She tried to bite me

[Bcycling]

So today I had to spot clean the t8 with my 700 gram female, she shed and peed a bit. Well I took her out and was holding her and she snapped at me twice. I was like what do you think your doing! She didn't connect. I'm thinking she was warning me because she could have easily tagged me. Just worried me because she is my classroom snake and never did this before. My students were like your going to get bit. What do u think? Was she trying to bite or just warning me she was grumpy today?

[Zincubus]

Kinda unusual for a Royal to be honest especially as you suggest it was out of character . My first thought was that she was in or going into shed mode BUT you said she had just shed so that's out ...

Unless she just looked clear as though she had shed but hadn't if you know what I mean .... had her eyes simply cleared and she had got her normal colour back or did you actually SEE the shedded skin lying around ?



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[tttaylorrr]

imo if they wanted to bite they would.

my Yellow has struck at me once a while ago, and it was a defensive strike; didn't leave a mark. it was very out of character for him, but it was late, i had just gotten home and was checking the enclosure. that behavior hasn't happened since, but i do pay better attention.

just an anecdote, but maybe they get grumpy somtimes. i would just monitor its behavior and do your best. 😀

[predatorkeeper87]

mine strike occasionally. My spider male out of being a big baby and scared, and my lemonblast female almost 100% out of hunger thinking my approaching fingers are a delicious rat lol. They never connect, but they make it known that they are still snakes with little dagger teeth haha. It generally only takes a light touch on their backs and they retreat or get upset and hiss hoping I'll leave haha.

[Albert Clark]

In my opinion, any snake is more apt to strike when suddenly uncovered from their hide, hunger, in shed, uncomfortable due to improper husbandry, and illness and or injury. Remember, these are captive animals with wild instincts and should always be handled, lifted , and carried with slow measured movements to avoid startling the animal. Mostly all of the animals that prey on snakes come from above so its easy to see how reaching in on the snake may trigger a reflexive strike.