I've got two that I never allow anyone else to handle. They both have nasty attitudes.

One will allow me to pick him up and handle him, but if anyone else comes within 2-3 feet he immediately goes into strike mode and becomes extremely defensive. I don't know what it is about me that keeps him calm, but I can pick up, walk around, whatever and he is fine. If anyone else tries to even get close to his tub (when it is open) he loses it real quick.

My other hyper-defensive snake just doesn't like anyone or anything... period. He feed great (so does the other one), but I swear 75% of the time he strikes just because something is in his face. It's not until after the first strike that he seems to realize he is being offered food. When he was shipped to me he was supposed to be over a year old (almost two) and only weighed about 450 grams. (I'll never buy from that "breeder" again.) When I opened the deli container he was shipped in he tagged me twice before I could blink and was preparing for number 3 before I realized what happened. I've heard various snakes in my collection hiss before, but this guy was loud... real loud. He sounded more like a rattler than a ball.

He still hasn't calmed down and I don't know exactly why he is so defensive, I couldn't say if it was from his first year or so with that breeder or if he is just naturally predisposed to being a spaz. Either way... my defensive animals are some of my favorites... they spice it up a little.

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