What to do with very aggressive garter

[Ruth]

You may of seen that I posted an update on my obscurus thread regarding my Florida Blue deciding it would be a good idea to bite me. In case you didn't what happened this is what happened. While thrashing about trying to get away from me (about to be fed) my boys came running up the stairs shouting and I lost concentration and she made a dash for it. I called for my partner to help me catch her which actually wasn't too difficult but when I got hold of her I didn't hold her quite well enough and she got a hold of my thumb and chomped down. She held on and on so I got hubby to get some cold water and tried dunking her three times with no response. I tried gently prizing her jaw open as she was only held on with half her mouth but she just bit down harder. I eventually admitted defeat and pulled her gently off. She fed as normal and seemed no worse the ware. She was holding on a good 10 minutes and I so wish I took a photo as it was genuinely quite interesting as had a very good view of the inside of her mouth but hubby was white and I didn't think he would be able to take a photo lol.

Since this incident she has not improved in fact I think she's got worse. This evening she struck hard three times at me as I went past her enclosure. So hard that it can't of done her any good, it made a loud bang. There is no way I am now going to be able to remove her and not get bitten. So what is the best way to deal with this ? Is something wrong with her, she has been frisky since I got her but wasn't aggressive. Is it due to the weather warming up here in the uk and her feeling a little randy.

I am actually quite concerned that maybe there is something wrong with her and am very worried about her being stressed. Saying this she feeds fine and is healthy in every way I can see.

She has a three foot viv with hiding spots access to water and the temperature is good. She measures around 16 inches (i think) and is definitely a female.

[gibble888]

I feel for you, i have a pair infernalis and i think they hate me. First it was just the female but the male has since turned to the dark side. Mine wont strike the glass but anytime i am working in the cage im fair game for biting, tail whipping,and musking. I have started having better success handling them if i try to pick them up and they are pissy i just let them go....sometimes i think i have picked them up before they realise and then they are good and i handle them as long as i can. My prob is i work soooo much to handle them daily but thats what they need.

[guidofatherof5]

Is this a top opening enclosure?

[EKS56]

I'll be watching this thread. I have one that was as sweet as she could be until her "Spring time" arrived. Now she thinks everything that moves is food... including the tips of my fingers.
I don't know about everybody else but I bleed when I get bit. :O I don't know that I will let mine hang onto me for ten minutes or not?

[d_virginiana]

Some snakes are just naturally more on-edge than others and similis have a reputation for bad tempers. As long as she's eating well I'd assume nothing's wrong with her though. The only thing I can think of is that, if you spent time just hanging out in the room, she would eventually realize that she's safe in her tank and stop striking at the walls when you're near.
My new albino was the same way, but I'm in there all the time and it took him about two weeks to realize that I'm not going to eat him.

Otherwise, maybe just try not to come at her from above when you're doing stuff inside the tank?

[infernalis]

"Agressive" is exactly how I prefer my snakes.

It encourages less touching, and more looking.

[Ruth]

No it's a front opening enclosure.

[Ruth]

"Agressive" is exactly how I prefer my snakes.

It encourages less touching, and more looking.

There's no way I prefer this. I don't mind frisky and a little nip but she's out for blood lol. She actually stares at me and is of the mind set of fight not flight. I have a moody corn who will take a disliking to me every now and then which is fine , he's actually one of my favs.

At the moment she is crazy.

I'm thinking of maybe getting an enclosure that can be partitioned so that she can be sectioned off for cleaning and feeding and not handled unless totally necessary. I just hope the striking stops when I'm walking past.

[Ruth]

I'll be watching this thread. I have one that was as sweet as she could be until her "Spring time" arrived. Now she thinks everything that moves is food... including the tips of my fingers.
I don't know about everybody else but I bleed when I get bit. :O
I don't know that I will let mine hang onto me for ten minutes or not?

I let her hold on as I didn't want to damage her and was sure she would give up, she just stared at me though and kept biting trying to draw my thumb further in. I did bleed quite a bit and the sensation was a little like stinging nettles and wasn't what I would call painful. My thumb looked like I'd be caught by Brambles and didn't swell and healed very quickly. My thumb was irritated foe a few ours afterwards similar to if I had been stung by nettles. I think I may wear gloves when I need to handle her again , if I can find some small enough that i can still manage to feel things with. Though this wont help much with getting her to release.

[infernalis]

Here is a tip.

I keep a few "insane" snakes, I tong feed them a hopper / fuzzy mouse, and while they are busy eating it, I transfer to a tote and then clean the cage.

when done, I simply pour the snake into it's cage and close it up.

They can't bite you if they are busy eating.

[Selkielass]

My larger snakes (eastern and checkered) become seasonal lying good aggressive, but nothing as severe as you describe. (Tong feeding saves my fingers from mis-strikes.)

Moving while latched onto food may work. Some on of my snakes will let go of food if disturbed while eating tho...

If this is the case, place the food in a feeding container and -'encourage' her to enter so you can close up and contain her the way venomous handlers do.

I hope the striking at glass will pass as hormones and seasonal factors change.
Would you consider trying a homeopathic stress relief preparation like aconite or bachelor flower rescue remedy? They work for cats and dogs... not sure how they'd go over in the water dish or sprinkled over food.

[Ruth]

My larger snakes (eastern and checkered) become seasonal lying good aggressive, but nothing as severe as you describe. (Tong feeding saves my fingers from mis-strikes.)

Moving while latched onto food may work. Some on of my snakes will let go of food if disturbed while eating tho...

If this is the case, place the food in a feeding container and -'encourage' her to enter so you can close up and contain her the way venomous handlers do.


I hope the striking at glass will pass as hormones and seasonal factors change.
Would you consider trying a homeopathic stress relief preparation like aconite or bachelor flower rescue remedy? They work for cats and dogs... not sure how they'd go over in the water dish or sprinkled over food.

The striking is what is really concerning me now as I can't help but think she is unhappy if doing this. I have no idea about homeopathic remedies.

I think I will try and give her a really over the top planted enclosure as to be fair I rather fancy one anyway and see if that helps. I could pop in an over head uv for the plants and plant up to limit her viewing the outside world unless she wants to. I'm hoping her behavior is partly down to hormones and she'll have more calm months.

Maybe I should make a cardboard cut out of myself to stand over her , so she gets used to my presence lol.

[chris-uk]

They can't bite you if they are busy eating.

I had to do exactly the same when my bitey checkered launched herself out the viv during feeding last week. I got a pinky into her mouth then picked her up and popped her back in the viv.

[infernalis]

I keep a black racer... I can't think of any more off the chain species. That thing will smack it's nose against the glass trying to get a bite in. He's handleable when he has a mouse in his mouth, but I will never reach in his cage otherwise.

[EKS56]

I think mine will calm down after her "spring time" emergence. I have a pair. They were not brumated but still are showing a similar pattern for inactivity then an huge increase in activity. The female went from eating sporadically to eating everything in sight and the male went from a four month fast to eating regularly. It was strange they both changed their behavoir on the same day. The male has not offered to bite.
How long have you had your snake and is it a pair?

[Natrix]

As most on here will have read, and I know Chris will confirm, I recently took in two re-homes that were part of a collection whose owner had pass away. The flame is very aggressive, striking at anything that moves past her line of sight. This is heightened at feeding time. So did some research into the matter and found that rubber washing up glove may well be the answer. Snakes apparently hate the taste of rubber. Recommended handling time is 1hr - 2hrs per week, this should desensitize the snake and hopefully deter it from biting. Well worth a try! ;)

[Ruth]

As most on here will have read, and I know Chris will confirm, I recently took in two re-homes that were part of a collection whose owner had pass away. The flame is very aggressive, striking at anything that moves past her line of sight. This is heightened at feeding time. So did some research into the matter and found that rubber washing up glove may well be the answer. Snakes apparently hate the taste of rubber. Recommended handling time is 1hr - 2hrs per week, this should desensitize the snake and hopefully deter it from biting. Well worth a try! ;)

That's interesting thank you.

To answer the previous question she came to me from another forum member a couple of months ago and is on her own.

Thanks to all your help and reassurance, I'm glad that she's not the only lunatic out there and feel much better that she's just a moody cow and nothing is wrong with her. I will try a heavily planted enclosure and may try the desensitizing idea but if she doesn't want to be held I will just have to look and not touch. Hopefully she will calm down with the striking at the glass as I really don't like to see her do this and feel she must be stressed. She is one very beautiful girl though and such wonderful colours.

Love the idea of moving her while feeding in an emergency but I would imagine it's best not to do that to often as don't want her to go off her food though she's a pig so I doubt she'd get put off.

Thanks all and I will keep you updated with her antics, and will keep a camera near me next time to take a snap of her snap :)

[chris-uk]

I have a couple that are definitely for watching only, not because they bite but because they just haven't settled even with regular handling. I think it's safe to say a snake that is biting defensively isn't a happy snake and if it doesn't get accustomed to handling you'll be doing the right thing to keep it as one to watch. I suppose the upside for my non-handle ones is that because they don't bite I don't have to worry about keeping them with ones that I do have contact with, I'm not going to take a bite when I open the viv to take out a tank mate.

[Darlo]

Sorry to hear my little girl has turned into the spawn of Satan Ruth. Florida Blues do have the reputation for being moody but she does seem to have developed a real edge to her. Rod's advice regarding rubber gloves is well worth trying and I have heard of many success stories using such an approach.

[Ruth]

Sorry to hear my little girl has turned into the spawn of Satan Ruth. Florida Blues do have the reputation for being moody but she does seem to have developed a real edge to her. Rod's advice regarding rubber gloves is well worth trying and I have heard of many success stories using such an approach.

It's ok and I am looking after her well I promise. She really is very lovely in every other way, she just doesn't think the same of me. I am thinking that it may be hormonal as the weather really has warmed up over the past week after being very cool. I will be relocating her over the next couple of weeks and will see what happens then.

[Darlo]

It's ok and I am looking after her well I promise. She really is very lovely in every other way, she just doesn't think the same of me. I am thinking that it may be hormonal as the weather really has warmed up over the past week after being very cool. I will be relocating her over the next couple of weeks and will see what happens then.

I am sure you are taking first class care of her Ruth and she is a lucky little lady to have such a caring 'mother'.

[Steveo]

I keep a black racer... I can't think of any more off the chain species. That thing will smack it's nose against the glass trying to get a bite in. He's handleable when he has a mouse in his mouth, but I will never reach in his cage otherwise.

I once brought a racer home overnight to weigh and sex for a survey...I thought it was either going to exhaust or stress itself to death. The only way I was able to grab it in the first place was that it was 45 degrees and rainy when I found it. Getting it from a heated tub back into a pillowcase the next morning was a funky good time.

[Ruth]

Well she's calmed down a bit but due to my manky self and the amount of trouble I'm having with my back I am now looking at re-homing her. I don't re-home my animals so this feels horrible. I took her out tonight and she tried to do a runner, didn't get far but if it had been on an off day I could of lost her and I'm having a lot of off days :(. If I don't find her a wonderful new home I'm going to go down the route of getting a sectional viv so she wont have to be handled. I really don't want to loose her and would feel awful if she got out .

[d_virginiana]

Well she's calmed down a bit but due to my manky self and the amount of trouble I'm having with my back I am now looking at re-homing her. I don't re-home my animals so this feels horrible.

Re-homing is different than abandoning ;) Even though it's always tough, doing what's best for an animal is never something you should feel guilty or bad about.
Best of luck with whatever you end up deciding on though.

[d_virginiana]

Also, this is just a thought... But my yearling male is in a viv right beside my 13-year-old blind guy who always comes out to greet me when he feels/smells me come into the room. He always seems to follow the bigger, calmer snake's 'cues' for lack of a better word. If you decide to make her an environment where she doesn't have to be handled, maybe try to put it beside a group of very friendly snakes? It's a longshot, but constantly seeing them react positively to you might eventually get her to a manageable state where she won't flip out for basic maintenance/handling.

(I apologize if this has already been suggested, but I haven't had time to go back and re-read the thread)

[Ruth]

Also, this is just a thought... But my yearling male is in a viv right beside my 13-year-old blind guy who always comes out to greet me when he feels/smells me come into the room. He always seems to follow the bigger, calmer snake's 'cues' for lack of a better word. If you decide to make her an environment where she doesn't have to be handled, maybe try to put it beside a group of very friendly snakes? It's a longshot, but constantly seeing them react positively to you might eventually get her to a manageable state where she won't flip out for basic maintenance/handling.

(I apologize if this has already been suggested, but I haven't had time to go back and re-read the thread)

I hadn't thought of this. I actually think its a great idea. She is obviously intelligent , scarily so, so I could see this working. I did also wonder if I let her live with one or more of my obscurus if that would help but she's a decent amount bigger and I have no idea if she would take kindly to other snakes. I will sit in front of her viv and handle my snakes there. Thanks for the suggestion anythings worth a shot.

I moved her to on top of the bearded dragons so that she can get used to there being more movement as he's seen to at least three times a day. She greeted me and the kids this morning buy puffing up a little but no striking at the glass. Oh we'll she is beautiful though :)

[Darlo]

Sorry to hear about your ill health Ruth. I noticed the ad yesterday...hope you find a loving home.

[Ruth]

Ok so I couldn't bare to part with her and amazingly she started to improve. This morning I was chatting to someone saying how well behaved she'd been although still not able to be handled and will go to strike but not too over the top and not going for me through the glass. So I come home and defrost a pinkie for the little darling. I place it on her tile and walk away. Normally she gobbles it up ever so quick but a fair amount of time passed and as it's hot here at the moment I didn't want to leave the pinkie out too long. Out comes the pinkie with the aid of a long spoon , I lift up her tile where she lies and offer the pinkie to her (again it's still on a long spoon. She smells the pinkie but sees me and it's me she wants and goes to fly at my face lol. Still in the viv door closed, I didn't know I could be so quick, she's on the hunt for me striking like mad through the glass. Her tile is up against the door obscuring her view of me but she went out her way to see me and try to get me. I moved to the side and she went and ate her mouse. She is totally nuts.

So yes I know it was quite possible she would strike at me but why the heck is she choosing to not bite my hand or arm but go straight for the face. She is the same at other times and will only go for my hand if it's touching her. She's not mistaking me for food.

[EKS56]

My Blackneck female has taken a notion to bite. I have been feeding her in her cage but have started changing containers to feed her in the hopes it gets better.

[Ruth]

My Blackneck female has taken a notion to bite. I have been feeding her in her cage but have started changing containers to feed her in the hopes it gets better.

I can't get the cow into a container without her drawing blood. All my others are fed in separate containers for practical reasons. I just don't know what her issue is she's totally crazy. I think she just likes keeping me on my toes.

[d_virginiana]

I can't get the cow into a container without her drawing blood. All my others are fed in separate containers for practical reasons. I just don't know what her issue is she's totally crazy. I think she just likes keeping me on my toes.

Honestly, I think that some snakes really do take care when they're eating. My blind guy has accidentally bitten me before. He's big enough to do a good bit of damage, but never has even left a mark when he bites.
I have others that go absolutely insane when it's feeding time. They're fine 99% of the time, but when food comes into the room they go nuts. They'll attack things that they normally identify as NOT food. Like decor. Or the tank wall.

Could be she realizes you're there and you're not going to try to kill her, but now she's getting defensive over food? Like wanting you to get away from her food or something? Could be it's a positive step that now she realizes you're not going to eat her, she feels like she needs to compete with you...