Nightare's New Behaviors

The rattling is normal behavior for any corn who's either pissed or scared (or both). It's just a bluff to get potential predators to think twice about going after what suddenly looks like it might be a rattlesnake. The striking sounds like cage aggression; he's just decided that that cage is ~his~, and any interlopers beware! Not all corns do that, but it is fairly common. As soon as you get them out of their cage (off their own 'turf'), they usually calm down. The increased activity could be due to growing appetite as he grows, but I'm not sure on that one. Snakes are individuals, and every one has his/her own quirks. He definitely sounds too small to be remotely interested in breeding, though. Usually they need to be somewhere over a year and at least a couple of hundred grams before they get into the breeding game.

Originally Posted by mjackso630

The rattling is normal behavior for any corn who's either pissed or scared (or both). It's just a bluff to get potential predators to think twice about going after what suddenly looks like it might be a rattlesnake. The striking sounds like cage aggression; he's just decided that that cage is ~his~, and any interlopers beware! Not all corns do that, but it is fairly common. As soon as you get them out of their cage (off their own 'turf'), they usually calm down. The increased activity could be due to growing appetite as he grows, but I'm not sure on that one. Snakes are individuals, and every one has his/her own quirks. He definitely sounds too small to be remotely interested in breeding, though. Usually they need to be somewhere over a year and at least a couple of hundred grams before they get into the breeding game.

If cage aggression is something that some snakes have, and others don't, does that mean that it is something Nightmare will always have, or are there any tricks I can try to use to get him a bit more comfortable with being taken out? I am definitely trying to handle him more often. If not, what should I do? He has never struck or bit again, and the tail rattle, he only did the one time when we first got him, but he does try to fight being taken out by bolting, or wrapping around things, or even just taking an angry stance. He is 7 months old, so it's not a big deal now, but when he is full sized, I can see it being a bit of a pain. Maybe I should start learning how to use a snake hook? If this is a permanent part of his personality, then perhaps it is us who will need to be re-trained.

As for his being more active, I do think he was hungry. I am actually feeling really guilty, because I think I let him get underweight. I have bumped him up to a pinkie and a half, and he does really well on that, and now I am starting to feed every 4 days instead of once a week. I don't think it will be long before he is ready for 2 pinkies. I do think he started out very tiny. He has grown so much since we've had him. Before long, I'll be having to get him into a bigger viv!

All snakes are territorial to some degree or another, but most of the corns I've seen are mild about it at worst. They tend to be worse when they're young (it's instinctive) and, depending on handling/lack of or outright abuse, they either get better or worse. The more you handle him (in a positive way), showing (conditioning) him that you're not going to hurt him, the less aggressive he should act.

All of the corns I know, even our most docile ones, will occasionally decide that they don't want to go anywhere or be picked up, especially if they're near something that they can grab. Again, instinctive behavior, I'm pretty sure. If ours really don't seem to want to go anywhere, I usually leave them alone. Snakes have moods just like other critters.

It's a good idea to learn how to use a snake hook whether you actually 'need' to or not, but it doesn't sound like your guy is going to be that kind of aggressive.

Oh, also, a pinkie and a half sounds pretty light for a seven-month-old snake. You might want to try out two pinkies for the next couple of feedings and then look at bumping him up to a fuzzy if he takes that ok.

Originally Posted by mjackso630

Oh, also, a pinkie and a half sounds pretty light for a seven-month-old snake. You might want to try out two pinkies for the next couple of feedings and then look at bumping him up to a fuzzy if he takes that ok.

Okay. I will try that. I wasn't sure if he could handle that much yet. I am also switching to feeding him every 4 days instead of once a week. Hopefully that will help too.

I'd stick to once a week. Power feeding can be unhealthy.

Originally Posted by enoreg

I'd stick to once a week. Power feeding can be unhealthy.

Even just to get him caught up? He is a bit underweight, so that is why I was going to feed more often. I didn't know that was power feeding.

Every 5 days is no issue. That will help him out since he's still so small. How much does he weigh again?

Four days is pretty close together for feedings. We usually do ours once a week.

He is only 11 grams. I feel like I must have been under feeding him, as the more I read, the more this seems very tiny for his age. I won't go to feedings every 4 days. I don't want to go in the opposite direction now. I'm just feeling terribly guilty because I worry that I have been feeding him as I should have been. Poor sweet little guy. I honestly feel awful! Would it be a good idea to buy some of the vitamin powder and use it for just a few feedings, just to be sure he is getting enough nutrition, or should I not do that and just work on getting him up to the fuzzies? How many feedings of 2 pinkies should I do before trying a fuzzy? I am not trying to force him into growing or anything, but I do want to be sure he is healthy. Thanks for all the helpful advice.