Nightare's New Behaviors

[ArvadaLanee]

Nightmare is growing! He is getting bigger, and older, and recently he has had some changes in behavior. First of all, he took a big strike at my teenage son. He has gone into a strike pose before when we go to take him out, but usually, if you sit still, remain calm, and then grab him firmly, he never actually strikes. He once did this nifty little trick of shaking his tail, which made a sound in the wood chips. I was wondering, has anyone else witnessed this behavior? Could it be a defense mechanism, meant to mimic a rattle snake, or was it just a weird fluke? Shortly after he struck at my son, (and it was a big one, like half way across the viv!) he did strike and bite me. I will admit that it was a bit of a fright. It didn't hurt or anything. It's just that he moves so fast now, that it is kind of startling, and also, he has never done that before. Another change in his behavior, is that he has completely changed up his active time. He used to become active around 10:00 PM, and could sometimes be seen active as "late" in the morning as 6:00 AM. Recently, he has begun coming out in the afternoon or evening. He is active for a shorter amount of time, but he is very active!

So, I have some theories on these behaviors, but as a first time snake owner, I was hoping some people with more experience could let me know if my theories are good, or way off the mark.

Theory one, in relation to Nightmare's big strike at my teenage son, is that he struck because we irritated the s#&t out of him, by digging around in the viv and waking him up. Previously, he spent most of his time in his hammock, where I could very quickly scoot him into the palm of my hand, or else I took him out when he was already awake and active, so I figured he may have just been upset that this time, we actually went digging for him. I only did this because my son has been away at school, and has not had much time to see Nightmare, and I wanted him to have a chance to hold him before he left for school again. As far as him actually biting me, it was a similar situation, where Nightmare was hiding, and I moved his hide, and then attempted to pick him up. He didn't have much room to strike, as he had coiled himself (probably giving me warning) and I reached my hand toward his face because his back was to the wall, and he just gave me a firm bite and let go right away. Despite my shock, I picked him up anyway, in hopes that I would not teach him that biting meant getting his way. He coiled up around my fingers, clearly angry and uncomfortable, so I held him close to my body, very still, until he began to relax, and then let him back into his viv. Another thought that I had about his recent aggression, is that for a while now I have been feeding him outside his viv, but with tongs, letting him strike feed. I wonder if strike feeding has created a strike response to anything stuck near his face? I lean more towards the theory of us just irritating him for 2 reasons. First of all, when I show him a pinkie with the tongs, he takes his time up close, sniffing at it with his cute little tongue before he strikes, so he must be identifying it as food. Secondly, he doesn't strike, or bite every time someone puts their hand in the viv, or takes him out. This leaves me wondering, should I be taking him out more often when he is hiding to get him used to it, in hopes that the aggression will lessen, or should I allow him these times as off limits, and give him space? Part of me feels like this is due in part, to my lack of handling him, because I usually don't take him out unless he is already active. My boyfriend calls it my coddle senses. I feel mean disturbing him. Perhaps my boyfriend is right. I can't expect to socialize him by waiting until he is "in the mood." ???

As for his change in active times, I am wondering, is this perhaps the mating season of corn snakes, and if so, do males (or females for that matter) become more active during the day during this time? If so, are there other changes I should watch for, like eating less, eating more, more aggressive behavior? Is there anything special I should do for him? I have a rubber corn snake he could cuddle. Just kidding! Hahaha. I'm a nut. Is this just a normal spring time thing all snakes do? Is it an age thing? (He was born last October.) Could he be adjusting to our human schedule? (This one I doubt, but what do I know?)

Any way, today was a feeding day, so I waited until I saw him out and about, (around 6:00 PM) and then I grabbed him out with no issues and put him in his feeding place, which is a small, round, critter keeper. I brought him in the living room, and thawed a pinkie and a half, which he happily ate by strike feeding. He seemed calm and happy the whole time. (You know, if a snake could be happy.) I don't think I am messing him up, or harming him, or anything, but I do want to know if I should be changing anything to better care for him. I would appreciate any tips on socializing, and when to handle vs. when to leave him be.

Thanks for reading, and sorry for the lengthy post. As always, I appreciate any advice.

 

[DollysMom]

I don't know why Nightmare is striking at you, but as to striking when feeding that's how my Dolly takes his pinkie from the tongs. As far as I know this is a perfectly normal way for a corn to latch on to the mouse.

Dolly bit me the first time I handled him because I was nervous and tentative and he was scared. I haven't been bitten since. I'm much more confident and he's very mellow and well behaved so far. But that's just me and mine. They are all different. The behavior could be so many different things, but I doubt it is because of his striking at the mouse while feeding.

I've not seen it personally, but many here mention their corns "rattling", so that's definitely something they do.

I know others who are more experienced will weigh in with more. Best wishes.

 

[blacktip]

My 2014 honey is a big time tail rattler. He used to do it every time I took him out but now he only does it when he eats.

 

[HVani]

First thing I would do is check and double check his temperatures. When temps get off it can cause a snake to suddenly be more active and cranky. He seems young for breeding restlessness but who knows.

 

[ArvadaLanee]

I don't think it is his temps. Both thermometers on the warm side stay pretty consistent. They will fluctuate by a degree or two (86°-88°) but no drastic changes. Could he be coming out because he is hungry? Yesterday was his first feeding of one and a half pinkies, (both were on the small side) and he sure ate them up quick. He eats once a week and when he first got here, it seemed to take about 4 days until the lump in his belly was gone, but he seems to be digesting a little faster now, about 2-3 days.

As far as him striking at us, it is not something he does consistently. It was just the one time at my son, and the once when he bit me. I am still leaning toward it being being because we dug him out while he was sleeping. He always calms down once we hold him a while, but he really hates it when we first take him out of the viv.

It's cool that they do that tail rattle thing. What a smart way to scare off predators. Nightmare only did it one time, and it was quite a while ago, but when he did it I thought it was so cute. He was pretending to be a big bad rattler. He sure is an amazing little creature. I can't believe how big he has gotten already!

 

[Ravenessa]

They do become more active... avalon my yearling is on a hunger strike, I am hoping that is mating behavior. One cuddly male is more irritable and does the tail buzzing, he normally comes out to cuddle on his own.. so I just give him a moment. So It may be the season. None of my adult snakes otherwise have really changed though. I am very lucky in dispositions so far (knock wood). But snakes are alike humans, no two are alike...

I would guess it is the season if it's not the temps..

However as long as he has those behaviors I would also be careful with therapy snake until he calms down as he gets older. It may just be a phase too... <3 Im sure they have phases since all other animals do..

 

[cornyjo]

Naughty nightmare!!!! We are yet to join the bite club .Well done you for just carrying on ,that'll teach him lol I note he is now on a pinky and a half growing so quickly eh!! What weight is he now?? Theo weighing in at 29 g and we tried him on his first large pinkie last week with success ,he was coping well with the double small pinky so we thought it was time .Xxx

 

[ArvadaLanee]

Naughty nightmare!!!! We are yet to join the bite club .Well done you for just carrying on ,that'll teach him lol I note he is now on a pinky and a half growing so quickly eh!! What weight is he now?? Theo weighing in at 29 g and we tried him on his first large pinkie last week with success ,he was coping well with the double small pinky so we thought it was time .Xxx

Well, the first scale I had was way off, and I had to get a new one, so I wasn't able to get a real weight on him until recently. He must have been super tiny when we got him, because he was only 11 grams last time I weighed him, which was before he ate. That was surprising to me, because he certainly looks as if he's grown! I am starting to think he may be a bit under weight, and that maybe I should bump up his feedings to every 4 or 5 days instead of once a week. At first, there was no way to do that because it took him 4 days to digest a meal, but now he is digesting much faster, 2-3 days. When I feed him his pinkie and a half, he eats very quickly, and he hasn't had any problems with regurgitation since those 2 he had when I first got him. Thank goodness I have a working scale now to keep track. Hopefully that will help a lot.

As for his biting, he must have just been having a grouchy day that day, because he has never done it again. We have this little round critter keeper that we feed him in, and last time I had him in there, I wasn't thinking and just stuck my finger in there to touch him. Even though he was probably expecting food, and my finger could look like a pinkie, he sniffed at me, and then went about his business, not caring that I was gently touching him. He still hates being taken out of the viv. I am starting to think he may never get over that. He tries to run, and wraps himself around anything he can grab. I have a ton of stuff in there for him, so it can be a pain. Once he's out, he is just fine, though.

Boy, Theo is getting huge! When was he born again? How often do you feed him? I wonder if he will be a big boy. My kids are hoping Nightmare will grow up to be a giant. Lol

 

[cornyjo]

He is getting big eh !!!! We are on two large pinkies every 5 days ,I know he should be on fuzzies by now but I'm reluctant to move him up too quickly because of his early regurge so just taking it slowly . He is gaining weight nicely so not too worried! He is much happier being handled now I think this has more to do with jo being more confident .He is up to 29 grams and his scales seem to be changing into the most amazing pattern especially on under side. He is perfect we are looking into buying his new forever viv shirtless he has grown quite a lot ,Maybe still a tad early but we can be organised ,any info on this??? I'm tempted to get a sliding door rather than top access!????? So many people say coming in from above can result in bites???? What do you think

 

[ArvadaLanee]

I am not sure. That could definitely be an issue Nightmare has, with our viv being a top opening right now. I already have a 55 gallon that I was originally planning to use as Nightmare's forever viv, but I recently found a store that has a 40 gallon that opens from the front about a quarter of the way up, and it was only $86.00 brand new! That is really cheap for my area. My biggest fear of the top opening ones is that I can't find a very large one with the sliding screen. I have only found 20 gallon ones, and I want his forever viv to be at least 40 gallons. The front opening one I found seems pretty cool. Have you seen any like that where you live? I am torn now, because I already have this 55 gallon.
I'm glad Theo and Jo are doing so well! Keep up the good work!

 

[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.

 

[ArvadaLanee]

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!

 

[mjackso630]

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.

 

[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.

 

[ArvadaLanee]

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.

 

[enoreg]

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

 

[ArvadaLanee]

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.

 

[HVani]

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

 

[mjackso630]

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

 

[ArvadaLanee]

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.