Our Psycho Spotted hates us :(

[Razaiel]

Well we only got him just before xmas - but he wasn't a baby, he's over a year old and (we're guessing) unused to a lot of handling.

Occasionally he's OK but mostly he's jumpy and acts like a psycho snake (jekyll & hyde personality definitely). Last time we got him out he bit on immediately and did not calm down at all when he was out out - he stayed in the s-attack position and kept lunging all over the place trying to get at me. As he's not a baby is he likely to calm down? I spoke to the shop and they said we could swap him for a baby Children's, so I'm unsure whether to go for the baby (he's about 5 months) or continue with Psycho in the hope that he will calm down. He's my daughter's really and she doesn't even want to touch him now.

I bought my boa as a (relatively) unhandled year old snake and she is so calm.

[Amy05]

I always get snakes that have personalities, or are really young, so i can handle and tame them. I personally would go back and get the young snake. I dont know how old your daughter is, but i dont think i would want my child to have to be bitten by a snake numerous times.

[TekWarren]

Children's can be just as nippy, that said mine couldn't be more "tame". Do what is best for you daughter, but also keep in mind any living animal can and will bite under the right conditions. Also if you have only had the snake a few weeks (month?) that it does take time for settling.

[Razaiel]

My daughter's 16 - she wants to train to be a vet specializing in herps I guess if she does she's going to have to get used to things biting. I think it's more he makes us jump - no way can we say it hurts - he doesn't measure much more than 1 1/2 ft I think. I was really just wondering what the chances are of taming down a spotted of this age that is already jumpy - I know baby spotteds/childrens are supposed to be nippy but (mostly) grow out of it.

[uro1001]

My daughter's 16 - she wants to train to be a vet specializing in herps I guess if she does she's going to have to get used to things biting. I think it's more he makes us jump - no way can we say it hurts - he doesn't measure much more than 1 1/2 ft I think. I was really just wondering what the chances are of taming down a spotted of this age that is already jumpy - I know baby spotteds/childrens are supposed to be nippy but (mostly) grow out of it.

this very well depends on the snake. i had nippy childrens and spotteds as babys(14 total) and only one would i trust not to bite me. they are nippy by nature and arent the kind of snake that generally grows out of it all antaresia species alike. i have "dog tame" childrens and spotteds but the ratio of them being nippy is much higher than being "tame". you may luck out with a childrens or you may find it to be exactly the same as your spotted. its more of luck of the draw

[Reediculous]

biting and nipping is a part of snake owning---------i would let him settle in more, and if he didn't stop-------well i would just have a nippy snake............just my

[Jafis]

biting and nipping is a part of snake owning---------i would let him settle in more, and if he didn't stop-------well i would just have a nippy snake............just my

I agree. Although he probably just needs some time to get used to people again are you sure there isn't something making him feel so defensive? For example a stereo too close to the tank that freaks him out. Things of that nature.

[SPJ]

the ratio of them being nippy is much higher than being "tame".

Very true. A lot don't grow out of the nippy stage and end up being downright nasty adults.
I sold one of my baby childrens about 2 years ago. This thing was a terror and I couldn't wait until he got sold. After over a year of handling, he still bites his new owner.
I have found that the docile babies end up staying that way as adults and the nippy ones tend to not be trustworthy as adults.

[Razaiel]

I agree. Although he probably just needs some time to get used to people again are you sure there isn't something making him feel so defensive? For example a stereo too close to the tank that freaks him out. Things of that nature.

No stereo - but he currently lives on top of my savannah monitor's enclosure (he was in a room on his own before) and I keep threatening I'll feed him to the monitor :eek: .

I think in the light of what some of you are saying that if they are nippy as babies they often don't grow out of it, I'll see if we can swap for a pretty morph corn. I hate giving up on a snake but at the end of the day my daughter does want one she can handle. I told the pet shop owner of the problem and he gave us 2-3 weeks to see if snake will settle in before deciding. One thing that is quite different for him is that his enclosure is almost twice the size of his original one in the shop (he was in hatchling tub) - but he did eat for us the first week and was due a pinky yesterday which we left with him overnight.

Should I get him out to handle everyday for 15 mins? I feel a total newb at this new snake business - I'm sure my BP came out the egg tame , I had no problems with my boa who I got at the same age as this spotted is now, and my hoggy was an adult. My sav I just left alone when he was a baby and let him learn to trust me - a totally different ball game for monitor "taming".

[sweety314]

I thought the same thing too, b/c Felix kept tagging me. Didn't matter what we did, or didn't do. He's a Stimson's and I was aaaaaaall prepared to always get pinched, and have to keep a grip right behind his head, but now that it's almost a year since we got him (so he's probably 15 mo. old now (?)) he's MUCH CALMER, and I let him roam around my arm when I'm cleaning his tub or changing his water. I don't keep a grip on his head any more.


RuLyn