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Need some input/advise ASAP

ashton.hutchison

ashton.hutchison

New member
My snow motley has become aggressive. She strikes at the glass if I even look in her tank, she has nailed me MULTIPLE time when I have gone to remove her for cleaning or feeding purposes and bites my wrists when handled. She was laid back when I first acquired her but now she is all but tame, what gives? Can I break her from this aggression?

She eats 2-3 fuzzies every Sunday, her temps are excellent I'm at a loss for her sudden aggressive behavior! HELP!!


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How big is she? If she is eating 2-3 fuzzies, she should actually be moved up in prey size, at least to hopper size. How much does she weigh?

What are the temps in her tank?
Do you have a thermostat to regulate the temps?
They can get cranky if it is too hot.
 
She is 26.25" 42g (as of a month ago so probably weighs more) her ambient temp right this moment is 76 degrees. I do not have her on a thermostat, I have my ball pythons on one but not my corns. I do check her temps at least twice a day with a temp gun and the thermometer in her enclosure. Her temp never falls below 75 nor is it ever above 80.


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Also she rattles her tale and hisses before striking. She is shrinking at me through the glass , anytime I go to clean her enclosure or move her to feed. I'm at a loss!


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ashton.hutchison said:
She is 26.25" 42g (as of a month ago so probably weighs more) her ambient temp right this moment is 76 degrees. I do not have her on a thermostat, I have my ball pythons on one but not my corns. I do check her temps at least twice a day with a temp gun and the thermometer in her enclosure. Her temp never falls below 75 nor is it ever above 80.


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Do you have a hot spot for her, for digesting?

At 42 grams, she should be eating fuzzy mice. I move mine to fuzzies after they are about 32 grams.
I move mine up to hoppers about 52 grams (for next size after that reference).
 
The aggressive behavior is really defensive behavior. Babies think everything bigger than them is trying to eat them, so they act aggressively in hopes of scaring you off.
 
I have her under tank heat pad on the left side right under her hide and it sits at 85 at night and 90 during the day but it is constantly on I never turn it off as I was told to.


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Can I change that behavior? When I first received her she never tried to strike. She was a bit flighty when I went to handle her but there was no aggression. She first started hissing and from there she struck when I would go to handle her then she moved to biting during handling and now she strikes at the glass she rattles her tail and hisses even during her feeds!!


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ashton.hutchison said:
I have her under tank heat pad on the left side right under her hide and it sits at 85 at night and 90 during the day but it is constantly on I never turn it off as I was told to.


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You should have a thermostat for every heat source.
It could be getting too hot for her at times, which can cause the cranky behavior.
Someone may have told you to turn it off until you get a thermostat. It is better to have it too cool, than too hot.
**But you do not want to feed if you turn it off, because too low of temps they cannot digest.


ashton.hutchison said:
Can I change that behavior? When I first received her she never tried to strike. She was a bit flighty when I went to handle her but there was no aggression. She first started hissing and from there she struck when I would go to handle her then she moved to biting during handling and now she strikes at the glass she rattles her tail and hisses even during her feeds!!


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If it is because of unregulated temps from her UTH, that probably won't stop until you get that resolved.
If it is due to her being a baby, it will likely go away in time, as she gets bigger.
Some snakes never adapt to being held though, so there is that possibility.
 
Could the aggression possibly be due to her being in shed? Or do corns not get that aggressive in shed? She is white and pink and I'm told that it will be harder to tell when she is in shed because of her coloring or is that not correct?

I will make sure to get a thermostat today when I pick up some feeders


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Its possible - some snakes feel more vulnerable when shedding. You mentioned that the temp gets up to 90 degrees - that is a little too high. So a thermostat should definitely be employed.

It is true that albino type snakes make it difficult to tell when they are shedding. I usually go by behavior, my amel is more withdrawn before a shed. Also, keeping records will allow you to estimate the next shed.
 
ashton.hutchison said:
Could the aggression possibly be due to her being in shed? Or do corns not get that aggressive in shed? She is white and pink and I'm told that it will be harder to tell when she is in shed because of her coloring or is that not correct?

I will make sure to get a thermostat today when I pick up some feeders


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It could be a factor. When they are in shed, they cannot see as well.
 
It's possible she's in shed... The thing is, they shed their eye caps so it is harder for them to see "predators" through their blurry eye caps, and they don't know what's coming at them.
I have a pink and white snake as well, and unless I catch his eyes in blue before they clear for his actual shed, I will never know if he's actually in shed. It's extremely hard to tell with them.

That being said, the first time I handled him in shed, not knowingly, he was aggressive with me, he hissed and struck- but he was small so he didn't tag me, he missed.
He's calmed down A LOT, though, but he was only ever aggressive during his blue time, so that is a good possibility for your snake's sudden aggression as well.
 
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