# Aggressive Carpet python



## DionP (Apr 24, 2012)

Hey guys, I have a 5 year old coastal carpet python (dont know gender), really healthy, a little small for his age, but yeah I love him  He is a happy feeder, has only turned down a feeding two times in his life to date... And on both instances it was after a transfer to a new enclosure. So yeah, his comfortable, healthy, and nicely kept snake in a beautiful warm 4foot enclosure  All sounds good, but it isn't really...for his 3rd birthday, we got a baby hen and fed it to him (bought it live and humanely killed it), his first taste outside the rat/mice/baby guinea pig barrier. He seemed to like it, and a baby hen was $2 at the market, supposed to a large mouse or a smaller/medium rat that are a fair bit more. So for the next year, he fed priorly on less than a week old hens and quails. All was good, he grew well that year, no health problems, and fed every 9-15 days. He is a active snake, but feeding was done by pretty much hanging the food in-front of him(with tweezers). On his 4th birthday, he moved to a new enclosure (old one broke -__-), and fed on his first day of the move. We started moving the food around the enclosure (baby hens), as if he chases it. 4 days after that, I went to change his water and he attacked me. He had never bite me before (mind the one time I didn't use tweezers... -__-), and I thought it was because I didn't wash my hands after touching my dogs. But no, a few days later he launched but missed me. For over a year now, my placid snake I would wrap around my neck and arm is now a killing machine. We believe it was from the food moving challenge, and I do try to handle him at least once every 2 days. I have to use long electrician gloves up to my biceps and keep him away from bare skin and my face. He has but rarely attacks me outside the enclosure, but usually, actually always attempts when I enter his cage to either change his water, get him out, or grab a sheet of fouled newspaper. His a killing machine now . It has been over a year of him being aggressive, even with me handling him regularly. I would consider myself experienced with handling snakes, this isn't my first snake, but he is just down right crazy now. Is there ANYTHING else I can do to calm him? and yes, I have stopped with the 'moving food challenge', and now drop the rat/chicken/guinea pig in-front of him now. I'm worried his going to be like this forever, I don't want a 10 year old 8 foot Carpet python with a bad tempter, -___-, and I don't mean to be rude to the snake but he has a dull pattern many enthusiasts would not want, so in a few years something happens, who would want a aggressive, adult, dull snake?  Please, anything I can do to calm him?!


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## RonnyB (Apr 24, 2012)

What concerns me about this Dion is that you've considered getting rid of him due to the problem you have encountered at the the time of this bother. A python is for life and so are the issues that arise within caring for reptiles.....................


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## Stompsy (Apr 24, 2012)

Ronnyb that's not helpful at all, just condescending and pretty much rude. I don't have any helpful tips as I've never had a nasty snake but I hope you find some way to calm him down.


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## CaptainRatbag (Apr 25, 2012)

Are you feeding him enough? Maybe he is constantly hungry now he is 'grown up'? What (weight of) do you feed him and how often?


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## Dippy (Apr 25, 2012)

My Children's Python was like that when i first got her, She tried biting me, family, friends, my pants in the wind, the t.v. -_- I found that upping her food size and gradually increasing her handling time worked like a charm. Also check the temps in the cage, Just to be sure... Hope this helps.


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## Tsubakai (Apr 25, 2012)

I agree that you may not be feeding enough. If, at the age of 3, he was getting baby chickens and other food items of like size I would think that maybe he should be on something bigger. Many snakes are very defensive in their cage which is completely normal - you will probably not be able to alter this. Most of mine will be upset if I'm in their cage but if I hook them out they almost all will settle and allow handling outside of the cage.


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## DionP (Apr 25, 2012)

I never implied I want to get rid of him.. I mean, if I have to move, or something happens. Who would wants him? I'm keen on keeping him for the 25 years he hopefully lives, I just want them as a happy snake not aggressive.


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## longqi (Apr 25, 2012)

If it is biting and holding on it is a feeding bite
defensive bites are just tags with open mouth

so 99% sure you simply need to feed it more even though it looks in fine condition

if you compare the weight of chickens to similar sized rats there is a huge difference because so much of a chick is feathers
so probably need to feed about 2 chicks to equal one rat

bang a couple of BIG feeds into it and welcome back your friendly mate


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## CaptainRatbag (Apr 25, 2012)

I am glad others of greater experience than me are thinking the same thing. I, being pedantic as usual, actually weighed my snakes so I could better judge thier food requirements, and to see if I am feeding my guys enough. My bredli, coastal & 2 spotteds are all around 1.5-1.7m and weigh from 480g - 700g and I realised that one 50g rat every 10 days (as I was reccommended) was not enough.

I now feed them 2x 50g rats as a feed (they think it is christmas):lol: I actually fed my bigger spotted last night (she shed the day earlier) and she scoffed the first rat.... I waited, as I do, for her to put her mouth back together (I dont want mine to strike for food with thier mouths out of shape. They are not very good shots & I worry if they hit something on the follow thru, they might damage thier jaw if not back in place) Anyway.... when she realised she was getting another one :shock: she was so excited.... I showed her the rat to get her to come 'back to the table' and she looked :shock: her mouth was open a few mm (like huh? whats this) and I am sure her tail was wagging, then she struck & wrapped it.... and that went down the hatch too... no trouble :lol:

Long story short tho, since I have been feeding them the 'actual' 15-20% of thier body weight (reccommended) as a feed, they are all much calmer (except bredli, she is always 'hunting' hoping for more 

Yours looks to me (without anything to reference her size) to be 600-700g? A 600g snake would need about 2 x 60g rats or 3 x 50g as a proper 'feed' in my opinion. That would be about 3 chook chicks. She would need this every 10-14 days.

I Have found (from feeding only one 50g, to now feeding 2)that all but the bredli dont go into 'hunting' mode straight after a feed... so I take it they feel they have had 'enough'. If your snake doesnt feel like he has had enough, he might be cranky because he is still a bit peckish 

Edit: Nice looking snake, by the way


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## Python-Lover4lyf (Apr 25, 2012)

I agree up his food. Big carpets are greedy gutz lol but imo he's a good looking snake that i wouldn't class as dull.


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## DionP (Apr 25, 2012)

I'll try to boost his food intake then. His actually 770grams but atm his on 2 week old hens, about 40grams each I think. But yeah, looks like I'll increase his food. I'll keep you guys updated then in a few weeks see how his going Thanks everyone for responding !


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## pharskie (Apr 25, 2012)

You could really upsize that food mate. My coastal is 1800grams and 4 years old and he chows down a jumbo rat(about 400 to 500 grams) every ten to fourteen days. He can be coming up to a shed or in the middle of cooling and still hisses like a pissed off cat when I reach into his enclosure to remove him for whatever reason, but once he is out he realises he is no longer in his territory and calms right down. I probably trust him too much as I sit on the couch playing skyrim and he just chills on my lap eyeing off the misses dog. I know what he is really thinking

Oh btw I'm gona try him on rabbits in the next week or two so maybe you could look into that option as well.


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## veenarm (Apr 25, 2012)

My Diamond who is only 1year 8 months is on small rats (80g rats) and he is only 180grams...
(only every 3weeks though not every 5-7 days)....

God is he fat... No where could I find hopper rates so i had to goto weaners luckily he could take it.. was very scared and looked awkward but she is healthy as and umm bulge what is that it like tripples her size /..


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## pharskie (Apr 25, 2012)

he is only 198cm long but damn he smashes the food


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## Joemal (Apr 25, 2012)

Keep them fed and they are happy .


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## jonez (Apr 25, 2012)

maybe try start feeding outside his enclosure in a lined tub? aswell as up his feed u did say he was small feed him up i find with my bredli if his hungry he will tag alot and most people put it down to aggression but i have found its cause his gettin hungry. and stay consistent with his feed pretty much day exact. hope it helps mate.


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## DionP (Apr 28, 2012)

I feed him a 340gram pidgeon today (pre killed of course) has quite a large lump  but he managed to swallow it within 8 minutes... lets see him put on some weight this winter


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## Darlyn (Apr 28, 2012)

Has he got a big smile on his face : )


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## DionP (May 12, 2012)

View attachment 251717
 since this thread he has eaten 2 of these (this is his second which was about an hour ago) and he hasnt stricten me once! even after his first one he was docile! These are about 350g gram european quails... increase from his usual 40gram hen or 250gram rat. (snake is about 750-800gram after poop)


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## animal805 (May 12, 2012)

veenarm said:


> My Diamond who is only 1year 8 months is on small rats (80g rats) and he is only 180grams...
> (only every 3weeks though not every 5-7 days)....
> 
> God is he fat... No where could I find hopper rates so i had to goto weaners luckily he could take it.. was very scared and looked awkward but she is healthy as and umm bulge what is that it like tripples her size /..



A fat Diamond is not a healthy Diamond!!


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## Python-Lover4lyf (May 12, 2012)

*veenarm that is way to big!! *If you can't find the right size go a size smaller and just feed multiple items. Not one big one that could cause potential harm to your loved animal. The rule to go by to keep a healthy snake at is the feed size should be 20% of their body weight. You should be feeding around 35g - 40g meals once a week. Poor thing


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