Dwarf retic still not calming down

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

Thanks guys. Yeah, this snake is NO fun at all. Its perplexing. Ive tamed down so many other snakes in the past, but this guy just hates me. I wear the glove, show no fear, all that. Doesn't make a lick of difference. I was in contact with ReptileExperts a while back when I first got him. Contacting Jay is a good idea. Honestly I think I need to sell him and move on.

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Make sure if that is the route you go, sell him back to vital exotics! Hope it works out for you and good luck. :)

I thought about that, but with the Lacey act how would I do that?

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

I thought about that, but with the Lacey act how would I do that?

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You can ship if you were a USARK member prior to 4/8 according to the preliminary injunction. Otherwise you sell in-state, or you find a USARK member in your state to ship for you.

You can also see if the breeder has a male that's chill and maybe do a trade. Did you discuss the baby's temperment at all before he was shipped?

Hey my male sd was the same exact way last week I moved him into a 41 at rack and he has chilled out a lot. I was actually able to pull him out with my hands today(1st time ever). Many try and putting him in a smaller encloser

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Also, if they are amenable to taking him back in a trade or sale, ask if they can fax you the shipping label for the box so all you have to do is affix it to the shipping box.

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Originally Posted by frostysBP

Hey my male sd was the same exact way last week I moved him into a 41 at rack and he has chilled out a lot. I was actually able to pull him out with my hands today(1st time ever). Many try and putting him in a smaller encloser

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Now that's what's up! Maybe Josh has a plan B.

It's rough having a snake that won't calm down. But examining why it's being defensive is the first step to getting it back on the right track, and I think it's been covered in this a little bit but is still worth repeating.

1) Snakes are defensive when the giant wants to play. This is because they are still small and scared and see you as a threat. Handling frequently does reduce this, but not always altogether. Some snakes have bad personalities, some have great. Would NOT blame Vital on this - its hard to tell if a young snake will calm down since most seem nippy from the get-go.

2) Larger cages = more stress. Snakes like tight fitting nooks and crannies, and larger cages offer a lot greater area for the snake to be weary of. Reducing the cage size can help the little one feel more secure - more security = less fear = less biting. The flip side is smaller territory to guard = less stress = less fear = more security = less biting. You have the sides of the cages covered so I'm guessing its a glass tank? Let's look at that in the next point.

3) Snakes inherently fear the sky. Their main predators come from above them, reaching downward (birds swooping in for example). Glass tanks exaggerate this in the sense that they are usually higher sided, and force you to enter from a "higher" altitude. Reaching in from above a snake can lead to anxiety and cage aggression. A tub is a lot lower and you are able to come in at a more reasonable angle with your hand and reduce the fear at least slightly. Remember - FEAR is what leads your snake to act defensively which we perceive as aggression. Vision caging / Animal plastics / most PVC caging open from the front. This has ample advantages for your snake and you. If possible, change the tank style first. Even if you just go to walmart and buy a Rubbermaid and put it on a regulated heating source (UTH).

Feel free to shoot me a message if I can help. I'm not always monitoring the Giant forums at the moment (busy with too many things!) but I get message alerts directly to my phone since a good bit of folks tend to just message me.

Cheers!

Thanks for all the responses. I agree its not Vital exotics fault at all. We did however discuss the snakes temperament before purchase, and Kris said that the snake was "nippy" just like all other retic hatchlings. While I expected this, I have never seen a snake this crazy. I am going to try to move him into a 41 qt tub like previously mentioned, maybe he can calm down with feeling more secure. I contacted Kris about this issue, and asked if we would be able to work something out. He dodged the question, and then stopped responding. I absolutely do not blame Vital Exotics for this issue one bit. I bought a snake without seeing it. But it would be nice if he could discuss some options with me about trading in or selling back the snake. It's miserable to have such an expensive animal that is awful to deal with.

Most breeders and shop owners will not replace a snake because it's doing what a snake does. I am sure he doesn't want to go through the process of taking the hin back and quarantining this snake just because he is a bit temperamental.
When you get into this hobby you just have to accept that you will own some snakes that are very defensive and don't tolerate handling, they are wild animals and unpredictable. It just comes with the territory.

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Originally Posted by PassionFruitReptiles

Most breeders and shop owners will not replace a snake because it's doing what a snake does. I am sure he doesn't want to go through the process of taking the hin back and quarantining this snake just because he is a bit temperamental.
When you get into this hobby you just have to accept that you will own some snakes that are very defensive and don't tolerate handling, they are wild animals and unpredictable. It just comes with the territory.

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I hear ya, and I wasn't, and am still not expecting to be able to. I didn't even think it was an option until others brought it up. I just have a feeling that this snake is much worse than normal. I would be willing to take a bit of a loss on the snake if bought back my Kris. Ive put a ton of time and effort into this guy, with very little results. I want to sell the animal, but want it to be taken care of in an appropriate environment. I would think that the breeder would be the best option.