etc. The snake can't really be 'trained' out of this type of biting- how much you handle the snake doesn't affect it, because the snake isn't striking to make you go away, or because its scared and doesn't want to be handled, but because it wants to eat and has mistaken you for food.

The other type of bite is a defensive bite, where the snake is either scared or territorial or, for whatever reason, just doesn't want to be handled. Some snakes can be 'trained' to reduce or even eliminate this type of biting with plenty of calm, gentle handling. However, with some species of snakes, such as notoriously nippy Green Tree Pythons or Amazon Tree Boas, it may be impossible to eliminate defensive biting, no matter how much you handle them, and excessive handling may not even be a good thing for these types of snakes because it stresses them.

Again, all of this is just IMHO and based on my personal experience.

[spade]

i disagree when you say that you can NOT train a snake to not mistake you for food...when raising a snake from a baby it is best to feed in a different bowl or cage then the one you keep him in...that way everytime you reach in their cage they dont think of you as food

[h00blah]

i disagree when you say that you can NOT train a snake to not mistake you for food...when raising a snake from a baby it is best to feed in a different bowl or cage then the one you keep him in...that way everytime you reach in their cage they dont think of you as food

ah. tis a common myth . like the old "feeding live increases aggression" but my normal who has been eating live since ive had her is scary when she eats... i feel bad for the poor f/t who is just getting strangled to um... well not really death lol...

my sisters albino however, which has been eating LIVE its whole life will stare at the mouse, and take its time, smelling it, hovering over the body, until finally it strikes.

neither of them are aggressive. even my babys. they have been eating live since they were born, and neither of the strike at me.. AND THEY'RE STILL YOUNG!!

EDIT: but ya, they all eat INSIDE the enclosure. they are not aggressive. they have not defensively struck at me. puppy dog pythons.

just trying to kill some of the myths that are floating around.

[Denial]

i disagree when you say that you can NOT train a snake to not mistake you for food...when raising a snake from a baby it is best to feed in a different bowl or cage then the one you keep him in...that way everytime you reach in their cage they dont think of you as food

I disagree especially when dealing with larger snakes this practice can become very dangerous

[Skiploder]

i disagree when you say that you can NOT train a snake to not mistake you for food...when raising a snake from a baby it is best to feed in a different bowl or cage then the one you keep him in...that way everytime you reach in their cage they dont think of you as food

I'd love to know the basis for this insightful observation of yours.

[Skiploder]

To think about it, there are no species of snakes (well, exclude venomous species, I'm talking about the colubrids, pythons, and boas) that are aggressive.

Consider that most colubrids are technically venomous - does that change your theory?

There are defined categories of animal aggression:

(1) Instrumental Aggression - aggression that has been reinforced via learning. For example you go in to grab your snake and he bites you. You withdraw your hand. He learns that this behavior can be rewarded by you leaving him alone.

(2) Territorial aggression - when an animal attacks something that enters it's territory.

(3) Maternal aggression - a female animal, while protecting her young, acts aggresively.

(4) Predatory aggression - when an animal actively tracks and attacks prey.

(5) Irritation-Induced Aggression - Self-explanatory - no?

(6) Inter-Male Agggression - Occurs when another competing male is present.

(7) Fear-Induced Aggression - When flight isn't successful, fight is utilized. Some animals will skimp on the flight part, however.

Out of these seven examples, ask youself how many apply to snakes. Once you pare down the list, then ask which ones can be eliminated by handling and which ones can never be changed or altered.

After you've done that, re-evaluate your opening statement.

[twistedtails]

I agree with the above statement. I have a couple snakes that are definately aggressive! Come to my house and put your hand in her tub and tell me she is not aggressive. I also have one of the easiest going female balls, but, when it came time to take eggs this year she would of railed anything if she was given the chance. I noticed my girl became more aggressive as soon as she started developing follicles. If you ever breed your snakes I feel you will reevaluate your statements.

[WingedWolfPsion]

Aggression--the snake comes toward you, seeking you out, to bite you.

Defense--the snake bites you if you come close enough to it, in order to drive you away.

I do not believe there are very many aggressive snakes in the world, and aggressive behavior is seen only in a few species--such as king cobras that defend their nesting areas.

I've never heard of an aggressive ball python that wasn't simply making a mistake (assuming that the warm thing is food instead of a person). All other bites are defensive, not truly aggressive. Ball pythons are not aggressive toward people. Fight/flight responses don't involve charging the target of their fear, the way they can in mammals. Balls don't deliberately seek out people to bite--it just doesn't happen.