Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Lerk, my new retic has been fine for several weeks and never seemed to get upset or anything but the other day i went to get him out and he struck at me. I thought maybe i just scared him so i made sure he saw and could smell me and tried it again and a few more times he struck at me again. Well i chalked it up to he was in a bad mood so i left him alone that day. Well now for 3 days he is doing the same thing when i try to get him out he strikes. I have put him and my female together as they are both small to save space right now. I am wondering could this be the reason he is acting this way? maybe trying to protect her or something?
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Greg

Hi Greg,

snakes dont feel emotions, they know fight or flight. i am thinking either he is getting ready to shed, or poop. he simply wants to be left alone for a little while so he can do his business... or since you changed his environment maybe he is a little stressed. if you reduce the stress he will be mellow again.

good luck!
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www.monstersnakesforums.com

When was the last time you fed him? He could just be hungry.
Retics are notorious for their feeding response, and a lot of times people confuse that with them being agressive snakes.

Thanks for the replies. He was fed last weekend and had a pretty big meal. Today is feeding day but i do think he is about to shed because for one he keeps laying around in the water. and today his eyes started to look a little cloudy.
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Greg

in your statement of combining him and the other retic. In his little eyes he now has a competitor for food and space which most likely is making him stressed.
He went from a quiet lonely cage to having another "being" in there moving and keeping him alert. No more sitting there chilled out and relaxed.
Give him back his cage and some alone time for a day or two afterward. Then start handling him again. Lastly, dont let his defensiveness stop your handling of him, it only works to enforce the negative actions of striking and biting.

Notah

>>Lerk, my new retic has been fine for several weeks and never seemed to get upset or anything but the other day i went to get him out and he struck at me. I thought maybe i just scared him so i made sure he saw and could smell me and tried it again and a few more times he struck at me again. Well i chalked it up to he was in a bad mood so i left him alone that day. Well now for 3 days he is doing the same thing when i try to get him out he strikes. I have put him and my female together as they are both small to save space right now. I am wondering could this be the reason he is acting this way? maybe trying to protect her or something?
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>>Greg

Thanks. No i have not let it stop me from getting him out. Once i have him in my hands he does not strike again. I have moved him out of the cage and back to one of his own. I was right also he is starting to shed. eyes got really cloudy today so i'm sure that had something to do with it also.
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Greg