Agressive Murray Darling

[hunterschamps]

Hi Guys,

I purchased a 3 1/2 y.o Murray Darling from Southern X Reptiles approx 2 months ago..

Since putting him into his enclosure he has become very cage defensive, always striking a very stunning but also very scary pose! He has had a few attempts at tagging me but so far ive been too quick, i know he will get me eventually haha.
His cage is set up as following; has a heat cord up the hot end and a 75w heat globe running 7/24hrsof the day, the temp inbetween hot/cold runs at 22degrees as im cooling him at the moment, hot end 24-25degrees and cold end 19-20 degress during the days. Night temps vary from 14-18 degrees at night. He has a large hide and also a basking branch.

I've talked with Diane from SxR in regards to my male being a bit grumpy and she made a few recomendations in regards to this. Im just wondering if anyone else has some suggestions as to calming him down? Once he is out of the enclosure he is fine, handles well but is still very jumpy.

She's said regular handling and possibly placing a blanket over the front of his cage so he can't see anyone come past might help as this is when he tends to flare up. The traffic flow past his cage is not all that busy, just myself in the mornings and again at nights checking temps and handling.


Any replies would be great, cheers.!

Paul.

 

[Ramsayi]

I wish people would ditch the term cage defensive,it is a bad description.


The snake is feeling threatened nothing more nothing less.It is showing a flight or fight response and given that it is effectively backed into a corner it thinks it has no choice but to fight.Covering the cage as suggested will help.

Is the heat globe a ceramic or other?

 

[hunterschamps]

Heat/basking globe

 

[hunterschamps]

And what other shortened term is there for it. Cage defensive seems to be the best

 

[Ramy]

And what other shortened term is there for it. Cage defensive seems to be the best

defensive

 

[hunterschamps]

He is agressive when in his enclosure, hence using "cage defensive" as a short explanation.

This is off topic anyway, i was just curious if anyone else has had this and what did they do to help with the situation to stop the snake stressing..

 

[patonthego]

All I can say is that he is scared of new home, poor thing. I have two adult murrays and I love them, neither of them has gone for me nor tries. I use glove to get them out unless my male Tron is moving up and down and I simply slide open his perplex and he comes straight out onto my hand. If you are cooling him down then I reckon cover his enclosure and leave alone otherwise heat him up and feed him.

 

[champagne]

You brought an adult snake from a large breeder, what were you expecting? Being only 3 he would of still been in a rack only seeing a person to a clean or b throw a rat in for him. If you aren't comfortable enough to pick him up and get bitten a few times to get him use to being handled sell him to either someone who can or a another breeder who doesn't care if he is flighty or not. I'm not having a go at you but if you aren't experienced you should of brought something more manageable like a hatchling.

 

[hunterschamps]

The biting part doesnt bother me at all to be honest, i dont want him to be stressed, just want to know what i can do to reduce that stress. Ive got a girl who is perfect, she has no issues at all being handled and only gets a bit excited during feeding time.

Dont novices get the option of asking questions these days lol?

 

[Ramsayi]

Heat/basking globe

And it's running 24/7?

 

[hunterschamps]

No, 7/24 hours a day the light is on. It switches off when. Up to temp, and back on when under temp

 

[Ramsayi]

They can tend to carry on like you have described if they are too cold.Being under their preferred body temp can make then feel vulnerable.

 

[hunterschamps]

So less handling during winter for him could be a suggestion?

 

[champagne]

So you the heat lamp is a light not ceramic?

 

[champagne]

If its a light then it turning on at night will be a problem or getting to cold at night because its off

 

[champagne]

Does he have a hide box?

 

[shawrey]

I have two bredli that do the same thing, I bought them in 2008 and they were fine for two years, but yes they became defensive and still are. like yourself they are fine once out of there enclosure. So I just accepted that for me they are not pets and are to be treated with respect, and I understand where you are coming from I would like them myself to me amendable to be removed from there enclosures but it dosent always go that way. For me I just learned to work around there behavior and its worked for me. 5 years and I have not been tagged by either of them despite numorous strikes. Maybe study him and and hes behavior will work for you. Personally for me just touching them with the hook than, hooking them straight out of the enclosure works well for me. If I cant do it easily, I leave them be and try it later when they are in a better position.

 

[zicarus]

I wish people would ditch the term cage defensive,it is a bad description.


The snake is feeling threatened nothing more nothing less.It is showing a flight or fight response and given that it is effectively backed into a corner it thinks it has no choice but to fight.Covering the cage as suggested will help.

Is the heat globe a ceramic or other?

In the last month all the stores ive been to use that term i suppose that's why its so easily adopted. Defensive in their environment but fine when taken out, rightly so if u stuck yr hand through my window id probably bite it to lol.

 

[hunterschamps]

Its a light. It only runs from 8.00am - 5.30pm during winter. Heat cord runs most of the day and night. The light only turns on when enclosure needs bringing up to temp.
Yes there is a hide as i said in the original post.

 

[hunterschamps]

Thanks Shawrey, thats the kind of answer i was looking for, i do the old hook and grab trick as well, time may well help him out as i don't want to stress the poor bugger out when i wall by!.
I just wanted to know if anyone else had advice not 100 questions about my husbandry practice hah.