Nasty Vs Scared how to tell

[J-A-X]

I'm after opinions on how to tell if a 4 month old hatchy is Nasty or scared... yes he is a Darwin and i know they are renowned for being mini machine guns, but i'd still like to know if anyone has any thoughts on what the different body language and behaviours would be between a 'spawn of satan' and a 'nervous nelly' ??

 

[trickedoutz31]

my jungle i just got came across as a flighty girl but after it pooed on me i realised it was scared shitless and have been handleing her with alot more consideration

 

[antaresia_boy]

nervous would be shying away from you and striking occasionally, then withdrawing quick as lightning. aggro bastard will bite ya as soon as you open the door and put your hand in

 

[J-A-X]

so would a 'hit & run" at the slightest movement sound more like nerves or agro ?

 

[antaresia_boy]

what's it matter? both can be helped by regular, short handling sessions and a low stress environment.

 

[J-A-X]

I have read that some don't lose the 'agro' .... admittedly they were both Jungles, and we all know how calm they should be :lol: He is only being handled once a week at the moment, i'm tempted to do it more often but am worried it might make him more nervous if that is what he is suffering from...

 

[schizmz]

Just handle him for 5 min a day at the start and increase over time..also if you are handling him and you notice him "relax" that's a good time to put him back..i assume as soon as you make a noise at the door he goes into "his mode"..so do the door noise several times a day without removing him..so he learns just because your at the door.. or opening it doesnt mean your going to remove him.open it up and have a fiddle in his enclosure like your cleaning..i would also remove for feed time for now..he will learn that good things come when the door opens eventually.. i had to do that for chainsaw my jungle..she was mental..now she's a pussy cat..so to speak.hope this helps

 

[bpb02]

Well if chainsaw has settled down there is hope out there for all our little jungles. How old is she now schizmz?

 

[J-A-X]

Just handle him for 5 min a day at the start and increase over time..also if you are handling him and you notice him "relax" that's a good time to put him back..i assume as soon as you make a noise at the door he goes into "his mode"..so do the door noise several times a day without removing him..so he learns just because your at the door.. or opening it doesnt mean your going to remove him.open it up and have a fiddle in his enclosure like your cleaning..i would also remove for feed time for now..he will learn that good things come when the door opens eventually.. i had to do that for chainsaw my jungle..she was mental..now she's a pussy cat..so to speak.hope this helps

Sounds like good thinking, i was concerned that daily handling would keep him on edge, but will try the 5min daily in a few days if it has worked for you, I have always believed in the 'end the session on a good note' regardless of the animal, and he does eventually relax, but will strike out at the slightest of movements,

Something in my head is telling me that he is scared *******less, so to minimise stress there is no noise, no glaring spotlight, and slow steady movements, and luckily i'm patient.....

He is due for a feed tonight so i will try the' remove for feeding idea' and then do the daily trials once he's digested, He is is a 15L tub at the moment and i open the lid at least once a day to check his water etc, and yes, he goes into his 'i'm a big mean snake' routine every time the lid is unlatched, but luckily all he manages to do is make me laugh, and not psyche me out,

I love the names of these babies with attitude, "chainsaw" and my boy is called 'Nitro" ! ! !
I had him out for a little while last night, and i can now say i have heard my first 'Hiss'.. okay so it sounded more like a balloon deflating, but he thought it was worth the effort...:lol:

 

[Kristy_07]

Hey, Jax. My yearling Bredli (Jagger, another toughie ) is acting much the same, and I'm of the opinion that he is nervous, not agro. When you're that little, everything's potentially out to get out, and when your teeth and attitude are your only defences, I guess I'd be inclined to use them, too! I had my guy's clutch mate before I got him, and that one was definitely AGRO!

I totally agree with schizmz on the handling, it's all about conditioning and them learning (albeit slowly) that being out and about with people is okay. The other thing I have found really works is instead of taking him out and just handling him, Jagger started to calm down and enjoy being out a lot more once I started taking him for 'walkies'! He loves cruising around on the grass outside, and exploring and perching on the fruit bowl when I'm in the kitchen, and while he still gets a bit snappy when I have to get him OUT of the fruit bowl or the trees outside, it seemed to help him relax with the idea of being out and having fun.

Good luck, I'm sure he'll settle and you'll have a great snake

 

[J-A-X]

Hey, Jax. My yearling Bredli (Jagger, another toughie ) is acting much the same, and I'm of the opinion that he is nervous, not agro. When you're that little, everything's potentially out to get out, and when your teeth and attitude are your only defences, I guess I'd be inclined to use them, too! I had my guy's clutch mate before I got him, and that one was definitely AGRO!

I totally agree with schizmz on the handling, it's all about conditioning and them learning (albeit slowly) that being out and about with people is okay. The other thing I have found really works is instead of taking him out and just handling him, Jagger started to calm down and enjoy being out a lot more once I started taking him for 'walkies'! He loves cruising around on the grass outside, and exploring and perching on the fruit bowl when I'm in the kitchen, and while he still gets a bit snappy when I have to get him OUT of the fruit bowl or the trees outside, it seemed to help him relax with the idea of being out and having fun.

Good luck, I'm sure he'll settle and you'll have a great snake

Thanks Kirsty, Yeah, hatchies seem to have 2 thoughts, ...1)can i eat IT....2)can it eat me and i can thoroughly understand their paranoia .....older snakes throw a 3rd thought in, but i wont go there :shock:

I would love to let go of him and let him cruise the fruit bowl, but he got the name 'Nitro' when i took him out of the transport tub, he is lightening fast, so my chances of grabbing him if he decides to 'do a runner' are fairly remote, and after 9 weeks he doesn't seem to have slowed down too much...

My first instinct with him was that he was just scared, but then i started to wonder if it was just some left over maternal instinct making excuses for this tiny little individual, :lol:

I have a 2yo coastal as well as Nitro so i'm not a total newbie, its just that the 2yo was sooooooo laid back , i have been spoilt.....

thanks for all the tips and hints, fingers crossed in a few months time i can come and tell you all that he now purrs......

 

[bpb02]

im in the same boat at the moment my woma was my first snake and he is just so relaxed and chilled out it isnt funny, but i have recently purchased my little jungle and she is fairly snappy, even when she is out on my hand i still cop a bite or 2. but yeh i guess with time she will come good. i hope

 

[bpb02]

okay just tryed to get my girl out for a play she didnt want a bar of it she seems to stress out massively i think i might try her in a smaller tub, hopefully that will make her feel a little more secure

 

[J-A-X]

Nitro is in a 15L tub, doesn't seem to help his attitude,

I don't mind copping the bites, and i dont react to them, i just worry about how he is feeling if he is a bunch of nerves, i just wish there was some difference in behaviour that would show us mere mortals that they are either nervous or just plain old mad, :lol:

 

[trickedoutz31]

Just handle him for 5 min a day at the start and increase over time..also if you are handling him and you notice him "relax" that's a good time to put him back..i assume as soon as you make a noise at the door he goes into "his mode"..so do the door noise several times a day without removing him..so he learns just because your at the door.. or opening it doesnt mean your going to remove him.open it up and have a fiddle in his enclosure like your cleaning..i would also remove for feed time for now..he will learn that good things come when the door opens eventually.. i had to do that for chainsaw my jungle..she was mental..now she's a pussy cat..so to speak.hope this helps

but snakes dont have ears

 

[schizmz]

Well if chainsaw has settled down there is hope out there for all our little jungles. How old is she now schizmz?

16 months m8..she is so much better now,might have to change her name hehe

 

[J-A-X]

but snakes dont have ears

but apparantly they have the bones that pick up sound, i have read one theory that what they hear is like us when we stick our fingers in our ears...

 

[Chris1]

at 4 months old id say nervous.

nasty is my female jungle, (used to be nervous, i could tel by the tail swinging spray of poo she'd cover me with at the start)

now days i get her out, she sniffs around calmly for a while, starts cruising up to my shoulder to lull me into a false sense of security, then turns back and takes a chunk outta my hand, just for fun, lol,....shes very cute tho.

strangely enough this only happens indoors, outdoors shes a totally different snake, totally placid and lovely.....now.

 

[J-A-X]

maybe outdoors there are lots of smells to keep her side tracked, at least she keeps you on your toes,