Miss Pandora ( Liasis Mackloti) Water Python.

[moonchild]

Hey all,
Just a query as to if anyone can shed some light on my problem.
My female water python Pandora.
Is 7 yrs old and a large 8ft robust girl.
Feeding now on large rats monthly. I have had her since a hatchling, and she has always been an amazing handler.
(taking her to schools and kindergatens etc, for reptile education days and displays)

She was by no means ever territorial or cage defensive up until 2 mnths ago. When I copped a nice bite.(not during a feed either, just my regular enclosure maintenance)

As I work with and look after roughly 30 snakes for a living.
I obviously get bitten every now and again,(just part of the job)
I have never needed to hook her, as she just comes out and up my arm of her own will.

I now however cannot even pass the enclosure without her striking. Gone are the days of my docile girl.
Healthwise she is in excellent condition, and previous to this, under my supervision was handled by my son also....

Does anyone have any ideas....??????

She has never shown any agression before, simply a gentle giant.
When fed she will not even strike her rat, as she prefers to dine in private.

 

[abnrmal91]

Has the enclosure been moved or changed? That can stress them sometimes. Has the temp changed.


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[SarahJane]

Hello,

I can relate absolutely. My python was about 8 years old when she 'went bad' her personality did a 180, it was quite remarkable. She like your animal was used for demonstrations and was a pussy cat, easily the best snake in the collection to handle. I started a thread like this too asking for advice, some members suggested that she may have had a fall or was unwell ect, not the case for my animal. After a year of bad behaviour, I offered to buy her from my work and set her up in a much bigger enclosure at home, it's nice and tall, 7 foot. I thought I'd let her live out the rest of her cranky days at home with me, never to be bothered again, anyway she came good almost immediately, and now my inexperienced partner can play with her and the kids next door. I'm not sure what changed for her, but certainly her enclosure is perhaps 3 times the size of her old one, with lots of branches for climbing. Now that she has more space, she never seems cage defensive.

Take what you will from that, but perhaps a change with the enclosure might help, maybe it doesn't even need to be a bigger one, just a different one, if you keep other snakes, then you could swap them around? That should stop the cage defensive behaviour as it would be uncertain in new surroundings at least for a time.

I'm still unsure what happened in my own case, but I did learn that the water pythons can benefit from a bit of height in their enclosures.

Sarah Jane

 

[moonchild]

Thanks alot guys,

Her enclosure has not changed, she is in a 5ft wide by 4ft tall vivarium,
water levelled on one end and, a dry area with vines, hide logs and many branches at the other...
Temp is steady as I check all thermostats regularly.
I always get lovely all in one piece sheds.
Might have to bite the bullet and get a hook from work, go from there.
She has also not had a fall to my knowledge anyway.
Thanks alot Sarah Jane and abnrml91.

Have a great weekend Jo.

 

[sookie]

if you work with snakes could she just be smelling them off you?could she be smelling a male on your skin?i dunno but these were just a few silly ideas i had.i hope she gets better for you....it's not menopause is it??