Stressed, scared, help? Unhandleable snake...

[rosequoll]

Looking for some help, or advice here. I'm getting stressed out, and upset and I don't know what to do.

I got a snake from a person here on the forums 4 weeks ago, a little 7 mth old Darwin (male). I went out and saw the snakes, picked the one I liked. I saw that he was a bit defensive (didn't see him bite though) but he seemed fine once he was out of the enclosure.

I've had him 4 weeks now and there are two issues. First is, he hasnt eaten yet at all, no interest. I've left the mice (and a rat this last week) in the enclosure overnight like his previous owners suggested and nothing. That's fine though, I understand that some snakes don't eat over the winter, that's fine. He doesn't have the most regular record with eating anyways (his previous owners gave me a feeding chart).

The second issue is the big one, and the one that's really upsetting me. He's absolutely AGRO. The first week I had him he wasn't so bad, the second week the same (I left him alone the first week) and I started handling him a bit with a bag over my hand to pick him up, and then letting him wander onto my other hand on his own. He was always a little twitchy, and would get upset VERY quick, so I kept the handling very short.

The past two weeks, I cannot even fill the water in his tank without him immediatly come over and striking non-stop. He's insane, to the point of almost flinging himself out of the enclosure. If I manage to get him out of the enclosure (so I can fill the water) he doesn't stop moving, he swings around constantly, striking and smashing himself on me.

Simply put, I'm scared of him. VERY. I know he's small, but I get really upset and panicked and I'm finding it really hard to even get him OUT of the enclosure. It took me almost 15 minutes to even manage to pick him up and get him into a box so I could put in a new heat globe and fill the water, and then he spent the next 10 minutes in the click clack smashing the side of the box.

The issue is...I really can't deal with this. He's only my second snake, and my girl is beautiful, sweet and docile. I was very specifically looking for an easy to handle snake, who ate well, and would have been willing to keep looking or just 'NOT' gotten one if I'd know he was going to be like this.

I should disclaimer here that I dont fault the seller AT ALL. They were very nice, and I believe them completely when they say that he was fine once he was out of the enclosure previously. Im not even asking if I should ask for my money back and give him back to them, I wouldn't feel right doing that as there's nothing really 'wrong' with him...he's just not the snake for me.

So...suggestions? What would you do? Should I just ignore him, feed him on feeding night (if he eats) and just...hope that he calms down eventually? Should I sell him and continue my search? I'm really torn up about this because he's a beautiful snake, but I don't feel that I can deal with the amount of work this snake may turn out to be. He's so cute though. =(

 

[FAY]

First thing , being agro..means he is stressed out.
Leave him alone and only handle him when you have to clean out the cage.
Make sure he is in a quiet room, (no TV or radio blaring or high traffic areas)
He should be in a tub (not a big tank) with a hide at one end and a waterbowl at the other. You can just use a light globe box for the hide.
Put the tub half on a heat mat.
Just leave him alone....even if it is a month.

 

[Justie]

hey that sounds like my maccie and one of my coastals! haha Seriously there is nothing you can do but handle him and take the bites ( i swear they dont hurt! ) my maccie has settled down considerably because i held him and took the bites.. oh when holding you can put a rubber glove on your hand.. they dont like the feel in their mouth... My friend bought an adult woma, now im talking a big adult snake and he was really REALLY crankyy!! haha they had to put a towel over his enclosure!:lol:

 

[Ramsayi]

Dont handle at all.........when cleaning the cage or changing water use a hook to lift him out and place into something else until you're finished.Make sure the cage is nice and warm and offer food once a week after sunset.You might even cover the cage up with something so he cant see out.

Don't worry about handling at all at this stage.I've had snakes that have hardly ever been handled but once they get a bit of size about them they start to relax and calm right down all on their own.

 

[FAY]

Justie...I personally would not be handling him especially when he is not eating. Get him eating first..worry about handling later.....

 

[mick_304]

Agree with garthnfay he sounds stressed the new enviroment, probably used to be kept in a quiet room not much handling just give him time by himself. he should settle down.

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

Get rid of it Rose, if you cant handle it like you say, you can always move it on..
Get an animal that is more suitable for your personality.
If you think you can learn not to be scared of it then "man up" and do that.
You have only had it 4 weeks and you probably should not have handled it at all in that time and let it settle.
Some snakes just dont take to being handled no matter how much attention you might give it.
And do what Fay said to.

 

[rosequoll]

First thing , being agro..means he is stressed out.
Leave him alone and only handle him when you have to clean out the cage.
Make sure he is in a quiet room, (no TV or radio blaring or high traffic areas)
He should be in a tub (not a big tank) with a hide at one end and a waterbowl at the other. You can just use a light globe box for the hide.
Put the tub half on a heat mat.
Just leave him alone....even if it is a month.

He's in an enclosure the same size as what he was in at his old owners place; do you still think a smaller one is better, considering that? My female seems MUCH happier in the bigger space she has (same size tank as him). He actually wont even go in his hide at the moment, he spends days a the top of a branch, and nights on a lower branch.

When you say 'leave him alone', should I just skip food as well? He's not eating at ALL right now anyways, and I think at the moment hes getting more upset when I even come near the enclosure or open the door. If I do feed him, I can just thaw a fuzzie rat and leave it in the corner without bothering him too much.

 

[mick_304]

how often are you offering food? just cover the front of his enclosure up with a towel or something or put him in a room with less traffic and only offer food once a week if he doesnt it take it out try again next week and keep handling to a minimum he should come around hes still young.

 

[rosequoll]

Agree with garthnfay he sounds stressed the new enviroment, probably used to be kept in a quiet room not much handling just give him time by himself. he should settle down.

Previous house he was in an enclosure with multiple other snakes, in the lounge room. I think his previous owner has two kids as well? He's in a quiet room at the moment, spare room with just the other reptiles and my fishtank at the moment.

I'll leave him alone right now completely, and if he settles a little I'll move him into a smaller tank and just leave him be. I've just heard SO MANY different opinions on when to handle them. Wait a week, wait a month, don't wait at all, let them bite you, wear gloves, don't wear gloves. AUGH. The problem is that I don't know what's the best yet, nor do I have experience to base the suggestions on.

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

dont stress rosie quoll!! theres no real problem,just do as others have suggested and you can skip it eating for awhile yet
be patient and handle it with a hook if you have too
youl be ok
and it cant do any dammage to you so try to overcome the phsycological barrier of the bitey behaviour
the hook will help for now

 

[OU812]

I know what you are going through I had the exact same experience and it is quite upsetting.
You have three choices.
1: Ask the breeder if they would take it back for a refund
2: Persist and hope it settles down(it should with age)
3:Contact DSE and get a special dispensation to sell him (as you have not held him for 6 mths yet)
I have herd of people taking option 1 and the breeder was fine about it.
I personally took option 3
Good luck
:?

 

[Hooglabah]

use the aggression to you advantage when feeding dangle the food infront of him he should bit it and once he realises what he has in his mouth he should coil and eat it. worked for my juv beardie hed get all defensie when i went in to handle him so i stuck a bit of lettuce in his mouth and once he closed his mouth he started eating now he feeds from hand with no wukkas

 

[rosequoll]

use the aggression to you advantage when feeding dangle the food infront of him he should bit it and once he realises what he has in his mouth he should coil and eat it. worked for my juv beardie hed get all defensie when i went in to handle him so i stuck a bit of lettuce in his mouth and once he closed his mouth he started eating now he feeds from hand with no wukkas

That's the rub! He'll happily try to maul me, by the second a MOUSE or rat is in front of him, he'll either whip around it to get me...or sniff it very very slowly, and then ignore it. If it's on the floor, he sniff it up and down about 4 times, and then ignores it.

What a brat.

 

[rosequoll]

I know what you are going through I had the exact same experience and it is quite upsetting.
You have three choices.
1: Ask the breeder if they would take it back for a refund
2: Persist and hope it settles down(it should with age)
3:Contact DSE and get a special dispensation to sell him (as you have not held him for 6 mths yet)
I have herd of people taking option one and the breeder was fine about it.
I personally tok option 3
Good luck
:?

I think overall that waiting is the best option. Seems like the overall best choice. I'll do my best to give him the least stressed out environment, and I'll wait. If he hasn't settled down in 5-6 months, then I can sell him as I'll have had him long enough. If he has, huzzah! We all win.

 

[rosequoll]

dont stress rosie quoll!! theres no real problem,just do as others have suggested and you can skip it eating for awhile yet
be patient and handle it with a hook if you have too
youl be ok
and it cant do any dammage to you so try to overcome the phsycological barrier of the bitey behaviour
the hook will help for now

I feel silly, I KNOW it wont hurt, i have tattoos and piercings and a perfectly healthy pain tolerance....but I can't stop squealing like a silly little girl and giving myself a freaking anxiety attack.

Looks like for now, the steps are smaller enclosure, cover the front so he's less stressed, and don't bother with trying to feed him for now. I think Ill probably do that for him tomorrow, and then leave him for another week or two without feeding, and then try him after he's had plenty of time to settle down and feel a bit better about things.

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

you will overcome this rosie,dont give up!!

 

[rosequoll]

you will overcome this rosie,dont give up!!

Thank you! I like the pep talks. I guess I'm just getting depressed about it, but I'll work on it and hopefully he and I will come to like eachother, or agree not to eat eachother.

 

[daniel1234]

use the aggression to you advantage when feeding dangle the food infront of him he should bit it and once he realises what he has in his mouth he should coil and eat it. worked for my juv beardie hed get all defensie when i went in to handle him so i stuck a bit of lettuce in his mouth and once he closed his mouth he started eating now he feeds from hand with no wukkas

Thats what I was thinking.
I am still new to this but have aquired 5 snakes. Each have responded to higher temps with regard to feeding. My first hatchy did not eat for weeks until I turned up the heat. My 2yo Bredli was the same, and I brought him in the enclosure he grew up in. My most recent Childrens hatchy skipped the first offer ( I wonder if he even saw it) but has not missed a meal since. He went straight into a 60x45x45cm enclosure Also myself and another member had a bit of luck with feed that was killed only just before it was offered to the snake (as fresh as it gets without being live) but at the end of the day temps were the thing. I have been able to turn them down a bit afterward but find if you can get your cold end up to 28 C they start feeding after about a week.

As far as striking, childrens was nippy but we found this was often due to trying to remove him from a dark hide and if we allowed his eyes to ajust it would avoid first strikes. Then the others just became less and less. We handled him for very short bursts through out the day (couple of minutes). Other than that and what others have said, an alcohol gel hand wash (like Aqim) is all I've got, apparently snakes hate the taste of it so don't strike once they know the smell.

Good luck.

 

[Hooglabah]

That's the rub! He'll happily try to maul me, by the second a MOUSE or rat is in front of him, he'll either whip around it to get me...or sniff it very very slowly, and then ignore it. If it's on the floor, he sniff it up and down about 4 times, and then ignores it.

What a brat.

that seriously sucks he must just really not like u lol. oh well have fun with him i personaly love it when little snakes bite its so cute and pathetic they act all tough but they really aint untill they get bigger then its not so cute.