Work snake aggression!

We have 2 BPs in the pet store currently and both are about 120g. My job is to care for them and feed them and I'm generally the person they go to for help. Both are feeding very well on either 2 fuzzies or 1 hopper every Saturday. My issue right now is that the biggest, at 128g, is extremely aggressive towards me. At first, I thought it was just around feeding day but now it's all the time. Whenever I enter the cage, she gets super aggressive and strikes at me. This puts off potential customers and it's frustrating. I cant even get in there to show the other potential babies! I take her out often and hold her but she still often snaps at me. She even snaps at me when I'm wiping the outside glass of their tank! Is there any way to stop this behavior? I don't want her to be stuck because she has an attitude. 😕

P.S. She is our most aggressive snake and we have 4 RTBs and 2 corns! The corn musks, but I have to say the BP is the worst with biting!

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Aggressive / Defensive behavior is often due to stress which is related to husbandry issue. Keep in mind that young individual will be defensive.

Now one huge issue I see is that this animal is underfed and I assume so is the other, an hatchling out of the egg is generally started on hopper and quickly move up to adult mouse, at this weight both should be eating adult mice weekly.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Aggressive / Defensive behavior is often due to stress which is related to husbandry issue. Keep in mind that young individual will be defensive.

Now one huge issue I see is that this animal is underfed and I assume so is the other, an hatchling out of the egg is generally started on hopper and quickly move up to adult mouse, at this weight both should be eating adult mice weekly.

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I have asked time and time again and my manager for small animals told me not to bump up their food. She said to follow the 15% rule and to continue feeding 1 hopper every week. I keep telling her I think they are ready for adults because they eat so quickly but she just keeps telling me to do what I've been doing. -sigh- I can't NOT listen to her but I will try doing the math and explain AGAIN. Our biggest boa is at 136g and eats 2 fuzzies too >. <

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Originally Posted by SCWood

I have asked time and time again and my manager for small animals told me not to bump up their food. She said to follow the 15% rule and to continue feeding 1 hopper every week. I keep telling her I think they are ready for adults because they eat so quickly but she just keeps telling me to do what I've been doing. -sigh- I can't NOT listen to her but I will try doing the math and explain AGAIN. Our biggest boa is at 136g and eats 2 fuzzies too >. <

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At that size a prey equal the girth size should be offered, does not have to be about math or weighing preys ;)

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Originally Posted by SCWood

I have asked time and time again and my manager for small animals told me not to bump up their food. She said to follow the 15% rule and to continue feeding 1 hopper every week.

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Mouse hoppers are 7-12 grams. The snake needs the next size up prey, or at least offer it large-ish rat fuzzies.
http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...psbb9fe97c.jpg

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Originally Posted by Deborah

At that size a prey equal the girth size should be offered, does not have to be about math or weighing preys ;)

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I love my manager she and I get along great but we butt heads when it comes to this matter and I don't want to push her buttons so I will suggest it again and see where it goes

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Mouse hoppers are 7-12 grams. The snake needs the next size up prey, or at least offer it large-ish rat fuzzies.
http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...psbb9fe97c.jpg

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X.x I feel so bad for them

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Mouse hoppers are 7-12 grams. The snake needs the next size up prey, or at least offer it large-ish rat fuzzies.
http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...psbb9fe97c.jpg

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Also, it is unfortunate that we only have a small selection of prey items. We have pinkies to adult mice and then it jumps to small rats. :/

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Originally Posted by Deborah

At that size a prey equal the girth size should be offered, does not have to be about math or weighing preys ;)

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I just don't want her to feel like I'm undermining her authority.

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Originally Posted by SCWood

I just don't want her to feel like I'm undermining her authority.

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Well first off, show respect where respect is given. If guys get along then she should at least attempt to hear what your concerns are. My suggestion would be to print off the chart the others have shown you and bring it to her. Explain it is not about math or the weight but the size compared to the animals in question. Be respectful and honest, and best of all persistent :) You will be fine.

Good luck!

Greg

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Originally Posted by EasiGregory

Well first off, show respect where respect is given. If guys get along then she should at least attempt to hear what your concerns are. My suggestion would be to print off the chart the others have shown you and bring it to her. Explain it is not about math or the weight but the size compared to the animals in question. Be respectful and honest, and best of all persistent :) You will be fine.

Good luck!

Greg

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Thanks! I will talk to her when I see her!

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Update: Great news! She returned today and I brought her the chart all nice and printed out. I told her I would like to use it and keep it in the feeding log and she said if doing it by weight was easier for me, that she had no issue with me increasing prey size. She said feeding is my job and if I feel they are under fed to do what I knew was best and just to exercise caution. 😅 I'm so relieved! Next feeding day will most likely be Friday since I am off Saturday so I will update again and possibly take some pics!

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give your manager the "you can't handle the truth!" speech

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Originally Posted by SCWood

Also, it is unfortunate that we only have a small selection of prey items. We have pinkies to adult mice and then it jumps to small rats. :/

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Well, we understand the frustration. What's right is right. According to the chart the animals are being underfed and that leads to other neglectful patterns. Not blaming you but, this can be construed as a animal cruelty issue if this continues. The bp should at least get two fuzzies to be at the proper feeding amounts. Actually a adult mouse is a bit over but something the bp could potentially handle. :(

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Originally Posted by SCWood

Update: Great news! She returned today and I brought her the chart all nice and printed out. I told her I would like to use it and keep it in the feeding log and she said if doing it by weight was easier for me, that she had no issue with me increasing prey size. She said feeding is my job and if I feel they are under fed to do what I knew was best and just to exercise caution. �� I'm so relieved! Next feeding day will most likely be Friday since I am off Saturday so I will update again and possibly take some pics!

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Ok. What a relief! Good job! Thanks.:gj:

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Originally Posted by SCWood

Update: Great news! She returned today and I brought her the chart all nice and printed out. I told her I would like to use it and keep it in the feeding log and she said if doing it by weight was easier for me, that she had no issue with me increasing prey size. She said feeding is my job and if I feel they are under fed to do what I knew was best and just to exercise caution. 😅 I'm so relieved! Next feeding day will most likely be Friday since I am off Saturday so I will update again and possibly take some pics!

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Seee ;) Im glad it worked out nicely. Keep up the fantastic work!

Greg

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Originally Posted by se7en

give your manager the "you can't handle the truth!" speech

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Lol no need she was more than welcome welcome to the idea this time around

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Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Well, we understand the frustration. What's right is right. According to the chart the animals are being underfed and that leads to other neglectful patterns. Not blaming you but, this can be construed as a animal cruelty issue if this continues. The bp should at least get two fuzzies to be at the proper feeding amounts. Actually a adult mouse is a bit over but something the bp could potentially handle. :(

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Trust me I've been helping change things around there. No more laziness

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Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Ok. What a relief! Good job! Thanks.:gj:

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Thanks ^^ I feel much better

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Originally Posted by EasiGregory

Seee ;) Im glad it worked out nicely. Keep up the fantastic work!

Greg

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I will! More updates to come!

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Update: I did my calculations! I used 15%. How's it look?

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...c4e33b7a20.jpg

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Originally Posted by SCWood

Update: I did my calculations! I used 15%. How's it look? All of us are drafting a promotion request for you!:gj:

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...c4e33b7a20.jpg

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LOL thanks!

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Happy to hear things are going better

Update: Feeding day will be Sunday! (Crazy that a Petco is open on Easter, right?) Unfortunately, the count on our hoppers is messed up so we haven't gotten a shipment. Anyone who needs hoppers will receive 2 fuzzies until further notice but we have plenty of adult mice :) Hopefully I have time to take pics of each baby taking their new prey items! I'm hoping for less aggression and more happy babies.

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Update: Everybody ate today starting at 12:30. One BP is STILL trying to figure out the right way to eat it's mouse. I left this out before, but we had a Pin that was missing and they found him last night under the goldfish tank. He shed this morning and slammed 2 fuzzies. He was 100g 2 weeks ago and today was 108g just before feeding. Will post some pics and weights soon!

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Okay here they are! All taking first mouse...
Our biggest RTB weighing in at 133g and a little over excited...
https://vimeo.com/124165899

Next is our biggest BP and our biggest snake in the store. Weighs in at 139g and believed to be female...
https://vimeo.com/124165986

And here is our other BP weighing in at 127g. Took this one an hour and a half to figure out that it could not eat the mouse by folding it in half...
https://vimeo.com/124166056

And lastly, here is our Pin! Weighed 100g when he escaped now 108g after 2 weeks and freshly shed as of this morning. STILL being picky as always so no video of his strike. I did manage to tempt him to eat 2 fuzzies but we are going to try a mouse next week!
https://vimeo.com/124166129

Enjoy the videos :) very proud of myself.

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Wow! thanks for the vids. You really deserve a round of applause. Everyone knows, you not only work at Petco, more importantly you care. :salute:

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Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Wow! thanks for the vids. You really deserve a round of applause. Everyone knows, you not only work at Petco, more importantly you care. :salute:

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Thanks! :)

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Update: So, everybody is behaving. All of the BPs and the bigger RTB are eating mice easily. The younger boas get hoppers now (though 2 refused today so I have to try tomorrow) and the bigger corn moved up to a hopper as well ^^ Everybody eats really well and packing on weight!
Dark BP 163g and our heaviest!
Double spotted BP 138g
Pinstripe 111g
Big Boa 153g
Younger Boas 90g, 63g, and 74g
And the corns are 19g and 52g!

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Did your agressive one calm down? And great work btw most wouldn't care but you took the initiative, wish I could get a job working with reptiles

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Originally Posted by M.P.C

Did your agressive one calm down? And great work btw most wouldn't care but you took the initiative, wish I could get a job working with reptiles

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She is definitely less jumpy but still gets snippy a day or two before feeding. Also, her feeding response is PRICELESS! She will fly right out of her box with her mouth wide open.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by SCWood

I have asked time and time again and my manager for small animals told me not to bump up their food. She said to follow the 15% rule and to continue feeding 1 hopper every week. I keep telling her I think they are ready for adults because they eat so quickly but she just keeps telling me to do what I've been doing. -sigh- I can't NOT listen to her but I will try doing the math and explain AGAIN. Our biggest boa is at 136g and eats 2 fuzzies too >. <



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based on this and other posts from you, Your managers don't care about or for the animals at your store. That's extremely unfortunate and very sad.

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Originally Posted by Boomerang

based on this and other posts from you, Your managers don't care about or for the animals at your store. That's extremely unfortunate and very sad.

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I do though and I will kick butt until it's taken care of

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Theres no doubt about how much you care, thats apparent to us, your here asking all the right questions trying to do rite by them.... if it keeps up with them being neglectful and half assing any issue you being to there attention i would contact someone about animal abuse.... its there reaponsibility to maintain all the animals health that are housed in the store, neglecting to provide proper care is abuse any way you slice it

Absolutely. Which is why normally I will take it upon myself to insist they setup a habitat in quarantine and that a report be filed so the vet can see them immediately. I have learned how to pick out the rookie stuff that I can fix from the serious illness pretty quickly. I think sometimes they just forget which is why I'm persistent.

Those animals are lucky to have you, keep up the great work

Certainly ^^