Very Angry Snake

[naledge]

My Darwin's a nutter.

When he's all active at night, if I walk anywhere near his enclosure he rears up and usually strikes the perspex front.

It's not too big, and he has two hides (which he doesn't use, he prefers to be up high) so I dunno what to do to make him calm down.

Any ideas?

 

[-Matt-]

He's only a hatchy so just leave him to calm down, you've only had him a few days right? It's a big world and everythings out to get him! Just give him some space to settle in. Have you been handling him?

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

be thankful you have a good one which displays natural behaviours

or there are so many threads on this topic of calming down cranky snakes but the answer is the same ,getting them used to handling and making sure they are provided with everthing they need like adequate hides,temps,food etc.
when you address all those things and make sure there all adequate ,by handling your snake it will become more used to you and that can take time and a few wacks when he lands one on you hehe

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

oh yea if snake new hatchie let settle in,but then continue as per last post

 

[grannieannie]

When I first got my snake, he was 12 months old, and I didn't touch him for 2 weeks so he could settle down.

 

[naledge]

He's only a hatchy so just leave him to calm down, you've only had him a few days right? It's a big world and everythings out to get him! Just give him some space to settle in. Have you been handling him?

Yeah I know, I'm just a little worried about him striking the inside of his enclosure, I saw a post here recently where a snake hit the front and one of it's teeth stabbed through it's top lip.

I handled him once a couple of days after getting him, needed to change the paper.

be thankful you have a good one which displays natural behaviours

or there are so many threads on this topic of calming down cranky snakes but the answer is the same ,getting them used to handling and making sure they are provided with everthing they need like adequate hides,temps,food etc.
when you address all those things and make sure there all adequate ,by handling your snake it will become more used to you and that can take time and a few wacks when he lands one on you hehe

Yeah well he's got all that. I suppose I just need to leave him alone for a week or two before I start handling?

When I first got my snake, he was 12 months old, and I didn't touch him for 2 weeks so he could settle down.

Ah okay xD it's so tempting to get him out though.

 

[Paulie]

same i just bought my julatten today, shes stuck in the top corner of enclosure. hasnt moved a bit. its sooo tempting to touch her to make her move.. but oh well ill have to wait.

 

[Snakelove]

it's so much better to wait for a week or two rather than having a stressful couple of months to get her to feed if it's stressed out in the new environment.

 

[naledge]

it's so much better to wait for a week or two rather than having a stressful couple of months to get her to feed if it's stressed out in the new environment.

Actually, when we get him out to change the paper we checked to see if he'd be interested in eating, he took the mouse without thinking twice.

 

[Jungletrans]

Its a Darwin so it thinks its a pitbull . They are all like that just put up with it and it will calm down with lots of handling and age / size .

 

[Snakelove]

Actually, when we get him out to change the paper we checked to see if he'd be interested in eating, he took the mouse without thinking twice.

well thats a good sign if its feeding then. when i got my spotted last year i fed it a week after its been in the new environment same like my woma that i got 2 months ago. its feeding and shedding great now. =)

 

[J-A-X]

As has been previously mentioned, apart from food, water and cleaning leave him alone for a few weeks, make sure he can keep warm and cool down and keep artificial light to a minimum, If you have him somewhere where there is movement very close to his tub, maybe move it somewhere a little quieter for a while, Sudden movements will make him react, and that can become habitual,
You could have him for 15+ years, so there is no rush, although i know its frustrating, its been three weeks since my Darwins moved in, and i'm only now just starting to handle,

 

[rubysnake]

when i got my baby jungle he did that non stop for a few days then it was less and less serve but it took a few weeks to fully stop if we walked by and if he was ever just in the mood he would occasionally still do it. my childrens even does it if he's super cranky. its only natural behavior, you yourself cant make him calm down as they dont respond to love and affection (bummer :lol but even stay away for him or cover it up so he cant see out especially at night since he doesnt need light and let him adapt to his environment and take it slowly and eventually the tapping will lessen and gentle handling you should have him adapt to you and tolerate being handled, it might take a while but its worth it my jungle ended up being amazing! goodluck!!

 

[RELLIK81]

i didnt wait at all with any of my snakes...when i buy them i would usualy have a quick hold and then again when i get home have a quick hold...then id prob wait till next day to have a hold again.....never really had any problems with them feeding.....but each snake is different.....i might have just been lucky....

 

[1stprincess]

yea, i held my Murray Darling for short times every day when i first got her. ( 10mths old ) She is a great snake and loves hanging around my neck and exploring the house.

 

[syeph8]

in response to the last two, were yours hatchies when you got them? morelias tend to be very snappy when hatchies (some species more than others e.g. jungles, darwins and greens) so i reccomend letting him settle in for a few weeks, even up to a month depending on the snake. then handling him regularly (at least 2-3 times a week, but not too much, if you are going to be handling him alot when hes older) until his behaviour calms down. u may need to prepare yourself though for the possibility that your darwin is one of those snakes that just cant be tamed, dont know of many untamable darwins, but i know they exist.
hope this helps if u decide to go my way

sye

p.s. you are going to get bitten, so when the time comes that hes starting to look more settled, get it over and done with and do your very best not to flinch or pull back, this will reinforce the behaviour by you responding exactly how he wants you to

 

[Ramsayi]

The vast majority of pythons will calm down with age/size with no effort on the keepers part.Everything to a small python is a threat and they react accordingly.

 

[syeph8]

The vast majority of pythons will calm down with age/size with no effort on the keepers part.Everything to a small python is a threat and they react accordingly.

very true, and some will remain bitey nomatter what you do with them.

 

[luvezit]

There are some snakes that are just absolute nut jobs whilst in their enclosure. i have a male darwin that is strike happy but if i have him outside for 5 minutes on the ground roaming around then i can pick him up without a hook and hold him. But in his cage he wants to kill everything in sight. and he is 3 years old hasnt grow out of it at all. I have 3 Bredli that are absolute gems put hand in enclosure they come up wrap them selves around my hand and wanna go walkies.

 

[Kristy_07]

That's nice to hear, luvezit - I have a 10mth-old bredli that is still nervy and a bit snappy, butI've heard that they usually calm down with age. I want another friendly snake. What age did you get yours? Were they snappy at all when younger?