Defensive BP? Dilema(sp?)

[slither9192]

Hi, My female pastel Abbi is very defensive. Whenever I take her out to hold her she either hisses or strikes (sometimes open mouthed but usually closed mouth strikes). She is still little at around 400g so nothing hurts but I would like to get her to calm down. She has been on and off feeding adult mice (20g). But sometimes when I feed her she will just get defensive and start hissing and closed mouth striking and striking but letting go to the mouse. What should I do. I want her to be less stressed so she will eat so I don't hold her often but also want her to get used to handling and calm down. So should I keep holding her often and hope she eats? Or should I make sure she eats and hold her very little?

[Nikki0326]

Hi, My female pastel Abbi is very defensive. Whenever I take her out to hold her she either hisses or strikes (sometimes open mouthed but usually closed mouth strikes). She is still little at around 400g so nothing hurts but I would like to get her to calm down. She has been on and off feeding adult mice (20g). But sometimes when I feed her she will just get defensive and start hissing and closed mouth striking and striking but letting go to the mouse. What should I do. I want her to be less stressed so she will eat so I don't hold her often but also want her to get used to handling and calm down. So should I keep holding her often and hope she eats? Or should I make sure she eats and hold her very little?

She may not feel comfortable in her cage, I know when I switched to a tub to make moving easier mine was a little defensive until she got settled in. Seeing as how she already seems stressed I wouldn't try to hold her alot. Maybe just see how she acts every few days to see if shes calming down. Once she relaxes a little try and hold her for a little bit a day (other than after feeding), with time she should calm down.

[frankykeno]

Jacob, she sounds like she's a bit stressed (though some are just really strikey and reactive and that's just how they are). How are you housing her as far as what type of enclosure, hides, etc. What are the temps and humidity in her enclosure? What is your feeding routine? What is your handling routine? What part of your house is her enclosure in?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

First thing try to go by elimination and make sure your BP is not acting this way because some husbandry issues!

Check your temps, humidity, make sure your hides are tight enough, enclosure not too big etc...

My female Pastel used to hiss at me soon as I would slightly open her tub, first reflex was to make sure everything was fine and it was, she went through that hissy period for several months and now she is one of my sweetest one.

[Skullkid]

i had the same problem when first got my BP. First thing is to ensure the health of the snake and make sure its eating. Wait a week from the last tim you tried to feed it, try again, and if it eats wait an additional two days and then try to handle it. It sounds like it's just under alittle bit of stress and it's understandable for snakes of that size to be alittle nippy. When you finally do start to handl it, it may take awhile for it to get used to you and stop acting so defensively. Let the snake establish a level of comfort and security and be well fed, and you should have a good relationship.

[slither9192]

Jacob, she sounds like she's a bit stressed (though some are just really strikey and reactive and that's just how they are). How are you housing her as far as what type of enclosure, hides, etc. What are the temps and humidity in her enclosure? What is your feeding routine? What is your handling routine? What part of your house is her enclosure in?

She is in my bedroom. She is in a rubbermaid tub (20" W X 30" L X 9" H) It is a little big for her so I put crumbled up newspaper in the tub. She has two exo terra hides that fit her good. Temps are 80 ambient and 91 basking temp. Humidity is 58%-62%.

[slither9192]

Sorry forgot to say. I only hold her as of now once a week to clean her tub. Before she stopped eating probably 3 times a week. I try feeding her once a week a small adult mouse. Should I try live. (I really don't want to have to feed live.)

[juddb]

I know with one of my females she stopped eating, so i took her out of the 32 qt tub and moved her into a 15qt tub and she took a rat right off the rip on feeding day.... But good luck too you .

[West Coast Jungle]

Some are just pissy and defensive. I have a couple like that. They have gotten better as they got bigger but are still real chickens. I think live rat pups is best for your size snake and should get you a much better feeding response, but if you want to go F/T you just have to be patient. Smaller tub certainly wouldn't hurt.

[slither9192]

Well she ate a adult mouse 20g today. I think what I'm going to do is leave her be for a week then feed her again and if she eats that time then I will wait 2 days and start handling her again. Then hopefully I will be able to handle her to have her calm down and have her eating regularly.