Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys and gals I have a question about my brbs behavior that I am sure that most of you have probably seen or know about.
First let me give you background on myself, I am not a beginner. I have successfully kept cal kings, ball python, jungle carpet python, milksnakes, scarlet king, reticulated python, and currently have a bloodred corn, eastern indigo and my new addition a brb.
Ok he is probably in the 2 month age will try and post a pic of him below for you. I keep him in a 10 gallon ( which is plenty big at the minute). He is kept on cypress and moss substrate, hide box, large water dish, under tank heating pad 80w located under the water dish (the hide is on the cool side), and the enclosure is kept at around high 70 to 80 humidity all the time.
He is doing well, eats well, we have been through a shed that went awesome. My guess is if the humidity isn't right with these guys they probably flake like retics do. I got the shed all in one piece though.
My question comes to his behavior. When I lift his hide he is always under a bit of moss coiled up. When I remove the moss he lifts his head as if he is looking for food. I don't think its aggression as he isn't moving back defensively but reaching up forward. Long story short I got nipped by him today. He seems to exhibit this behavior when I get him out and after he eats ( I feed him in a plastic sweater box). He gets fed 2 fuzzies every 3 to 4 days.
Are these guys funny about being picked up? Do I need to get a snake hook to get him out and put him back? I do not handle him daily, I let him eat and put him back most of the time . I don't want him under any undo stress being small atm. Any insight on behavior would be greatly appreciated.There are a ton of sites and all of them talk about how tame and great these guys are.Some mention being snippy when little but don't seem to talk much about it.

Thanks a bunch
Matt

Going to try and post a pic of him

It sounds like you have things in order for the little guy. Yes, the baby brb's can be nippy, but they seem to calm down very quickly (a few weeks). Did you say what temp the tank is at - I know you mentioned heater size?

I would think that you may be feeding a bit too often. My brb's seem to be aggressive when they are digesting their food, and IMO feeding two fuzzies every 3 to 4 days would have the brb always digesting food. At this age I feed one animal once per week. Depending on the snakes size I feed a hopper or small mouse.

After I feed my snakes, I am hands off of them for 3 days to allow them time to digest. At this point they fine with being handled. Once, I decided to totally clean some hide boxes (moss pits) the day after I fed them - all but one tried to bite me.
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Mike

6.7 BRB
1.2 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

After I get done feeding I set my feeding container in the cage and allow the snakes to come out on their own - as some of mine are a bit aggressive just after eating. You may need to switch to feeding in a shoe box to try this, as I would not think the sweater box would fit in the 10G tank.
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Mike

6.7 BRB
1.2 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

It sounds to me like you're doing everything right. My CRB does the same thing when I open up her humidity box she'll be buried under it, they love their humidity are I pick up the moss she'll raise her her up, this is in a completely non-aggressive like you said. I always took this as curiosity more than anythings as she's never struck met or even at me. I think they are just trying to get a look at what's happening to their hiding spot.

On another note you may be over feeding. Feeding your snake that much will have them constantly digesting which is not what snakes need to do. Maybe try giving a larger feeder to your snake only once a week. This may help with the nippiness as they won't always be digesting so they won't always feel in danger. But at 2 months of age I'd say it's just the snake is young and most snakes when young can be nippy at times.
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Thank you,

Tim

0.1 Colombian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Black cat

Nothing I can add except to agree with everyone else...

Baby BRB's are nippy and will settle down as they age AS LONG AS you don't let the baby intimidate you. When I'm cleaning if one strikes, it's immediately picked up and handled, even if it bites me I still continue to handle it. Only after it's been handled and is not biting/striking do I put it away.

Appropriate size meals once a week is plenty. Baby BRB's can eat a hopper mouse or rat pink as their first meal and grow like weeds so can move up in size fairly rapidly. Twice a week AND two fuzzies are both overkill. Once a week with a mouse hopper or rat pink is fine and yours may already have grown to the point it can take larger meals.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
24.36 BRB
19.19 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Thanks guys gave me all the fuel I need to go forward, I really appreciate the feedback.