I agree with all of this.
Also, GET A THERMOSTAT. There is no excuse not to have one - you can get a Hydrofarm off amazon.com for $30. Even with a digital thermometer to measure temps, temps can spike at various times during the day. And 72 is TOO LOW for night drop! Your temps should not fall below 76. That doesn't sound like much, but to a snake, it's a LOT. Get a thermostat.
And you must realize, this is a snake. Not a dog. Snakes do not respond to people in the same way as a dog will. Insecurity will make her defensive, but so can being stared at, handled too often, having too large of prey shoved in her face, etc. You might have to gently remind your mom that you are dealing with a reptile and its behavior can not be trained or taught. A certain amount of aggressiveness or defensiveness may be something you will have to live with if you choose to keep snakes.
Clutter up her cage, black out the back and sides, get a t-stat, and leave her alone for a week. Then offer her a moderately sized prey item withOUT forceing it on her - put it in her cage and leave her alone again. If you feed live, keep an eye on her from a distance; if you feed f/t, leave it in with her overnight. Chances are, she'll eat. And if she's in shed, she should do so before it's time to feed her.
I am not trying to sound harsh, but you need to be realistic. Hopefully, the advice here will help you!
Originally Posted by Evenstar
I agree with all of this.
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