She tried to bite me?

[Herp4life11]

So a few min. ago I walked over t my bp's 6qt tube and opend it up just like normal. I slowly stuck my hand in there to let her know I was there. (she is still very shy) As I did that she striked at me. I was really cunfused cuz she has never done this before. I ahve had since Oct. 2nd of 2010 and I handle her often. Never during shed and day before and after feeding.

I'm just wondering if this might be in the norm?

Thanx

[Slyther83]

Did you tap the cage to let her know you were there?

[Herp4life11]

Nooo??? What do you mean tap the cage exactly?

[Slyther83]

Snakes can be sleeping when you go in their cage. You let them know you are coming in by tapping it first, as they hear via vibrations and not sound. If they are very still they may be sleeping and can get startled by your sudden presence in their cage, causing a defensive reaction.

Also, some snakes can become defensive of their enclosure and require a hook to be taken out and then they are fine in your hands. I would imagine you just startled her though.

[DZ Reptiles]

So a few min. ago I walked over t my bp's 6qt tube and opend it up just like normal. I slowly stuck my hand in there to let her know I was there. (she is still very shy) As I did that she striked at me. I was really cunfused cuz she has never done this before. I ahve had since Oct. 2nd of 2010 and I handle her often. Never during shed and day before and after feeding.

I'm just wondering if this might be in the norm?

Thanx

Don't worry about it, its normal, you must have scared her. Just like slyther said, let her know your there. They can be in really deep sleep some times.

You stated that you hold her often, never during shed and a day before and after feeding... You should really wait 2 days after feeding to handle her. Handling them with a hardly digested mouse in her belly can cause a regurgitation, which is really hard on a snakes health. Just a heads up.

~ DZ

[BoaFreak]

Snakes can be sleeping when you go in their cage. You let them know you are coming in by tapping it first, as they hear via vibrations and not sound. If they are very still they may be sleeping and can get startled by your sudden presence in their cage, causing a defensive reaction.

Also, some snakes can become defensive of their enclosure and require a hook to be taken out and then they are fine in your hands. I would imagine you just startled her though.

My wife found That out the hard way with my big albino female boa. They don't like to be woken up by you grabbing them to take them out of there tank lol. That was the first and only time she had ever shown any aggression

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[Herp4life11]

thanx a lot everyone and ya'll are prob right. i prob just scared her. She must of been catching some Zzzzzz

What could I use as a hook until I get one? Anyone know? JW

[DZ Reptiles]

If I were you I wouldn't use a hook. This is a little over the top for her just striking at you. You can use a hook if you are really that worried about it.

~DZ

[Slyther83]

I agree with DZ, but if you wanted to bootleg a hook I'd steal it off of a thick, plastic coathanger and duct tape it to a thin broomhandle. Not that I ever did something like that before... I have a legit one now

[mommanessy247]

i have a lock on my snake's cage that requires a key to undo and theres 2 sliding glass front doors that i have to jostle slightly to open so there's plenty of "warning" when i'm going in there. sometimes if i think my bp is sleeping and she's inside one of her hide boxes but i need to get her or move her for whatever reason, i'll very lightly tap the hide box to let her know i'm gonna lift it off or other times i'll just lift it very slowly and usually she's aware of my presence by then.
but generally i try NOT to disturb her unless i really have to or its handling day.

oh and dont ever let yourself get comfortable enough to go "well, she's never struck at me before so she probably wont ever do it."
keeps you on your toes if your constantly on the look-out for a strike even if you think you've got the most docile animal on the planet...

from my experience when you get comfortable something is bound to happen. cuz we let our guard down and i think the animals get a sense of that.