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A friend of mine has a beautiful female Rat snake, about 5 years old. To make a long story short, about 3 years ago she got out of her tank, had full reign of the house for about a week before they found her, and then started biting. So for the past 3 years she's been stuck in her cage because no one wanted to get bit. Well, I feel bad for her, so I've been taking her out, holding her, talking to her, for the past 2 weeks or so. She's made no improvement, and I still have to be very cautious of her head to keep her from biting me. Will she ever become tame? Should I keep trying, or is she a lost cause? Is there anything else I could do to help her see that she shouldn't bite, and that we won't hurt her? TIA

You sound like you are on the right track. Once the snake loose's it's fear of you she/he will no longer bite. Most aggressive rat snakes are just behaving as nature causes them to.

Self preservation being the main objective. Once the snake no longer considers you a possible predator they will no longer feel the need to protect themselves. I has a tame "Black Racer" took her out in the sun, next thing I knew she was attached to my chin. So I noticed "sunshine" also seems to bring on the wild state in otherwise tame snakes that where once "wild caught" specimens. That escape period seemed to do the same thing to this rat snake of your friend's. That behavior can be broken, it just will take time and patience on your part.

Snakes are not mean like people. Like I previously said, they are "soft-wired" for self preservation.

If they where "hard-wired" this would not be a breakable set of circumstances.

>>A friend of mine has a beautiful female Rat snake, about 5 years old. To make a long story short, about 3 years ago she got out of her tank, had full reign of the house for about a week before they found her, and then started biting. So for the past 3 years she's been stuck in her cage because no one wanted to get bit. Well, I feel bad for her, so I've been taking her out, holding her, talking to her, for the past 2 weeks or so. She's made no improvement, and I still have to be very cautious of her head to keep her from biting me. Will she ever become tame? Should I keep trying, or is she a lost cause? Is there anything else I could do to help her see that she shouldn't bite, and that we won't hurt her? TIA

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Roberts Realm Of Reptile Research
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Thanks,

I opened my mouth and out flowed a melody black.

If you dont have a snake hook make one.The hook is the best tool Ive ever used.I can hook all my snakes and tell by there body language if they want to fight or be held.I have a western coachwhip that is dogtame until I walk by my fan then Im hoping all the teeth come out of my flesh when I pry him off with my spatula.lol.My female northern pine just flat out wants me dead but when I hook her I have no problems.

>>A friend of mine has a beautiful female Rat snake, about 5
years old. To make a long story short, about 3 years ago she got out of her tank, had full reign of the house for about a week before they found her, and then started biting. So for the past 3 years she's been stuck in her cage because no one wanted to get bit. Well, I feel bad for her, so I've been taking her out, holding her, talking to her, for the past 2 weeks or so. She's made no improvement, and I still have to be very cautious of her head to keep her from biting me. Will she ever become tame? Should I keep trying, or is she a lost cause? Is there anything else I could do to help her see that she shouldn't bite, and that we won't hurt her? TIA
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If lead paint is so deadly why do they make it so delicious?