HELP: why did my python try to eat me?

[peterjohnson64]

Back on topic. I know nothing about Carpet Python behaviour. However, I have found that every time I move a herp from a nice cosy indoor enclosure to an outdoor one they rapidly loose their "tameness". They seem to manage to become wild again. You have said that this girl has "free range" so maybe she is just becoming a little wild now.

did you strike back at her? give her a good left hook or somehting like that?

 

[reptililian]

Very wise point, Wrasse. I'm glad you raised it actually. Perhaps i will have to have a rethink on who i allow to free-range. My answer to this has always been, "why would she want to try to constrict me?" I guess it doesn't matter why, just that she MIGHT TRY is enough to warrent more caution.

 

[MrBredli]

Isn't ANYONE going to suggest that perhaps I have a face like a rat

I'd still love you gorgeous XxXxX

 

[Nephrurus]

I have found that every time I move a herp from a nice cosy indoor enclosure to an outdoor one they rapidly loose their "tameness".

I've experienced the same thing. I used to put my large carpets in a big tree for exercise. After four hours of that i'd get the ladder to get them down and i'd often get bitten in the process of removing them from the branches. Ordinarily they were calm placid coastals, they just seem to revert to "natural" behaviour.

I suggest be keeping the snake in a large enclosure, and letting her out when you've got someone their to help you manage her if she does decide to bite. She loses a bit of freedom, big deal... you could lose your life.

-H

 

[reptililian]

Thanks guys. I'm learning heaps here. Circe will just have to spend more time in her enclosure.

 

[PilbaraPythons]

retililian
What nephrurus and peterjohnson64 have said is absolutely spot on. I regularly used to allow my large pythons roam the back lawn as a cunning way of ensuring that they would defecate there, instead of their enclosure on their due day. With all the natural out door odors and perhaps other stimulants not perhaps understood by me, you would think they were wild snakes again. It has to be considered though, that they would have felt exposed to predators some what, and this in part may be why they became less tolerable to being picked up again. It was clear to me that unlike mammals, reptiles are not humanely imprinted but this is common knowledge any way. If you are going to allow your pet to roam the house you must expect some natural behaviour to some degree which could include defending its self if it thinks that there is a threat, even if that threat is not real.

 

[Magpie]

It has to be considered though, that they would have felt exposed to predators some what, and this in part may be why they became less tolerable to being picked up again

That's why I think they do it, they go from being cosy and protected with a view of 2', to unlimited vistas and who knows what trying to eat them. We also don't usually offer them somewhere to hide (don't want to lose them after all).

 

[olivehydra]

Lily, I think the suggestions given by the likes of wrasse, pete64, pp etc are spot on.
However you could always consider an enclosure for yourself, whilst allowing the kids to have free range :wink: Comfy seat, plenty of ventilation, newspapers, what more do you need?

 

[Rennie]

Rennie, you haven't even put up a pic of your back. How can we be sure you even exist???

Maybe I'm just a figment of your imaginations :?

 

[Nephrurus]

I regularly used to allow my large pythons roam the back lawn as a cunning way of ensuring that they would defecate there, instead of their enclosure on their due day.

Hahaha very cunning! I imagine this is very necessary practice if you have a 12 foot olive thats just eaten 4 rabbits!

 

[serpenttongue]

Lily, when reptiles are allowed to be higher up than you they do become a bit defensive but also quite bold. The height gives them an advantage over you and they know this. Many times they will use this advantage and take a strike. This is also true when in an enclosure. Snakes that are housed in a high enclosure, especially one which may be the top cage in a bank of cages will always remain on edge and will often strike at a head that passes by. Put this snake in an enclosure thats lower down(say, waist or knee height) and the snake will calm down considerably.

 

[westhamsc]

Lily, when reptiles are allowed to be higher up than you they do become a bit defensive but also quite bold. The height gives them an advantage over you and they know this. Many times they will use this advantage and take a strike. This is also true when in an enclosure. Snakes that are housed in a high enclosure, especially one which may be the top cage in a bank of cages will always remain on edge and will often strike at a head that passes by. Put this snake in an enclosure thats lower down(say, waist or knee height) and the snake will calm down considerably.

i have noticed this too ST with my stimmies the one's that are in a higher cage are a bit more agrssive then the ones in lower cages same with my diamonds but it's the other way round with the coastals higher they are the less bold they are

 

[reptililian]

Thankyou so much everyone for the new insights I am learning into snake behaviour. Circe is actually housed in the bottom enclosure of the bank and will put herself away when she feels like it. But I think ignoring this incident, and all the new things I have learnt, will simply be asking for trouble. She will spend considerably more time in her enclosure from now on.

I also LOVE what I have learnt about snakes in high enclosures. Our enclosures come in banks of four and if I had my way I would not use the top ones as it is just too dificult and inconvenient to monitor the animals up there, aswell as all the climbing up and down to clean, change water, feed etc. Dad and I have had many arguments about this. He says not using the top level is wasting space. I retort that since I am the one who does all the snake tending, it should be at my convenience (note, Dad is 2 metres tall. I am 1.6) Now I can add that it is for my personal safety that we not use the top row!

Once again, thankyou to all who have given me advice. I REALLY appreciate it.

 

[instar]

Definately normal ambush behaviour Lily, possibly encouraged by the position above you (a warm tasty object), carpets often sit in branches head down (hunting or ambush pos) waiting for warm prey to pass below. She may have been a little hungry. It may have been a combo of your movement and heat signature that triggered instinctive behaviour.
Eitherway, very cool. Nearly had my daughters children hanging horizontally off my nose recently. I opened the enclosure door and flew out straight as a dye into my face!

 

[reptililian]

Ooo, nasty! The nose would be a very unpleasant place to be tagged. You're lucky it missed. I don't enjoy being bitten, but understand that it comes with the territory and do what I can to prevent it happening too much.

I receive botox injections in my forehead for my migraines. 20 - 25 jabs every few months and I must say that when 3am, the jungle girl, bit me in the middle of the forehead it definately hurt way less than those damn injections!

 

[peterjohnson64]

Hey Innie, dont get your daughter a scrubby!!

 

[reptililian]

Or a ven!

 

[webby]

from what we have learned with snakes.. the most likely time you are to get bit is when you are getting them out of their cages.. because you are disturbing them in their own space! they are protective of their space and only want to be left alone... by letting her roam most of the time you are basically telling/letting her have the whole house as her space.... she was probly sleeping on the cupboard when you got home, slumped on the couch and woke her up, then she was cranky from being disturbed and maybe hungry, then she went to investigate and looked down to see a rather warm spot(being the top of your head) and tasted the air of sweaty salt (because of your run, you would have probly smelled more then you would have normally) and she decided she would give it a go.... i think the first thing you should do is make her spend more time in her inclosure... only get her out for an hour or two every couple of days for some fun and excersise... show her the house is yours and you are the boss in it....
good luck..

 

[PilbaraPythons]

I don't believe for one second that it stuck out at you because it considered you a meal. In my opinion it simply felt threatened, for what ever reason.

 

[Stevo]

I couldnt imagine the amount of broken objects you would have in your house letting a large python free range.