Hi,

I've been scouring the snake sites for advice concerning my big girl redtail! I've had her for nearly three years, she's very big and heavy and has always been a doll. And this has been how every "agressive snake!" post I've read has sounded.

I've taken the advice I've read, I've upped her food intake. She was feeding on three jumbo rats per week, I am now offering four. Nothing in her tank has changed, she hasn't moved, there is nothing but minimum foot traffic in the snake room, no noises, TV's or radios. I've covered her cage anyways. She is too big for me to handle with a snake hook, she couldn't be dragged out of the cage in that manner.

She is big, closer to seven feet and I don't know how heavy, but uncomfortably heavy for even normal handling. Does anyone have suggestions, other than checking her food size, or temperatures, ect. How can I get her out of the tank (it's a six by 4 by 2 foot glass enclosure) without getting tagged in the face? Or should I even try to get her out while she is like this? The moodiness, striking the cage, hissing has been going on for well over two months with no end in sight. I am at a loss and getting very uncomfortable having an animal I can't even touch. I admit I didn't handle her all that often the last three years, but steady every two weeks she came out, roamed the room or sat on the couch. Never had any problems.

Thank you for any suggestions!