Signs of aggression?

This is a first for us so I thought I'd ask about it. Avalon, my daughter's BP, struck at her heat lamp as I was putting her back in her tank after a feeding.. She didn't strike at my hand or anything, just in the direction of the heat of the lamp? Is this a sign she may be getting aggressive and is going to be a biter? We have just begun to hold her some. She shed last week so we didn't hold her that week at all, but held her twice this week.
What do you think?

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Also she weighs 118g and we fed her three 7 gram fuzzy mice, so I wouldn't think she would still be hungry

BP's generally aren't aggressive. I'm thinking she might have possibly mistaken it for the heat signature of prey? I've found that my BP's have always seemed famished after a shed and want food the same day.

She's still in feed mode. She probably picked up the heat from the lamp, and was thinking food. This is one of the reasons we don't move them to a seperate tub to feed. It's a good way to get bit. Try just feeding her in her own enclosure. They just really don't need to be moved to feed. Cage aggression in bps just doesn't happen.

Also, I would try to get her on one appropriate sized rat.

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Originally Posted by DrDooLittle

Also, I would try to get her on one appropriate sized rat.

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She has a little while till she gets to rats.. We still have 21 mice left and the next reptile show isn't till next month.

Feed her in her enclosure :gj:

Fuzzy mice are too small even for hatchlings. Hatchlings can eat mouse hoppers. So when you have to feed multiples, she may not always get enough. Sometimes they won't eat 2 or 3, and can then still be hungry. Don't you have anywhere else you can get rats? Personally I would count my losses on the mice, and get some rats from somewhere. But still, for original question I think the bite came from feed mode, not aggression. I find mine are famished after a shed, and eat same day.

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Originally Posted by DrDooLittle

So when you have to feed multiples, she may not always get enough. Sometimes they won't eat 2 or 3, and can then still be hungry.

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So far she has eaten three in one feeding, one after another with maybe 5 minutes time in between. I will be getting her some rats though.

You could see if your local pet store will buy the mice from you. A lot will. Some will even make a trade of mice for a rat or two if the price was about the same. (Like 4 hoppers for a small rat for instance.)

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Originally Posted by CuddleMunkie

You could see if your local pet store will buy the mice from you. A lot will. Some will even make a trade of mice for a rat or two if the price was about the same. (Like 4 hoppers for a small rat for instance.)

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I'm guessing he has a bag of frozen mice. Doubt any pet store would buy those.

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I really don't see the difference? What's it matter if she eats three 7 gram mice or one 21 gram rat? She's still getting roughly 15% of her body weight in a meal. I could see if I were feeding her a 7 gram mouse and then she wouldn't eat anymore, that would be Underfeeding her.. Either way 3 mice or 1 rat, she gets the same weight in food.

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Originally Posted by BillinIndiana

I really don't see the difference? What's it matter if she eats three 7 gram mice or one 21 gram rat? She's still getting roughly 15% of her body weight in a meal. I could see if I were feeding her a 7 gram mouse and then she wouldn't eat anymore, that would be Underfeeding her.. Either way 3 mice or 1 rat, she gets the same weight in food.

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It makes no difference.

You're right, it's the same amount of food, but in the end, you're paying more for mice. That's pretty much the only difference. As long as she's happy and healthy, feed her what you (and she) prefer. She just might turn out to not want rats. She might like the mice just fine.

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Originally Posted by BillinIndiana

I really don't see the difference? What's it matter if she eats three 7 gram mice or one 21 gram rat? She's still getting roughly 15% of her body weight in a meal. I could see if I were feeding her a 7 gram mouse and then she wouldn't eat anymore, that would be Underfeeding her.. Either way 3 mice or 1 rat, she gets the same weight in food.

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Food weight wise none, but there may be time when she won't keep eating the multiples, then she's not going to be getting as much. Just easier to feed one appropriate sized rat, imo, rather than a bunch of mice.

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Originally Posted by DrDooLittle

Food weight wise none, but there may be time when she won't keep eating the multiples, then she's not going to be getting as much. Just easier to feed one appropriate sized rat, imo, rather than a bunch of mice.

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Most of my bps are mousers. They usually will only eat 1-2 per feeding. If you do the 10-15% body weight, they SHOULD be eating much more.

I have them on a 5 day schedule so they'll gain weight, but it would be nice if they took rats >_>

Ok I have a question. I got a new bp monday he came via fedex the other day he hissed at my husband was that because he was still scared and not comfortable? Its sat if I try to get him out and mess with him would it be ok or should I wait a lil while still? He is very active at night and he does stay hid alot during the day I heard a hiding bp is a happy bp?

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Originally Posted by shelby9189

Ok I have a question. I got a new bp monday he came via fedex the other day he hissed at my husband was that because he was still scared and not comfortable? Its sat if I try to get him out and mess with him would it be ok or should I wait a lil while still? He is very active at night and he does stay hid alot during the day I heard a hiding bp is a happy bp?

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Leave your new addition alone for at least a week before you try handling them. This way they can become aware of his surroundings. :) he's probably nervous and scared.

And yes, a hiding Bp is a happy Bp. He's probably more active right now because he just got put into a new home

Ok yea his activness seems like just checking stuff out I figured id give him till next week. He doesnt come off aggressive I just figured id ask thank you

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Originally Posted by Bobbafett

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Most of my bps are mousers. They usually will only eat 1-2 per feeding. If you do the 10-15% body weight, they SHOULD be eating much more.

I have them on a 5 day schedule so they'll gain weight, but it would be nice if they took rats >_>

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She weighs 118g ...15% of that is 17.7 Three 7g mice = 21g My math says I'm feeding her more than 15%

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Or are you saying we should be giving her more than 15% of her weight ?

I think what she was saying was that hers won't eat enough mice in a sitting to equal the 15%. Like I was saying that they won't always eat enough when you have to feed multiples, because sometimes they will only eat 1 or 2, when they would need to eat say 3 or 4 so equal the 15%.

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OK, but that is what most people do though right, the 15% Rule ?

Every snake I have will hiss, huff, and puff when you first disturb them in their cage. Only my tree python ever bites. The rest have never done anything more. I Don't think a hiss should be considered aggression but more of the only way they can communicate. I Think of them as saying here I am. A hiss is like a dog barking in my book.

I also think we don't give our snakes enough credit as far as how smart they are. My ball was in her hide one time and I reached down to see which one she was in to feed her. My fingers went across the door and just under the edge to Tip it up to see inside. She did nothing. But as soon as I brought the mouse close to the hide to lure her out lighting struck and the mouse disappeared into the hide. I was really impressed. I'm not trying to say that they should never strike us but I do think they are smarter than we realize. I'm sure the others are right and yours was still in feed mode and thought she detected another feeder but she didn't bite or strike you so I think she realizes your not food. This is just my crazy idea nothing more. Maybe my ball is just super smart. LOL!

Some do that, some do the eyeball method. Serve a rat as big as the biggest part around of your bp. I couldn't tell you when I last weighed a rat.

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