Agressive Female Albino Darwin

[EmmaWalker]

Hi, I recently (3 weeks ago) bought a 3yr old Albino Darwin, I am feeding every 5 days as she was malnourished and almost died (was cared for and rehabilitated by carers), she has become extremely aggressive in the last week - In and out of her enclosure. To the point where last night she was even striking at the Perspex on her enclosure as she could see me on the other side of it. I am struggling to handle her but am worried as I have a small child and don’t want her to get bitten. I have read that you can’t really tell when they are shedding, so Im wondering if that could be the case and she just can’t really see me properly? I’m just not sure what to do, but it seems like the more I handle her, the more cranky she is becoming. I also have an 8yr old male jungle python who is the most placid snake I’ve ever come across, but could it be a territorial thing with her maybe being able to smell him or something? They are kept far away from each other, but I’m still a beginner with snakes and just need some help! Thank you.

 

[Herpetology]

How have you set her up (enclosure size, temperatures, how you are measuring temps etc) ? What are you feeding her? how was she malnourished and almost died? how big is she now?

but it seems like the more I handle her, the more cranky she is becoming.

Does this not answer your own concern? maybe stop handling her for a while?

 

[EmmaWalker]

I have converted a tv unit into a large enclosure for her. She has a heat lamp and uv lamp on a timer as well as a heat cord on the lower level that goes under the substrate. I have a temperature monitor in the enclosure. She is currently on weanling rats every 5 days as directed by the seller. She will be moved up a size in a couple of weeks.
she was in a tiny enclosure and basically forgotten about. She was so weak and dehydrated she couldn’t open her mouth. She needed sub cut fluids and tube feeding to nurse her back to health under the care of a vet. She was rehabbed and brought back to health before I purchased her. She is about 80-90cm long but is incredibly skinny. Less than half the size of a healthy albino the same age. I have only been interacting with her when I feed her. At the moment she is not being handled until I can work out what is going on. However I would like to be able to handle her like I handle my other snake so would like to work this out soon so I can work towards a solution.

 

[Allan]

Are you sure she is a "she"?

 

[EmmaWalker]

Are you sure she is a "she"?

I haven’t had her sexed myself, but when I bought her they said she had been sexed. Are males normally aggressive?

 

[Benno87]

Some carpets are just agro. Nothing unusual

 

[EmmaWalker]

Ok thank you. Is there anything I can do to make her less so?

 

[Allan]

I haven’t had her sexed myself, but when I bought her they said she had been sexed. Are males normally aggressive?

At his time of the year males combat, Carpets more so than other Pythons and they get very territorial (cranky)

 

[JezzeMcN]

I would say not to handle around feeding time. feed her wait for her to poop then try handling. when I got my jungle a few weeks ago he was very snappy. wouldn't handle him until he pooped, then did 1 day on 1 day off he's consistently getting better. and doesn't constantly strike at me anymore, still get the occasional nip though. there's a few training methods you can try too if the above doesn't work reply and lemme know and I can tell ya some other things you could try

 

[CF Constrictor]

Hi EmmaWalker
She sounds very small for a 3 year old. My bredli is nearly 3 1/2 years old, about 6 feet long and eats large rats and quail. I would try feeding larger prey, less frequently, and would handle her as little as possible for a while and see if that helps. Albino darwins are usualy very easy going. I bite from a python that size, isn't going to hurt your kids. If you are going to keep snakes, you should be prepared to get tagged once in a while anyway. Just be patient and good luck. ☺

 

[Lowrider]

I have converted a tv unit into a large enclosure for her. She has a heat lamp and uv lamp on a timer as well as a heat cord on the lower level that goes under the substrate. I have a temperature monitor in the enclosure. She is currently on weanling rats every 5 days as directed by the seller. She will be moved up a size in a couple of weeks.
she was in a tiny enclosure and basically forgotten about. She was so weak and dehydrated she couldn’t open her mouth. She needed sub cut fluids and tube feeding to nurse her back to health under the care of a vet. She was rehabbed and brought back to health before I purchased her. She is about 80-90cm long but is incredibly skinny. Less than half the size of a healthy albino the same age. I have only been interacting with her when I feed her. At the moment she is not being handled until I can work out what is going on. However I would like to be able to handle her like I handle my other snake so would like to work this out soon so

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Has she had a good couple of weeks to settle in and get over the trauma of being force fed vets ect, she just needs to be left alone to settle in, all u should be doing is feeding her and cleaning enclosure DONT touch her leave her alone to calm down, every 5 days is too much, feeding don't be in a rush to up the food size unless she is at the correct size for the meal, all I can say is let the poor girl settle in wait till she is

I have converted a tv unit into a large enclosure for her. She has a heat lamp and uv lamp on a timer as well as a heat cord on the lower level that goes under the substrate. I have a temperature monitor in the enclosure. She is currently on weanling rats every 5 days as directed by the seller. She will be moved up a size in a couple of weeks.
she was in a tiny enclosure and basically forgotten about. She was so weak and dehydrated she couldn’t open her mouth. She needed sub cut fluids and tube feeding to nurse her back to health under the care of a vet. She was rehabbed and brought back to health before I purchased her. She is about 80-90cm long but is incredibly skinny. Less than half the size of a healthy albino the same age. I have only been interacting with her when I feed her. At the moment she is not being handled until I can work out what is going on. However I would like to be able to handle her like I handle my other snake so would like to work this out soon so I can work towards a solution.

For a snake that size the enclosure is too big and she's probably freaked out, you are feeding to often and probably too big, every 7 days so she can digest her meal, don't try handling her, sounds like your rushing everything, Handling, getting weight on her, too big of enclosure for her size, just leave her alone after the trauma of vets ect, and make sure the food is the correct size for her then let her digest it TIME is what it's going to take

 

[Ccrystal]

She has a heat lamp and uv lamp on a timer as well as a heat cord on the lower level that goes under the substrate.

Remove the uv lamp, uv can damage her eyes because she’s an albino. Some people say it doesn’t, but more often than not it does damage, take the proper precautions and remove it asap.

 

[Kpeters2801]

I have converted a tv unit into a large enclosure for her. She has a heat lamp and uv lamp on a timer as well as a heat cord on the lower level that goes under the substrate. I have a temperature monitor in the enclosure. She is currently on weanling rats every 5 days as directed by the seller. She will be moved up a size in a couple of weeks.
she was in a tiny enclosure and basically forgotten about. She was so weak and dehydrated she couldn’t open her mouth. She needed sub cut fluids and tube feeding to nurse her back to health under the care of a vet. She was rehabbed and brought back to health before I purchased her. She is about 80-90cm long but is incredibly skinny. Less than half the size of a healthy albino the same age. I have only been interacting with her when I feed her. At the moment she is not being handled until I can work out what is going on. However I would like to be able to handle her like I handle my other snake so would like to work this out soon so I can work towards a solution.

I think this can be expected if she has been so poorly treated… she’s probably had to be defensive in order to survive. The poor thing has been starved to death.. good on you for taking her on, but she’ll come with a lot of issues.