Mood Swing

Well I just went to go check on my girl (rebel) and as soon as I got close to her tank her head poped out quicker then ****. I stayed by the cage and she is coming closer and closer to the tank in strike mode. So I back up not wanting her to strike at the glass. She started going the other way I walked back up to the tank and she came right back at me. Don't know what her problem is. She just got done eating yesterday so she might not wanna be messed with right now.

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Originally Posted by Python420

She just got done eating yesterday so she might not wanna be messed with right now.

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that would be my guess!

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Originally Posted by Python420

Well I just went to go check on my girl (rebel) and as soon as I got close to her tank her head poped out quicker then ****. I stayed by the cage and she is coming closer and closer to the tank in strike mode. So I back up not wanting her to strike at the glass. She started going the other way I walked back up to the tank and she came right back at me. Don't know what her problem is. She just got done eating yesterday so she might not wanna be messed with right now.

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pms?

nah its normal. my male, early when i joined here and i didnt know they get testy at shed time, went a bit loopy on me, getting into strike mode etc. food + a possible shed may be it.

She just got done with her shed Monday. It was not that big of a meal I didn't even notice a lump after she ate the adult mouse.

How old is she??? Maybe she's getting to that sexually mature phase and is just um... pissy :)

She is 6 - 9 months old. Don't know for sure...

Definitely not that then!... Maybe she just thought you were food...

Maybe older not for sure though. She eats adult mice and ready to go to rat pups. I got her from a pet store so there was my 1st misteak. My next is coming from a breeder... :)

If you don't feed them enough they stay wound up. Sounds like you are underfeeding. Esp if she skipped a meal after a shed.

I just went through the same thing. My carpet finished shedding (so he missed feeding day). I fed him a large rat and he owned it so bad the cage looked like a murder scene. After that he stayed up for about two hours looking around for another one. He was really wound.

If you're feeding so small you don't even see a bulge then your snake might be seriously hungry. Feed her enough so that she goes to bed for a day or two.

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Originally Posted by Python420

Maybe older not for sure though. She eats adult mice and ready to go to rat pups. I got her from a pet store so there was my 1st misteak. My next is coming from a breeder... :)

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I would just start feeding multiple mice.

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Originally Posted by Python420

Well I just went to go check on my girl (rebel) and as soon as I got close to her tank her head poped out quicker then ****. I stayed by the cage and she is coming closer and closer to the tank in strike mode. So I back up not wanting her to strike at the glass. She started going the other way I walked back up to the tank and she came right back at me. Don't know what her problem is. She just got done eating yesterday so she might not wanna be messed with right now.

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There may be nothing wrong at all. Why does it surprise anyone or cause concern when a snake simply acts....like a snake. Look the facts are these are not tame pets and whether they are captive born and bred, they are never going to be. They may on occasion for no reason a human can figure out, strike, bite, jab at you, hiss, track you...whatever.

It's always important for any animal, especially these snakes with their strict husbandry needs, to double check your care of them if you see big differences in their habits but in the end, remember this is a snake...not a puppy or a kitten...and it's going to act like a snake. :)

Untamed doesn't mean random-acting, though. Even a "tame" dog or cat you've known for years can turn on you under the right circumstances. That applies to people for that matter. IMO, the big deciding factor is that we (as people) can assess other people very well, dogs and cats a fair bit, and snakes only a little.

So my point is that, whatever your snake does, there is likely a reason for it. It may *seem* like the random act of an untame animal but I would tend to think that is only because there was some factor that was unknown.

I'm not really disagreeing with you wholesale, frankykeno, I just think that there's probably a good reason for why this snake acted (or is acting) this way. It may not be that there is something *wrong* with the snake but there may be some measures Python420 can take to encourage less aggressive behavior.

But I don't remember Python420 saying that this has happened more than once. It can't technically be classified as an aggressive snake that needs measures to curb aggressive behavior if it has been a one time incident. Like you said, Bearhart, people and even our well known animals can turn on you and everything happens for a reason. I agree that everything happens for a reason, but maybe the snake's reason was that she just ate and now is having a grumpy day, if all of the husbandry is correct. People who are normally very pleasant and cheerful, can have a bad day and chew out someone else for no reason other than they were having a bad day and just taking out on someone else. So maybe this isn;t agression, like you say, and just the taking out on something else due to having a bad day (for whatever snakey reason). We probably won't ever know, but until it happens on a regular basis, it can't necessarily be termed aggression.

It was just a 1 day thing. She probly was a bit moody and didn't want bothered after her meal. I've herd many people talking about my same problem in another web site. Most of them had different answers.

1. Snake wants to be left alone to digest its food.
2. Snake just does not wanna be messed with.
3. Snake is being aggressive.
4. Snake is testing you or Bluffing

Thats just some of them there was more reason but cant think of them off the top of my head.

Anywho she is doing fine. She is not acting like she was. But that was the 1st time I ever had the problem with her and just though it was wierd because never knew her to do that since I've gotten her. I've had my snake for only 2 months now and I can tell if she has any behavor changes.

Also another Question:

If I am the only one to handle my snake will she show aggressive behavior to others. I'm the only one in my house who has a thing for snakes and no one else likes them but my mom aloud me to get it still as long as I was the one to take care of it properly and pay for everything witch is no problem.

I'm glad you raised that point becuase if i get one im the only one who likes them.
luckly enough i have a cousin who lives round the corner and loves snakes so hopefully mine will be ok when (not if :rolleye2: ) i get one

Yes and the answer to a snake occasionally hissing or striking isn't to automatically assume it needs to eat more either. Look my point is that people cannot expect snakes to always be docile and easy to deal with. Snakes are snakes. It's important to keep an eye on behaviour patterns, not always worry about a single incident where a snake simply acted as snakes do on occasion act.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Yes and the answer to a snake occasionally hissing or striking isn't to automatically assume it needs to eat more either. Look my point is that people cannot expect snakes to always be docile and easy to deal with. Snakes are snakes. It's important to keep an eye on behaviour patterns, not always worry about a single incident where a snake simply acted as snakes do on occasion act.

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Ding, ding, ding!!!! That's been something that I've been noticing folks assuming recently and it boggles my mind. All my snakes will hiss or strike on occassion - they're snakes, they're having a bad day. I don't jump to the conclusion that they need to eat more.

Mine eat very little in comparison to what the average keeper feeds, and most of them grow faster than other keepers (look at Hannah, who gained over 1000 grams in one month from 2000 grams to over 3000 on one 40-50 gram rat a week, or the rescue who went from 880 grams to 1489 grams in four weeks, or my sub adults who routinely put on 100 grams a month).

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Yes and the answer to a snake occasionally hissing or striking isn't to automatically assume it needs to eat more either. Look my point is that people cannot expect snakes to always be docile and easy to deal with. Snakes are snakes. It's important to keep an eye on behaviour patterns, not always worry about a single incident where a snake simply acted as snakes do on occasion act.

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I agree. She could have been startled for whatever reason. I was referring more to patterns.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Yes and the answer to a snake occasionally hissing or striking isn't to automatically assume it needs to eat more either. Look my point is that people cannot expect snakes to always be docile and easy to deal with. Snakes are snakes. It's important to keep an eye on behaviour patterns, not always worry about a single incident where a snake simply acted as snakes do on occasion act.

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true. sometimes a snake's gotta be a snake and get huffy puffy when the big 'predator' comes into its house.

though it is defiantly not the same, it kinda reminds me of how some riders beat their horses for a acting out when really the horse just needs a little time to be a horse out in a field.

it sounds like perfectly normal and healthy snake behavior to me.
investigating disturbances, hunting for food...both very positive behaviors.
the fact that it turned away from you after a minute tells me that there was NO 'pissy' (I hate using emotion words when talking about snakes!) agression intended, simply investigating/hunting.

it is better with snakes to feed less than more when in doubt. If your snake is not thin or underweight, stick to the feeding guidelines and look at hunting behaviors as a sign of good health, not starvation.