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.