Aggressive Jungle.......Help?

[Susannuh]

Depending on how long you've had him it could just be him getting used to the new environment. And like everyone else said handling always helps and just try not to be afraid while handling him. that's how we've calmed down some of the most irritable snakes.

 

[Snake_Whisperer]

handle it more often geting bitten by him hurts no more then flicking your finger

Terrible advice for the reasons pointed out below.

If he keeps on repeatedly hitting the container, chances are that he will damage his nose, lips and teeth, which can result in mouth canker (necrotising stomatisis). That is something you need to avoid. Cover the container so he can't see you all the time and feed him using long forceps, so the mouse is the target and not your hand. You can wrap a towel over you hand so if he bites, he is not going to hurt himself (or you). Hopefully, he will soon realise that biting a towel is not much fun and will concentrate more on the mouse. Keep your hand steady and move the mouse in front of him. Be patient.

Waterrat's advice here is the one to run with. Your animal is telling you it does not like the situation it is in, in the only way it can. The animal is not aggro, it is terrified. Have a good re-read of Michaels post above, and make the necessary changes in your husbandry. With time, and allowing your animal to put on some size, usually turns them around. At this stage in it's development, handling the animal will only compound your problems so leave it be, and handle only when necessary, IE: cleaning enclosure. This process may take years so for your animal's sake, be patient with it.

 

[Michael_G]

Hey Guys, Thanks for the responses!

Answers to majority of the questions are: I have had him for about a month, he is 6 months old, he is in a 30cm H x 20xcm W x 10cm D size container, inside is a paper towel cap for water and a toilet roll which he uses to curl up in. He's kept pretty much out of sight of everyone and I have the entire container covered excluding one end to give him some natural light but its facing a wall so he doesnt see anything. I am feeding him with forceps and even using a hook to handle him as he has had a go when i have picked him up by the tail ...

I guess is the container sufficient for his age, aggression & behaviour? He is currently on Hoppers at 1 a week so should I increase to 2 or upgrade to a larger mouse?

Apprecaite the feedback everyone! He's certainly living up to his nick name of 'Lil Lucifer' haha

Cheers

MG

 

[Waterrat]

It sounds all good. One think to keep in mind, approaching a snake (most animals) from above spells danger to them because that's how most predators approach prey. So, feeding it from above may cause some stress. They get use to it but I always prefer to feed snakes from their eye level or from bellow (arboreal species) but that requires an enclosure with sliding glass.
Good luck with it

cheers
M

 

[FAY]

I am an avid believer of leaving them alone except for cleaning. If you want something to handle continuously get a dog. Why people want to continuously handle a baby hatchie is totally beyond me.

 

[Waterrat]

I am an avid believer of leaving them alone except for cleaning. If you want something to handle continuously get a dog. Why people want to continuously handle a baby hatchie is totally beyond me.

Fay, it's the pet mentality or in some cases a macho status. Some reptile keepers think their pets need to be named, handled and pampered, others see it as cool to handle something potentially dangerous whilst (probably small percentage in the "hobby") some perceive their reptiles as wildlife in their care.
Whatever the case, in my view, reptiles should be treated with respect as much as with "love" and they should never be treated as toys. BTW, loving and understanding animals are two very different things, though not necessarily mutually exclusive.

 

[Skelhorn]

Each to their own. May difference responses above. As for my snakes-recently I have reduced how often I handle them. Sometimes I won't touch them for a whole week, but when I go to get them I put my hands straight in and pick them up. My Bredli (almost 7 foot) was not a happy boy when I got him, wouldn't let you put your hands anywhere near him in his tank. Now when I open it up I reach in and grab him (bare handed). I also (when i handle my pythons) handle them for usually 15 minutes....depending on what python sometimes even upto 30 minutes. They seemed chilled enough to just relax and soak up my body heat.
As said above each to their own!

 

[pythrulz]

Well yes most people say that jungle hatchies are aggressive mine have never been though Keeping Its tub In a quiet location with plenty of hides will help and If the jungle Is agresive lave It alone It will only get more stressed If you want to handle without being striked at, open the lid/door to Its encloser and let the snake come out of Its own accord let It do some exsploring untill Its comfortable and watch your snakes body langauge you will learn when It Is stressed or ready to strike out at you Its only there way of saying go away and leave me alone takes patients most people dont realise this If you where a 6 monubth old snake would you like a giant trying to reach In and grab you no so give them time

 

[Frozenmouse]

Some jungles get worse with age i have had some real nasty jungles and some very placid ones. Once they are out of the hatchling stage and still striking at everything that comes past then best to give up on trying to get cuddly with it and go pour out your cross species affection of a cat or a dog they seem to enjoy it more than snakes do.

 

[FAY]

If I need to get adults out of a tank that are a bit cage defensive, i let them come out to me, unless I cannot wait for them I hook them out. My young jungles are flighty but NOT snappy and have never tried to bite me. Best to get them out in the morning though..lol as soon as it is afternoon and dark they are ready and waiting for a feed, so watch out lol

 

[Chanzey]

My jungle was pretty snappy when I first got her, at 2 months old, she is about 8 now and doesn't really strike at all now, I handled her only about once a week when she was younger, till about 3-4 months, then every day I tried getting her out for a short hold, unless had eaten in the last 3 days/going to shed/ or was really fired up.

Now she is only a little cage defensive, but doesn't really strike, she is usually sitting on her perch and kind of swings her whole body down and headbutts me without moving the neck.

Always crawling over me when it's out and soon as her tip of her tails comes off the perch or out of the click clack, never looks like striking

So patience is the key I guess..

 

[Waterrat]

I posted this in another thread bit it fits here too. Please don't take any of it personally, Those are general comments:

"cage protective" - crap
"feeding out of its enclosure" - crap

Sorry for being blunt - when people start treating their snakes as lower vertebrates (good on instincts, incapable of thinking with bugger-all memory) and not as some highly intelligent, affectionate beings and put some effort into understanding and correct interpreting their behaviour, both the keepers and their captive snakes will be better of.