My red tail hisses

So I'm trying to get my rescued 6ft red tail use to handling. When I pick her up she doesn't strike but as shes slithering around on me and I keep her away from my face I hear a slight his. Mouthcisnt fully opened. Is this normal? Thanks yall. Btw I only handle her every like 5 days to a week and not after she ate either. Shes been fasting . Handle time around 5 mins.

If a six-footer hisses you're going to know it. She may just be puffing due to being a bigger snake, or due to lack of exercise and being out of shape.

If you have somewhere available to safely put her down and let her cruise around on her own for a bit, you can listen for the same noises.

I agree with bcr229...that's probably not a "hiss", nor is it voluntary...it's just the noise made when air is forced out of her large lung, as the snake's long body is
"folded" when trying to hang onto you. My late BCI used to do the same thing now & then, but never when just breathing on a flat surface or in her cage.

And it's totally up to you, but 5 minutes is more apt to stress a snake than a longer handling session; they're most ill at ease when we approach them & when we
first pick them up...she doesn't have a chance to learn to relax with you. That's another reason she may be 'heavy-breathing' when you hold her.

Thanks yall. The person I rescued her from had her in a 33in by 27in by 17 in cage. I built her a bigger one in my previous post. Thanks all for the info

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

And it's totally up to you, but 5 minutes is more apt to stress a snake than a longer handling session; they're most ill at ease when we approach them & when we
first pick them up...she doesn't have a chance to learn to relax with you.

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That's a good point that I never thought of. I usually tend to have shorter handling sessions w/ mine (even though he's been super tame since I got him). I'll consider increasing the sessions to increase comfort level for the both of us.

BCI's are cool snakes- I miss the one I had, even though she got bigger than I'd hoped. Mine was a rescue too, unwanted for biting everyone! :D but with me, &
with patience, she quickly learned she had nothing to fear, & never bit me even once. Now & then she'd hiss very loud ONLY when in her cage -just not feeling like
being disturbed, but usually I was "disturbing her" for good reason (cage cleaning) so I rarely listened to her protest...I just took my time, pet her while she seemed
to remember that "yeah, maybe I'm alright after all" & she'd stop hissing, then I'd pick her up & it was like she had never protested at all. Silly snake...:snake: When
I'd have her out, she often didn't want to go back in her cage at all; she seemed to love snuggling up around me to watch movies. (if it wasn't summer & my house
was cooler, I'd have a blanket around her & me, & even used a heating pad so she was never chilled) What an awesome food drive they usually have too...just be
sure to stay out of reach (use feeding tongs). ;)

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

That's a good point that I never thought of. I usually tend to have shorter handling sessions w/ mine (even though he's been super tame since I got him). I'll consider increasing the sessions to increase comfort level for the both of us.

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I've seen so many people give out that (bad) advice, to "keep handling sessions short"...:rolleyes: It's just wrong. Some snakes seem to pick up on our moods too...when we relax, so do they. If you're not relaxed in 5 minutes, how can you expect a snake to be? ;) I'm not saying to keep them out all day...& you always need to consider the (room) temperature+ the size & kind of snake...we are roughly 98.6* of heat, so smaller snakes can over-heat if handled by us for too long, especially if it's something like a corn snake that prefers to be 75*. BPs, boas & pythons at least like (need) the warmer temperatures, so handling is usually a "win" for them, as long as it's not forever. If a snake is calm for a while, then gets really restless, that's telling you something, like maybe it's just too warm. Don't take it personal.

Thanks all . Ya I read multiple places saying keep handling short. Glad I posted this for personal experience. Thanks again

Late the game, but when my BI female, Behira, now about 5-5 1/2 foot, strains herself climbing, or even quickly going through my hands and up my arm, etc, she can let out a puff. More of an exhale.

As stated earlier, a hiss would have open mouth and unhappy body language. Doesn't sound like that's what it is.

As long as she's not doing it all the time, and with open mouth, I would have no concerns.

As with any new animal, follow strict quarantine, but I think this is a non-issue.