Aggressive 4yo carpet

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Corrie

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I have a 4 yr old Murray Darling that is aggressive. He hasn't been handled up until now due to this and will quite regularly strike the glass these days and i'm feeling really sorry for the poor thing because clearly he isn't enjoying life very much (or at least i don't think he can be). I'd like to change this for him.

The options as i see them are to:
1) bite the bullet and try handling him and see if he will settle - but i'm not sure if it's too late??
2) Re-home him with someone who has a set-up where he can be left alone quietly without being disturbed (this is not an option in my house - no space to move his enclosure)
3) Any thoughts you guys/gals might have that I haven't thought of....

Thanks :)
 
He's not aggressive.
Try getting him out with a hook and see how you go.
They don't need to be handled. He's not going to be upset if you don't pick him up. It is a good idea to get him out sometimes so you can do a quick check over him.
 
MesseNoire what do you mean by "he's not aggressive"? Have i used the wrong term? All i meant by it is "he's want a piece of me" lol Perhaps you can explain why you say that?

Yep, i'm fully aware that we handle them for our benefit not theirs, and that's why i've left him to himself to be honest, but now that he's actually starting to strike the glass i thought that might be an indication that he's stressed / not happy / whatever word you want to use. Surely a happy snake doesn't strike at the glass? I'm worried he may injure himself.

I appreciate your reply, trying to understand - not be argumentative :) Thanks :)
 
I am honestly yet to see first hand any evidence that increased handling leads to more positive snake behavior. I am of the belief that a snakes disposition is inbuilt almost like a personality in humans. We can use techniques such as hooks to accommodate for differing personalities however some snakes are just bitey and there isn't much that can be done about it. Part and parcel of snake ownership really. Might also helped if you shared information regarding your setup and feeding regime to eliminate environmental issues which may give rise to this behavior.
 
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MesseNoire what do you mean by "he's not aggressive"? Have i used the wrong term? All i meant by it is "he's want a piece of me" lol Perhaps you can explain why you say that?

Yep, i'm fully aware that we handle them for our benefit not theirs, and that's why i've left him to himself to be honest, but now that he's actually starting to strike the glass i thought that might be an indication that he's stressed / not happy / whatever word you want to use. Surely a happy snake doesn't strike at the glass? I'm worried he may injure himself.

I appreciate your reply, trying to understand - not be argumentative :) Thanks :)

He is defensive. He obviously feels threatened by your presence. If he was aggressive he would find a way out of his cage and hunt you down ;)

Try covering the glass with a towel for a few days.

When was he last fed?
 
How long have you had the MD? Surely it hasn't been like that from a juvenile? Have yet to see an aggressive MD. We purchased one of two from a breeder recently that hadn't been handled much, and was a little flighty. That has since calmed down with handling, regular feeding, and good husbandry.
 
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Of course - defensive is a much better word for it than aggressive :)

Had the MD since he was a hatchie. Had LOADS of problems getting him to eat for the first 6 months (yes i was getting help & advice from the shop i bought him from) so handling was virtually non existent during that period to try and settle him in. Once he was eating well we then fed him weekly for a while so once again, handling was minimal. BUT yes - he was always snappy (i know, i've heard that's odd for MDs which is why i got one). Initially feeding had to be done by literally holding a mouse in tongs right in front of his face and wiggling it around for ages before he'd even think about eating it (yes - we tried everything - again in conjunction with the shops advice) and gradually less and less convincing was needed by me. Today he eats just fine by chucking the rat in with him - no "convincing" required ;)
Fed last night just prior to me posting.

Does anyone have any thoughts on my theory though, that the striking at the glass behaviour is "stressful" for him? His health - mental & physical - is my primary concern. His behaviour concerns me. Do i need to be concerned, and if so, what shall i do about it?

Yes, i can try covering the cage with a towel for a few days, if he settles with it covered (i think he will) then what? Just leave it covered?

Thanks for the comments everyone.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about mental health however repeated striking at the glass can cause issues with the mouth and jaw so I don't like mine doing it
 
Did you buy the python from a pet shop, or a reptile shop? You don't need to name anyone on here, but there's not that many reptile shops in Adelaide.
MD's are notorious for being finicky eaters when young (at least all of ours have been). The behaviour just seems so out of character for one, although as Riffherper has said, snakes are all different in their dispositions.
Where is its enclosure in the house? Is it in a high traffic area, or draughty (too many smells coming the snake's way)? I know most of our reptiles go into hiding if there are more people in our house than normal.
 
No it was a reputable reptile shop. The enclosure is in our dining room. If i was able to move it to a quieter area of the house i would definitely give it a go but unfortunately that's not an option - and when i think about it, it probably is the quietest room anyway. We walk through the room fairly often but a good 3 or so metres away from it. And nope, nothing unusual in the house. I don't think this behaviour is unusual for him, but i do think it's getting worse :(
 
about every couple of weeks, he's on young rats at the moment (sorry can't remember what size exactly & none in the freezer to check)
 
You could try feeding him a larger rat, at least one size up from what you'd normally feed him. Could be he's hungry.
 
Does sound like the feeds could be upped actually. For some comparison my 2 y.o Darwins are currently on one large rat a week each. A four year old carpet should be eating larger feed items than 'young rats'.
 
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Ok, i'll try that first and see how it goes. Thanks for your thoughts and help. Much appreciated :)
 
Does it have an adequate hiding place? If they're constantly in view of people they can become verry defensive, even striking at your shadow as you walk past. I have a common tree snake that does exactly this when I put him in a clear plastic container to inspect his condition ( if you've ever had to pull your house apart to chase down a flighty tree snake you'd understand why.) When in his enclosure his inquisitive and curious but in the container he becomes extremely defensive.
 
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Does sound like the feeds could be upped actually. For some comparison my 2 y.o Darwins are currently on one large rat a week each. A four year old carpet should be eating larger feed items than 'young rats'.

I agree totally. A young rat every couple of weeks is not enough for a 4yr old Carpet. Pure and simply...it's hungry!

Cheers.
 
Re the hides, yes he has enough - although he often knocks some of the vines/leaves down and i have to wait for him to go into his hide box before i put them back so he doesn't eat me :D

Thanks GB White - i'm going to increase his feeding & see what effect that has on him. Hopefully that will calm him down and we'll go from there :)
 
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