Aggressive Bredli Python

[Slyther83]

I added a bunch of stuff to tank and she seems to be doing better. This is the first time I've seen her come down from the lid area and explore the tank. I am going to reattach the cardboard backing later tonight. Hopefully this will help her calm down, thanks for the tips everyone.

 

[gumby56]

I recently bought a young Bredli from a reputable breeder online. For about a week now the snake has become quite reclusive and aggressive. Before that I was able to handle it without any problems. She is about 3 feet long and I feed her hopper mice (fed in a separate enclosure, prekilled) every 5-6 days. The tank temperature ranges from 90 degrees (hot end) to 80 during the day. At night I drop the temp down to 80 on the hot end and low 70s on the cool side. I have had the snake for about 3 weeks total. I believe you can see my forum picture, which is the enclosure I keep her in 72"x18"x28" with UTH heatpads + daytime & infrared lighting.

I have kept reptiles before, but this is my first snake, so all of my knowledge on care is pure research before I made the purchase.

could be the vibrations mate,maybe to close to tv ,and traffic.

 

[Khagan]

I'd say the changes you've made would do the trick, but any other hides added would be a bonus too. Looking at the pic of the tank before you added stuff seems to be the reason it was stressed out, it's very "open" with no cover to hide so the snake would be feeling very vulnerable to predators.

 

[NinaPeas]

When I bought my hatchling bredli, she was in a fairly large tank, but had LOTS of hides, on the ground and up higher, in low and warm temps, and a lot of vegetation (silk plants), so that if she decided to move around, she had a lot of cover and felt safe.

I didn't handle her for a couple of weeks except for feeding, to let her settle in and get used to the sounds in my house, then only held her for 5 mins at a time every couple of days.

She's now 3 years old, and a whole lot bigger, and I don't have a problem with her. Hope that helps

 

[jessb]

The extra branches and stuff will help, but I would perhaps even add a couple more hide options - there is only one real 'hide' for her to curl up in, whereas ideally you would want to have at least one hide each in the warm and cool ends (so your snake can regulate its temperature while still feeling secure).

Also, a hide that is open at both ends may make her feel vulnerable - try a small container like a mini cereal box which will fit your snake snugly and has only a small opening.

 

[notechistiger]

Despite what people say, you really don't NEED to have young snakes in click clacks. I assume the best reason for being so would be to make it easier to clean and have more space. Large enclosures are fine, and MUCH easier to get a good heat gradient in.

All you need for a large enclosure is more hides and hiding places. An easy way to do this is to get some fake plants and stick them around the enclosure. It makes the snake feel secure and think it's invisible (even if it's not completely). You can also make the enclosure crowded by putting sticks, ladders and vines in there. Snakes like it.

Sorry for the shocking photos, but I can't find my good digital camera. This is the enclosure I'm using for a three month old coastal carpet python. The snake is approximately 25cm long, and to show some comparison, that's him curled up in a toilet roll that's been bent over at one side.

If you can't see, there's three hides in the enclosure. Two on the floor, and one amongst the leaves on the ladders (it's wedged in). He uses the hide in the leaves the most, and often hides in the leaves at the top where it sticks onto the glass. As you can see, he often comes out to bask on his ladder (last photo). He isn't stressed, and if you can tell by the size of his belly, eats quite well. Since I've put him in there (from a click clack), he has ceased striking as well.

As soon as the light turns off at night (the room light), he begins exploring his enclosure, then begins to bask. I've seen him out most of the night, and will retreat into a hide not long before the sun begins to penetrate the blinds.


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[John_lisa]

notechistiger is right (from what i have researched) u dont NEED to put them in click clacks some ppl do and some ppl dont just so long as u have the enclosure set so it feels invisable it should be ok i am thinking about leaveing mine (when i get it) in a click clack just until my set up is done but need the money to get it started that is why click clacks are good aswell for those that are not able to pay for everything straight away but dont wanna lose a good bargen let us know if ya snake calms down

 

[Lovemydragons]

Click clacks are also mainly so small snakes can't escape, so you just need to make sure all small gaps to enclosures are blocked. So many missing snakes from this mistake.

 

[yolbit]

the bredli is a central australian snake, in the wild they will happily live in temps in around 45ºc (113 ºF).. while i think that the temperature in your enclosure is fine, bear in mind that naturally they are a desert dwelling snake and your enclosure could easily go up another 10ºc, try to bump up the temp maybe 5ºc and see what happens... this may also explain why he is sitting up on the perch all the time, hes sitting in the hottest point he can find in the enclosure

i really dont think your enclosure is too big, if you provide enough places to hide i think a young snake will be quite comfortable and secure in even in the largest enclosures

also, like everyone else said, he really needs a hide, theres a good chance he feels stressed or vulnerable, notice if you've ever cornered a snake the first thing he'll do is rear up in defence, i think your snake feels cornered with no where to hide, so he's constantly on the defence....

its not always as nice to look at when your snake is asleep in his hide all day but after he settles in he will start to explore and lay about in the open and bask... i like to fake leaves in my snake's enclosures, they are great for hiding and add a great look

you've got a beautiful bredli, good luck with him and let us know how it goes

 

[Lovemydragons]

I have a bredli, and I use a heat cord under the click clack, so heat comes from below. She still loves sleeping in a branch off the ground. She has hides at both ends and if she's not heating she prefers day or night to be up higher. So I wouldn't say it would only be in the tree to stay warm. Some just like climbing heaps.

But I spose if you offer heaps of options up and down cool and hot ends it should be happy anyway, no problems. Then if it still seems unhappy there may be another factor involved.

 

[notechistiger]

yolbit, keeping any snake at 45C will kill it. Yes, they live in a part of Australia that can get to that temperature, but that doesn't mean you'll find them happily basking in it. At that temperature, a snake will find a rock to hide under or a burrow to crawl in- where the temperature is much much cooler.

 

[John_lisa]

i agree with notechistiger that heat would kill it ay there temp shouldn be that high at any time

 

[fidzy]

32 degrees should be your max, try keep it between 30-31.

 

[notechistiger]

I prefer giving all of my snakes a bit of choice in what they want. All of them have access to (when I checked the temperature) 37C at the moment. But I have large enclosures, and they can easily get away from this.

I've always believed that snakes can be kept in a whole range of different ways. It doesn't need to be EXACTLY 32C. It could be higher, but you need to compensate (eg. larger enclosures, glass material, big water bowls, etc.). 45C, however, is just ridiculous.

 

[Slyther83]

She took her first rat (medium) instantly. Considering the fact it is 5x bigger than the hopper mice I was feeding her, she must have been hungry! She also seems to have calmed down a lot.

 

[notechistiger]

Feeding her more can help prevent some aggressive behaviour (which is just because they're hungry).

 

[shn90]

The enclosure looks sooo much better than before mate, and shes a great looking bredli