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  1. #1
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    How to calm an overly eager eater

    My Children Python is almost 2 years old. Since he was a baby, he loves to eat. Never turned down a meal, even during a shed. He also has a nasty habit of being cage defensive, meaning even if you let him be, and your hand is in his enclosure, he will come out and start nipping at you. Bender is his name, and he truly lives up to it (I named him this before learning about his personality). In light of this, he had calmed down a lot as he got older and I was always able to handle him. I think he is a sweet snake when be is not trying to kill you lol. At his age, he is on a 10-day feeding schedule and 1 mouse. And around day 3-4, usually after a poop, he is found perched on his cork bark waiting for more food.

    Lately, he has been more hungry than usual, or so I think. He had been striking at the glass just for passing by his tank, so I had the sides covered. He also strikes at the mesh lid, if I was moving stuff around the top of the lid.

    Nothing changed in terms of husbandry, enclosure, hides, environment, etc. It seems like he is getting more hungry than usual. Is it a breeding thing around this time of the year? He is a male so I was expecting that kind of behavior more from the females. He never refused or showed lack of wanting food in the past though.

    Anyways, today was the weekly cage cleaning and as usual, he was waiting for food. And as usual, I gently throw a towel over his head to tell him it is not feeding day. However, being a noob that I am, I thought he had calmed down and decided to pick him up. I should have waited because he coiled my hand and bit my finger in an attempt to eat it. No big deal, I waited for a few seconds and about to turn the faucet on him when he stopped biting. However, he still had me coiled and it stayed that way for at least 30 min until I just had enough and sprayed water on him to scare him off. I tried placing him on his favorite spot in the cage, have him go to my other hand or another place, and waited out but nothing. I tried to unwrap him from his tail and he attempted to bite my other hand.

    So long story short, should I feed him more to calm his feeding response down? My number 1 concern was him hurting himself when he strikes the glass or the lid or me.

    The images below are taken when he had my hand coiled and would not let go.

    Jeesh, even my kings are not that crazy over food.

    Sent from my LGL57BL using Tapatalk
    Last edited by Cheesenugget; 08-28-2019 at 10:12 PM.

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  3. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Wow, he's really a food-focused snake. I think it's mostly the summer weather that makes snakes try to pack in the food before temperatures (in the wild) cool off.
    My Aussie spotted python (very similar to Children's) is a very strong feeder too, but I don't have this problem with her. Personally, I use a little spray of cool
    water to the face of snakes that act like Bender does...it hurts nothing but quickly "changes their channel", & while you might not want to do that with a shy snake,
    that doesn't seem to apply here, lol. I'd be careful about putting a towel over a snake like this...some have been known to bite & even try to ingest such things, or
    his teeth could get caught on it too. My spotted python is very strong when she holds on...I'm glad she's never tried to bite me while doing so...that's not a very
    endearing quality, IMO. From your photo, he's not skinny either...if he had trouble keeping weight on, that would be a different thing, maybe parasites to blame.
    I wish I knew why some snakes just seem to be this way...I hope you can get him to calm down. Over-feeding isn't a good answer either, health-wise. (btw, my
    Aussie spotted is 11+ years old now)
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    I can't imagine trying to tap train this guy...he'd probably bite the hook... but you might find something else to present to him that he cannot get his teeth
    around & something that has no appeal whatsoever...it might make him back off. Or get some body armor...
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  5. #4
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    Good idea on the towel. He did open his mouth one time and got into a striking position (This little snake does not know when to back down). I previously used a papertowel and gently poke him with it, and he had bitten that several times before. It was soft to his teeth so no harm there, but I was hoping he would just not bite or able to bite it (Hence the towel) because he put so much force in his bite and risk hurting himself. And I have thought of using hooks but he will probably bite that too so better not risk it. Tbh, if he was a retic, I would have to rehome him because his crazy biting/feeding aggression would be too much for me. It is funny when guests visit, the only snake I will not show and allow anyone else to handle is the smallest snake in my collection.

    If I could pick again, I would probably choose the Spotted over the Children just because they are bigger and their dark spotted patterns are prettier. Mine had spots as a baby which faded away over time.

  6. #5
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    Re: How to calm an overly eager eater

    Quote Originally Posted by Cheesenugget View Post
    Good idea on the towel. He did open his mouth one time and got into a striking position (This little snake does not know when to back down). I previously used a papertowel and gently poke him with it, and he had bitten that several times before. It was soft to his teeth so no harm there, but I was hoping he would just not bite or able to bite it (Hence the towel) because he put so much force in his bite and risk hurting himself. And I have thought of using hooks but he will probably bite that too so better not risk it. Tbh, if he was a retic, I would have to rehome him because his crazy biting/feeding aggression would be too much for me. It is funny when guests visit, the only snake I will not show and allow anyone else to handle is the smallest snake in my collection.

    If I could pick again, I would probably choose the Spotted over the Children just because they are bigger and their dark spotted patterns are prettier. Mine had spots as a baby which faded away over time.
    I think cardboard would be a good choice...it's not that hard, & he can't sink his teeth into it, nor does it taste good. Silly snake. You're right, it's lucky that he's small.

    My Aussie seems to "change gears" very well...she's been handled by me & then by others in several public meet & greets with no problems at all. I like their patterns
    too, but mine is a "granite phase" (not as pretty IMO but she was a rescue & I didn't care about appearance). I hope yours out-grows this, maybe with more handling?

    I don't honestly handle mine much though...and she's always vigilant for anything coming near her cage, always ready to grab food too...I guess yours just has a more
    extreme version of their typical personality? I hope you can turn him into a calmer (more enjoyable) pet in time. It IS funny that your smallest snake is the one you
    have to protect ppl from...
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    I've started rubbing a bit of lemon scent hand sanitizer on my snake hook before I use it, because a lot of my snakes have been stupidly foody over the last few weeks. The combo of touch + sharp smell from the hook does a better job of breaking the food response.

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  9. #7
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    Re: How to calm an overly eager eater

    Quote Originally Posted by Cheesenugget View Post
    Good idea on the towel. He did open his mouth one time and got into a striking position (This little snake does not know when to back down). I previously used a papertowel and gently poke him with it, and he had bitten that several times before. It was soft to his teeth so no harm there, but I was hoping he would just not bite or able to bite it (Hence the towel) because he put so much force in his bite and risk hurting himself. And I have thought of using hooks but he will probably bite that too so better not risk it. Tbh, if he was a retic, I would have to rehome him because his crazy biting/feeding aggression would be too much for me. It is funny when guests visit, the only snake I will not show and allow anyone else to handle is the smallest snake in my collection.

    If I could pick again, I would probably choose the Spotted over the Children just because they are bigger and their dark spotted patterns are prettier. Mine had spots as a baby which faded away over time.

    Uhmm I wouldn't use a towel. I tried to do this and the snake bit the towel and then the towel got stuck to its teeth. Ultimately the snake's teeth were injured and I went to a vet visit. This is just a personal experience.

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  11. #8
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    Re: How to calm an overly eager eater

    I realize this post is from August, but I wanted to reply in case the OP checks back. I've lurked here for a very long time but tend to stay out of message board discussions. I will try and participate more often as I have so much respect for this community. I wanted to post now because I may have info that can help the OP.

    The Antaresia are wonderful little pythons, but sometimes they do have the feeding response of a T. Rex! My Stimson's Python is like this as well. My solution has been target training him. I learned how to do target training from Lori Torrini, who does target training and other behavioral mod work with snakes - mostly Morelia - she's actually conducting a long-term behavioral study with a group of 11 or 12 Morelia - and also Antaresia, a Dwarf Retic, and a couple of Colubrids. She experienced a similar feeding response in her Children's Python, and provided some really useful tips about how to get started with my little guy.

    I'm now also using target training with my Jungle Carpet Python to encourage him to shift from his regular enclosure to a temporary enclosure when I am cleaning.

    Would it be OK to post Lori's website here? She has a good video series on target training snakes. This article is also really informative, with a step-by-step on how to initiate target training: https://spring2019.iaabcjournal.org/...xzzA1tVZFejMFQ
    Last edited by Caitlin; 10-30-2019 at 11:18 PM.

  12. #9
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    Re: How to calm an overly eager eater

    Quote Originally Posted by Caitlin View Post
    I realize this post is from August, but I wanted to reply in case the OP checks back. I've lurked here for a very long time but tend to stay out of message board discussions. I will try and participate more often as I have so much respect for this community. I wanted to post now because I may have info that can help the OP.

    The Antaresia are wonderful little pythons, but sometimes they do have the feeding response of a T. Rex! My Stimson's Python is like this as well. My solution has been target training him. I learned how to do target training from Lori Torrini, who does target training and other behavioral mod work with snakes - mostly Morelia - she's actually conducting a long-term behavioral study with a group of 11 or 12 Morelia - and also Antaresia, a Dwarf Retic, and a couple of Colubrids. She experienced a similar feeding response in her Children's Python, and provided some really useful tips about how to get started with my little guy.

    I'm now also using target training with my Jungle Carpet Python to encourage him to shift from his regular enclosure to a temporary enclosure when I am cleaning.

    Would it be OK to post Lori's website here? She has a good video series on target training snakes. This article is also really informative, with a step-by-step on how to initiate target training: https://spring2019.iaabcjournal.org/...xzzA1tVZFejMFQ
    Thank you. I will check out that link and try out her ideas. I recently purchased a hook and started hook training. I was able to remove him and clean his cage without any issues. Strangely he does not strike the hook, but he will at anything else.

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