Survival Instincts Remembered

[guidofatherof5]

I took my boy Scar outside last weekend for some fresh air. He was sitting in my hand as I walked onto the back deck. Once the sun hit him and he felt the breeze on him his tongue really started flicking. I walked out into the grass and decided to set him down. He was facing away from me when I put him down. Not 2 seconds after hitting the grass he flattened his head, coiled up, turned and struck at me. He continued to strike if I made any movements towards him. As I moved around him he turned his head and followed my every movement. His survival instincts are so automatic. He is so beat up and scared(hence the name) from both animal and probably people attacks.
So, I decided to test out this observation. I picked him up. Almost instantaneously his head went back to normal and he uncoiled out of the striking position. So, I set him back down in the grass. The result was the same attack as before. I did this procedure 3 more time and each time he calmed down when picked up but went defensive when put in the grass.
No wonder he has been able to survive so well. It also helps explain why his kids from Lucky are so jumpy(strike happy) he passed that survival mode on to them. I hope to get another year of stud service out of the old guy. I don't want this survival instinct to be lost.
I take many of my snakes outside for fresh air and sunshine and most of them never react this way.
When Scar is in his enclosure is is one of the first to greet me when I open it up. Never striking or any aggressiveness.

[ssssnakeluvr]

very interesting!!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

that sounds pretty typical of a lot of the adults that I did not raise... namely the infernalis,and the new albino marci's. Take them outside and set them down and they are instantly on their guard!

[guidofatherof5]

that sounds pretty typical of a lot of the adults that I did not raise... namely the infernalis,and the new albino marci's. Take them outside and set them down and they are instantly on their guard!

I have some wild caught(rescued) snake who once outside don't show any for this defensive behavior. Many of them are only with me a few weeks before they get some outside time. Granted, they will try to get away but nothing on the aggression side. When I pick them back up they calm down. For my snakes on the Ranch I don't think typical would describe what I observed. I don't think Scar is anyway close to an average radix as far as life experience goes. He has come to trust me only after many long months of daily work but reverts back to the wild in the blink of an eye. When I first found him I thought he would never adapt to the captive life style.
Scar was found outside after escaping from inside the house earlier this year.http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gene...acle-find.html When Gabby found him he bit her. She brought him to me and he calmed down once I had a hold of him. He's a very special snake and I have a lot to learn from him.

[mustang]

ooo new sci project....
test trials
1. ouch
2.ouch
3.ouch
hmmmmm i wonder if itll happen ag...YOUCH!!!hahaha

when put checker on the grass he did this
1. run VERY VERY fast and alsost got away
2. run VERY VERY fast and alsost got away
3. run VERY VERY fast and alsost got away and then i put him back in his cage

[ConcinusMan]

I know the post is kinda old but I wanted to add my 2 cents worth.

I think that's a reaction to feeling vulnerable. For whatever reason, when you set scar down, he didn't feel safe. When you picked him up, he did feel safe. No mystery there. You also have to remember he probably couldn't see you all that well. I get the impression that many garters really don't see very well, but they do see motion, and of course, if you're feeling vulnerable, and you're a snake, you'll take defensive maneuvers against anything that moves. About the tongue going crazy.. unfamilar surroundings, smells, etc. can incite that feeling of being vulnerable, and so the tongue goes nutso looking for anything familiar and safe.

Could be that his habit of acting the way he did, instead of fleeing, is what earned him those scars! I can only hope that this spring I can end up with a garter pal with such spirit!

[guidofatherof5]

I know the post is kinda old but I wanted to add my 2 cents worth.

I think that's a reaction to feeling vulnerable. For whatever reason, when you set scar down, he didn't feel safe. When you picked him up, he did feel safe. No mystery there. You also have to remember he probably couldn't see you all that well. I get the impression that many garters really don't see very well, but they do see motion, and of course, if you're feeling vulnerable, and you're a snake, you'll take defensive maneuvers against anything that moves. About the tongue going crazy.. unfamilar surroundings, smells, etc. can incite that feeling of being vulnerable, and so the tongue goes nutso looking for anything familiar and safe.

Could be that his habit of acting the way he did, instead of fleeing, is what earned him those scars! I can only hope that this spring I can end up with a garter pal with such spirit!

Scar does have great spirit. He is a unique radix. I feel a great loss when any of my snakes die but when Scar's time comes it will not be welcomed. I'm blessed to have had his company over the last few years. His strong will has taught be to be more patient with all my snakes. The payoff for that patients is a new friend. The old boy and I have got a history and I think we both look forward. to the time we spend together. The other night I took the old man out and let him rest on a heated blanket. It was on high and the old guy melted into it. I sat and watched a movie while he rested. It's so nice getting these guys on this kind of trust level. Worth every moment of time getting there.