# snake being very moody



## kookykay23 (Jul 30, 2006)

i think my snake is bipolar one minute hes fine the next he trys to bite me lol no but seriously one moment i was holding my snake and then i out him in his tank for a minute beacause i needed to do something and when i got back to pick him up he tryed to bite me im not sure if this is normal because i never noticed this with most snakes i have seen including the snake i had b4 (red tail boa) i know snakes have different personalities but he just flips way too quickly hes a white sided rat snake any ideas?? or advice??p


----------



## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

Normal.
Don't worry. The rat snakes are that way...with consistent handling it may get over it..it may not....
Rat snakes, bullsnakes, pine snakes, water snakes...racers, coachwhips, etc...all are easilt excitable aniomals when young....but many mellow out quickly as they age...so hang in there and just keep getting that buggar out...and if you want a snake hook, midwest custom products http://www.midwesttongs.com


----------



## kookykay23 (Jul 30, 2006)

ok thank you i just wasnt sure beacuse like a i sadi one minute he was fine and the next he was ready to strike me and how big are these hooks beacause he is not that big

















thats him


----------



## KINGofKINGS (Jul 24, 2006)

thats why i never liked rat snakes.... very cool looking snake however


----------



## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Just handle him every day (when he's not digesting). This is the age where you can calm him down. It's also the age when his bites are no big deal as far as him hurting you or himself.


----------



## flaredevil4 (Sep 9, 2006)

probably because he got stressed at being picked up too much.


----------



## Guest (Sep 14, 2006)

Even if he does bite, at that size, his bites are basically harmless. People just have a primal fear of striking snakes that causes us to freak out when even a harmless snake strikes at us.

Things that I have found that can make a snake "cranky" are being hungry, being hot, and having their cage moved.

Sometimes snakes are very defensive when they think you're going to pick them up out of their cage, but calm down when they are finally out of the tank.


----------



## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

Yea, sounds pretty normal to me aswell. All you can do is continue to work with it, and 
hope that it grows out of it. The most important thing is not to develope a fear of it. 
Hang in there, things should get better with time


----------



## kookykay23 (Jul 30, 2006)

ok thank you all for the advice but another question when i am alone i can pick him up fine he strikes maybe once then i pick him up with ease but when someone else is next to me he is not having mme pick him up


----------



## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

Lay on the floor kay..and have someone walk up over you...then have two people do it...

two people look MUCH BIGGER than one....and it will invoke an instictive defensive response to prove to the potential predator it is not worth attempting to eat...

Get it out then go show the other person/s when you have friends that want to see it over...


----------



## kookykay23 (Jul 30, 2006)

/confused as all hell


----------



## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

kookykay23 said:


> /confused as all hell


He is trying to explain to you that because your snake is so small
it get intimidated when it sees you standing above it, because to him 
you are a giant. Its natural instinct is to protect itself when it sees this 
"giant predator" reaching down to grab it. The more people standing around
its cage the more scared your snake is going to be. So instead of having everyone 
standing around the cage when you take it out, have them wait in another room until 
you have it out of the cage. Then show it to them.


----------



## kookykay23 (Jul 30, 2006)

o0o0o ok thank you ...i just wasnt sure what he was talking about ...you explained it better


----------



## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

No Problem


----------

