Aggressive

[SpyrotheGartersnake]

what makes garter aggressive? do pinkies mice and other rodents make them aggressive? i need to know because i want to change my garter to eat primarily on pinkies

[Garter_Gertie]

Huh?

My thinking is that food doesn't make them aggressive. Lack of may. Winnie's eaten fish and rabbit and is just as sweet and docile as she's ever been.

What a strange question...

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

no.... eating food does not make a snake aggressive... it makes them full! Whether they eat this or that is not going to drastically alter their mood and turn them viscious

[infernalis]

A snakes behavior is based on many factors, however to the best of my knowledge, food item selection is not one of them.

[Odie]

When I do find slugs in the yard, Stripe is all over them like he's starving

[drache]

I think this may be an off-shoot of the vegetarian myth that meat-eaters are more aggressive than vegetarians
in nature as a general rule of thumb, I suppose carnivores are more "aggressive" than herbivores, but I don't think that within those parameters food choices make that much difference, although apparently the taste of human flesh changes a predator's preferences, which from our point of view would make them more aggressive, but that's another subject
my most aggressive eater is my most handleable garter and she eats primarily rat pups

[Garter_Gertie]

Gosh. Then, theoretically, we could breed Thamnophis sirtalis pitpullius. Just joking. Interesting supposition though. The flip side o'the coin idea.

Winnie when eating does take on a different 'personality' that could seem aggressive. She's single-minded and a snake outta control! But that's probably, I think, got something do with the survival instinct and so she put all her concentration and ENERGY into the capture of food. Self preservation and all that. She seems aggressive from a human's point of view, possibly. But I've never termed it aggressive as I wasn't coming from that perspective. But it could be considered that I suppose.

[infernalis]

Oh Gertie your in for some fun, "Peepers" is an aggressive eater, I have no doubt that he will take food from your hand, and vigorously at that.

The one with the stripes, "Jeepers"?? is very shy, he will hide until your not looking, and then like magic, the food will simply vanish.

The feeding strike, flattening of the head, and swallowing like crazy, are all survival instincts, chow and run.. before something bigger comes along.

[Garter_Gertie]

Do me a favor, Dekay; would'ja? PLEASE don't feed my babies any yellow slugs in the next two weeks or so. Otay? ROFLOL!!!

Did I see this Sun when I did the drumsticks: A cobra-like rearing and swaying? Like trying to access whatever it was I was holding - since it looked different?

She then struck but didn't go after it again UNTIL she licked MY FINGER. THEN she struck and caught the drumstick.

The 'try' striking could be considered scary (aggressive seeming). As so could the accessment process.

Am I thinking too much? Or did I see and register correctly?

[infernalis]

Gertie an over thinker?? are you dreaming snakes in your sleep yet??