Snek Bad Mood Advice?

Well its not so much her biting me im afraid of, its her getting hurt in the process, she doesnt seem to care what she hits while shes trying to bite me. i've had rats for years, and they all bit the crap outta me, so im used to it.

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Originally Posted by m3gz

I did pick up a bunch of mice, should i try to feed her? if so tonight, or during the day? >~< im sorry, this is only my 3rd day with her

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Ok, this is not the "rule" but in this case I would try to feed the snake if you are sure your temps are right. It is not going to get any more stressed than it is. If it refuses you can take hungry out of the scenario. Just do not try real hard. If it doesn't show interest in the prey, leave the animal alone for a week. If it strikes and drops it, cover the cage and leave it alone for ten minutes. If the prey is not gone take it out and leave the animal alone.

Alright, thank you!!!!!

I think both of the above pieces of advice are correct, but for different time periods. Right now, Hecate has gone through a LOT of disruptive changes in a very short period of time, so she is probably stressed and defensive. You still have some necessary upgrades to make to her enclosure, so you will likely have to just brave it for that, but then try to give her AT LEAST a week to herself with no handling or fussing so she has some time to settle. At that point you can come back and start trying to handle her. Keep sessions short until she mellows out a bit so as not to raise her stress back up. If she's still snappy at that point, you will do best to brave to biting (seriously, it doesn't hurt, Bean has tagged me at least a dozen times by now and it's hardly even noticeable) and pick her up anyway. She'll learn eventually that biting does not make the big scary hand go away, but also the the hand is maybe not so scary.

As to whether or not she's striking out of hunger or fear, I'd say the latter is more likely given the timing (recent-ish-ly fed already and under stress) but you can learn the difference. A hungry snake zeros in on potential prey and deliberately moves forward toward it, often with LOT of tongue flicking. A fearful snake locks onto you and recoils back or otherwise tries to retreat. It may also puff up and hiss.

she doesnt really hiss she just jumps at me...i havent been trying to handle her other than to weigh her because we didnt know what to feed her. managed to get the temp and humidity thingies in there, but she did not like it. Come to think of it, this started after i wouldnt let her into my plants while trying to weigh her.

and i really am not afraid of getting bit, its no worse than a rat.

I notice you said you have lots of rats, silly question but could she be picking up on the scent of them and perhaps associating that smell with constant food?

My female normal is a bit psychotic and literally rushes at me every time I go in her viv xxx


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I'd definitely be inclined to give her the week of rest before feeding, they do need to settle in.
I'd put in the thermometer as quickly as possible (maybe pop her in a separate secure tub while you do it so she doesn't have to put up with the bustle and intrusion of the actual installation?) and leave well alone from then if it were me.

My newbie didn't seem interested in eating until I fed him late, so maybe that will work for you when the time comes. I just got him to eat his first rat pup (after an initial refusal) when I woke up in the middle of the night at 2.30am and just thought I'd give it another try. Hopefully he won't make me do that every time though. :rolleyes: I like sleep.

Another box hide at the other end of the tank might also help, so she can choose her temperature without being in the open or going near the dreaded log haha. :P They really appreciate security as hatchlings- I just switched out my hides for smaller ones because the snake I got was smaller than I expected (first BP and I ordered online, I didn't quite get the correlation between weight and length right) and I've seen an immediate difference in his behaviour- much calmer snake!

I'd say MUCH less worse than a rat! Rat bites hurt, ball python bites are laughable. Of the many, many animals that I have been bit pecked and scratched by, I will take a beep any day.

Jumping, startling or flinching when touched is definitely a "I don't like this, stop touching me" signal.

Knowing the weight helps but if you can't get it you can go by the old rule of thumb of something no larger than the largest part of her. That will keep you at a safe portion size.

I've HAD lots of rats, unfortunately i kept finding bad breeders. a few got kidney failure as a genetic defect, and then there were tumors, and it was just bad, i will never own rats again because of the issue of horrible people massbreeding for profit. and two were poisoned by some old hag my mother rented to, ironically the two that we searched hi and lo for a good breeder were the ones she poisoned. Hecate sniffed the rodent, and i can hear her moving around...maybe she really was hungry. I think you guys are right, and she just wants alone time, i got the thermometers set, and she DID want her new hideout, so thats at least set, the temps are right, and i covered her tank... she was an absolute sweetheart when i set up her tank before i tried to weigh her o-0;; I think thats what bothers me, its like what did i do wrong ;~;