What to do with very aggressive garter

[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.