Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My female burmese is just a little thing, about 3 foot long (or a bit less). She hates people and will hiss, lunge, and bite anyone near enough. My question is, I've heard that most adults are docile and most babies are nippy... does this mean that they naturally calm down with age?

When they gain size, so they automatically calm down, or is it something that requires working with and being bitten a ton to get to happen?
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~Sara~
5.5 ball pythons
1.0 Black-lined plated lizard (Lizzy Butt)
0.1 Burmese Python (Pixil)
2.1 Pet Rats
1.1 Dogs (Ozzie and Mandy)
0.1 Cat (Isis)
0.0.1 Synodontis Catfish (Big Spotty Fish)
0.2 Convict Cichlids

You have to work with them. This does not necassarily mean that you have to get bit a lot, though an occassional bite might occur. What kind of caging are you using. The reason I ask is because if it is a top opening enclosure then that also might be a little problem. As a juvenile snake all predators appear to them from above. When you open their cage and reach in to remove the snake he naturally will percieve your big hand as a predator. I strongly recommend front opening enclosures if at all possible. Secondly, hook train your snake. It is still young enough so you can condition it. Everytime you get into its cage for anything other then feeding, gently rub its body or head with a hook. Over tiem this will condition the snake into knowing when the hook comes in and touches it then it is not feeding time. Never hook him or touch him with the hook when it is time to feed. It will not take long for him to differentiate the differences.
When handling your snake, make slow deliberate movements. Support his body evenly so that he feels secure and let him naturally explore where he wants to. Keep control of him and limit him but let him basically choose his own course. Now the next step I believe to be the most vital part. If he gets upset and starts hissing and even striking, do not put him right back in his enclosure. Suck it up, be a little more cautious and continue the handling. If you get bit and put the snake back then you are conditioning him. He doesn't want to be messed with he shows a little attitude he gets put back. This is not hte outcome we are desiring. Remember, burms tend to be more vocal and tend to be a little aggressive in their cage. Once outside of their cage they are usually pretty calm but will still often hiss loudly. Welcome to burms...lol. Hope this helps, Todd

Sounds like I need to get a hook and a front opening cage. I'd get some nice gloves too, but I think that would do harm (more scary) and she tends to bite places other than hands.
If I sprayed my arms with bitter apple spray and she bit them, would that deter future bites?
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~Sara~
5.5 ball pythons
1.0 Black-lined plated lizard (Lizzy Butt)
0.1 Burmese Python (Pixil)
2.1 Pet Rats
1.1 Dogs (Ozzie and Mandy)
0.1 Cat (Isis)
0.0.1 Synodontis Catfish (Big Spotty Fish)
0.2 Convict Cichlids

ive got an albino about the same size as yours, bought it for my wife. When i first got her she would blow u out the cage, then try to eat u when u got her out. I stuck one of my wifes shirts in there for a few weeks the nice guy i am. that worked pretty good the only problem is shes about the only one that can handle her now. She ate me up when i try to handle her, but my wife can get her out nice as can be

I tried this, and it helped, A LOT! Thank you for the idea! She still hissed when I picked her up, but I had her out about 10 minutes before she began to hiss again. Usually it is nonstop.
I'm going to continue with this for quite a while longer, and see if it helps even more in the longrun. I'll stop when it seems to have reached the point where it won't do any more good.

Any other suggestions?
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~Sara~
5.5 ball pythons
1.0 Black-lined plated lizard (Lizzy Butt)
0.1 Burmese Python (Pixil)
2.1 Pet Rats
1.1 Dogs (Ozzie and Mandy)
0.1 Cat (Isis)
0.0.1 Synodontis Catfish (Big Spotty Fish)
0.2 Convict Cichlids

just keep handling her acouple times a week 5 to 10 min intervals and only put her up when she good and calm, and she should calm down, seems to be working for ours pretty good, shed time about the time u got to watch her real cranky then