Re: does my greenish have a bad attitude????

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Posted by John Robinson on August 19, 2001 at 20:47:22:

In Reply to: does my greenish have a bad attitude???? posted by Ratsnake on August 19, 2001 at 13:52:31:

Since you mentioned one of your behaviors (touching the glass) that illicits a striking response from your snake I assume that you have done this enough times to see a pattern. It is especially important not to encourage striking behavior as this can develope into a pattern that will persist into adulthood.

It is kind of interesting to watch a snake strike and as long as there is glass in between, you are safe. Snakes have a pretty good idea of how far away an object is and will avoid smashing their face into it. When they strike they usually arrive at the object they are striking very lightly. This is not true when they see you and not the glass. In this case they dash their face into the glass and can severly damage their noses.

The best thing that you can do to stop him from striking is never get him to the point of doing it. This is not always easy but if he is allowed to become fearful or antagonized enough to strike it is time for you to back off. Snakes don't strike defensively unless they feel threatened.

Children love to tease a dog on a leash or through a fence to see that vicious, snarling behavoir. It is actually kind of funny to see that much rage and fury thrashing around trying to kill you but unable to inflict any harm. When the leash finally breaks or the fence pushes over there is big trouble for moose and squirrel!

I have found that a snake hook is far less threatening to a snake than a human hand. Slip this in under him and lift him gently in the middle. By handling him gently, even wearing gloves if it makes you feel safer, he will learn to focus his energies on slowly exploring around rather than attacking what he perceives to be an aggressor.

Good luck calming his nerves!

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: Since you mentioned one of your behaviors (touching the glass) that illicits a striking response from your snake I assume that you have done this enough times to see a pattern. It is especially important not to encourage striking behavior as this can develope into a pattern that will persist into adulthood. : It is kind of interesting to watch a snake strike and as long as there is glass in between, you are safe. Snakes have a pretty good idea of how far away an object is and will avoid smashing their face into it. When they strike they usually arrive at the object they are striking very lightly. This is not true when they see you and not the glass. In this case they dash their face into the glass and can severly damage their noses. : The best thing that you can do to stop him from striking is never get him to the point of doing it. This is not always easy but if he is allowed to become fearful or antagonized enough to strike it is time for you to back off. Snakes don't strike defensively unless they feel threatened. : Children love to tease a dog on a leash or through a fence to see that vicious, snarling behavoir. It is actually kind of funny to see that much rage and fury thrashing around trying to kill you but unable to inflict any harm. When the leash finally breaks or the fence pushes over there is big trouble for moose and squirrel! : I have found that a snake hook is far less threatening to a snake than a human hand. Slip this in under him and lift him gently in the middle. By handling him gently, even wearing gloves if it makes you feel safer, he will learn to focus his energies on slowly exploring around rather than attacking what he perceives to be an aggressor. : Good luck calming his nerves!

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