Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ive seen people over the years post in this forum regarding Bulls or Pines with attitudes ..Lots of IMO new keepers that are afraid of their snakes. I personally have fallen for Pits.. What other snakes put on such a show ... the gaping mouth , the extreme hissing , the vicious striking , the extreme tail rattling..... I personally love the bluff... because that is indeed what it is ... I have normals bulls, stillwaters, kingsvilles, albinos, hypos, and snows ... they can all get this attitude rolling but the strait up normals are the ones who always get crazy on me ... I love it ... they never fail... its so much fun to have someone who doesnt know Pits come over and check out my collection .. they freak out when i get to my bulls... especially when i reach right in and pull them out whil ein the middle of their insane death dance ... They may strike out at me but they never bite ... when i pick them up they simply stop hissing and give up ... these guys are so much fun... I have had Corns tear me up .. pythons rip me apart and kings bit my fingers out of the blue and try to swallow them but NEVER has any other snake put up so much bluff only to be called out every single time .. These snakes are so much fun and they are funny as heck .. I lovem and wouldnt tradem for anything ... to the newbie who is afraid of their pit .. just reach right in and grabem ... he will settle down ... and if he strikes.. his mouth is always closed... at least 98% of the time... Pits Rock !

The Adventures of SafariTom

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Safari Tom
See'em Touch'em Save'em
www.SafariTom.com

I have a trio of Kankakee County Bulls that hiss, strike, and bite every so often. And, they bite quite often. I have teeth marks to prove it. My step father has some Bull morphs that are tame as can be. Never even a hiss out of them. Its sometimes annoying because but I live with it.
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1.2 Black Pines
1.1 Red Northen Pines
.1 Albino Northen Pine
2.2 Northern Pines
1.2 Kankakee County Bullsnakes
1.1 Deppei Deppei
1.1 Cornsnake

I have albinos and snows and white sided --- they are calm and nice as can be ... once in a blue moon they might get spooked just right and have a little hissy but itsnothing compared to the regs... its the regs that are king bluffers .. at least from what ive seen.. and dont get me wrong i have had blood drawn a few times but its always just a scraping ... they typically strike with their mouth closed or in that cockeyed hissing position ..and as soon as you reach right in and grab them they give up and submit... lol .. it must be genetics??

The Adventures of Safari Tom

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Safari Tom
See'em Touch'em Save'em
www.SafariTom.com

Absolutely!

Of all my pythons, kings and pits that I've brought for show and tell to my kids school, my WC sonoran male is usually the highlight!

Pop the top and let the show begin... it REALLY strikes fear into everybody in the room, and is an excellent way to educate the public about the behavior!

//Todd

I couldnt agree with you more .. Not sure if you checked my site out but I do wildlife education as well... My big bull snakes are always the main attraction ... they go into their psycho mode as soon as I pop the top ...

All The Best

Tom

The Adventures of Safari Tom

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Safari Tom
See'em Touch'em Save'em
www.SafariTom.com

You make a good observation about much of the Pit routine being bluff. I can assure you though that this only applies to some individuals! The Pit personality runs the full gamut from completely docile, to complete bluff, to striking then calming once held, to going completely insane each and every time human contact is made. I have some individuals that savagely bite repeatedly each and every time the opportunity presents itself!

I agree that the best approach is to just reach in and pick them up. These type A snakes know that I don't fear them but they will do what they do regardless of my approach. In the end the bite from even the largest of Pits is not much to be concerned with due to the relatively short teeth. Lots of blood but nothing more than superficial scratches with the occasional tooth that has to be dug out lol!

Phil

Last spring, sighthunter (a regular on the coachwhip forum) and I flipped a large bullsnake under a piece of tin. It immediately went into hissing mode, even launching itself into the air at us, but it was so much of a bluff that I have pictures of myself tapping the snake on the nose...I got a lot of hissing, but never got the snake to bite me. Once I reached down and picked him up, he was fine. They're awesome snakes, one of my favorites to find in the wild in Kansas, especially the really big ones

Kevin