Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got a hatchling Egyptian about a year ago and he's been handled on a regular basis but he is still aggressive towards me or anyone else who handles him. He'll turn his head around and try his hardest to get his mouth around you. I've noticed that if I handle him for a long period of time, he tries harder. There are times when he will calm down and just sit in my hand then he'll suddenly get aggressive.

I've never had any experience with Egyptians before this one, just Malis, and all of them have been adults. I haven't been able to find much information about Egyptians.. but has anyone else had a problem with this? I don't want a large aggressive Egyptian in the years to come.

sounds like he doesn't want to be held. keep messing with it will probably make it worse. that really seems like fear "defense mechanism" more than aggression. aggression would be more like you put your hand in the cage and it lunges at you to bite,etc.
you have to let it acclimate to it's new home.
let's imagine a big aggressive egyptian that does not want to be held but rather climb on you and carve you up when it's time to go in. or a hissing tail whipping biting one that will not let you "enter" the cage for any reason.
your's sees you as a threat still- an aggressive one would see you more like competition.
cut back on the handling it's not aggressive just not acclimated.
it needs to feel at home before the big scary humans come touching it and otherwise molesting it's home and self.
if there is a correlationne that wants to be held may actually have a better chance to be aggressive-people confuse dominant and freindly sometimes.
i do not think you have reason to worry at this time.

sorry:
you said a year-maybe just don't hold it period
highly overrated anyway
it is still young-cut the stress someday maybe it will tolerate it.
don't forget room temps.
i only have one that likes handling but in his mind he is handling me(dominance vs. friendly)they told me on the forum and i see it is true.
the puppy is cute on the couch... the rottweiller is not.

Wow.
Sorry to hear that.
I have many Egyptians, and approx 6 years working with them, so I am not an expert, but I have never been bitten out of anger.
I do have one aggressive Female, who has laid three clutches, and becomes much, much more aggressive during egg development(while gravid) and for a few weeks post depositing of eggs.
She would literally headbutt my hand when cleaning the cage during these times.
Her aggression is mostly aimed at the shop vac during cleaning, which she would repeatedly try to bite.
I have two large males that have never ever shown signs of aggression toward me.
All that said, I can understand the idea of not wanting a large aggressive Egyptian. I have been bitten, when trying to force feed a 22" egyptian. Hurt for weeks, once he let go.