Struck at me ?

[trott]

Ok this is the situation. Shes a young juvenile bp. Had her for a week when i started handling her to let her get use to her environment. It was the second day i had her out and she was just chillin with me wrapped around my arm . I was looking at her , she looked calm and relaxed and all of a sudden she struck at my face.
Now the breeder told me she ate about a week before the time of purchase and the week i had her would make 2 weeks from her last feeding, and she is young.i\I know they eat about twice a week at that age. Shes fed now.

The reasons i can come up with are :
Too long before her last meal ?
Still a little stressed ? (i handle her gently but she seems a little nervous still)
Maybe she smells the dog, even though he doesn't come near ?

This all happened a couple days ago and she seems ok now, but stll trys to "beat feet" when i put her down on my bed.
She is a captive born and bred.

Any input ?

[Slim]

I would say your experience falls in the catergory of, "they'll do that sometimes".

Keep up the short, regular handling sessions and she'll calm down, especially once she's on a regular feeding schedule.

As far as her making a run for it when you put her on the bed, my little guy will appear perfectly content to twirl through my fingers and explore my lap for up to an hour, but if I set him on the bed, he's off in a flash headed for the pillows. Just something that young BP's do, I think.

[skaplan86]

For advice on the strike I'd make sure ur washed up before handling. I keep a pump hand sanitizer at the tub and use a bit on my hands and face before handling. No reason to smell like anything that could be considered furry or at least furrier than i already am.

George my 2 year old does it too. He goes for the space between the bed and the wall, and is very persistent on getting there...

[trott]

Thanks. That's what i figured. I know they're usually more nippy when they're young. I'm only a week and a half in with her so it's real early yet.
Also, I live in a 1 bedroom condo and the dresser her tank is on shakes so slightly when myself or the dog walks by but i don't have many options to locate the tank. She can't see the dog at all but i can see ripples in the water bowl when we walk by.
I believe it's taking her a little longer to get used to her new environment.

[hawaiianice99]

most likely just struck at you because it can, feeding and scent most likely has nothing to do with it. You may have made her feel threatened and this was a defense. she wouldnt strike cuz you smelled like food or was hungry because you are way to big to be considered prey, but you are big enough to try and scare with a strike.

[Slim]

trott, I have the same problem with vibrations in my apartment, especially when my GF's 4 year old is over for a visit. One of the things I did that seems to help was to place rubber feet on the bottom of the cage. Not the kind that come in the package with a ZooMed UTH, but the large industrial kind you can find at Lowe's or Home Depot. They self stick on the bottom of the tank, and dampen some to the vibrations. I also take extra care when I walk around in there the night I feed him so he doesn't get all shook up prior to a feeding.

[trott]

thanks slim. ill try a few things. Maybe even curl up some socks and put them under the corners, A safe distance from the uth of course.

trott
.1 normal sheila

[Slim]

Yeah, the UTH is the real problem. I first thought about putting a towel under the tank, but with the UTH, I thought better of it. I also ended up moving the stand a few inches further away from the wall, and that seemed to help a little bit.

[trott]

thanks

[Hapa_Haole]

When this topic was brought up on a different forum someone mentioned that the face is usually warmer than the rest of the body (lots of blood flow) so the snake may have struck because of that.

But like what everyone else said, getting bit is just part of the hobby. Regular handling will get them less nippy but every snake has its bad day.