Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I formerly had a 4 month old female that had never nipped at me, not even once, and I held her on a weekly basis. Well I sold it to someone else and now they have emailed that she is really nippy/aggressive.

I realize that babies can be nippy, but has anyone had this happen before? Going from fine to aggressive? Is there anything that it can be attributed to? Could it be stress of some sort?

Thanks for any advice you can offer..

Been there, done that. While not intelligent by human standards, BRB's do get used to the handler. Hand it off to a new person, even moreso one that is not comfortable and they get nervous and bite. It's like they have to learn all over that biting does not make them safe from the evil hand, they need to relearn that the new hand is not evil either.

I've had folks over picking out a baby and get nailed by one I was handling before AND AFTER with no problem.
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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:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I can vouch for this. Other than the first day I got him, my young ARB Mendoza has not attempted to bite me. And he only tried once. I've handled him at least several times per week since then. However, he will readily snap at my kids if they even slowly approach him!

Thanks,
Ed

>>Been there, done that. While not intelligent by human standards, BRB's do get used to the handler. Hand it off to a new person, even moreso one that is not comfortable and they get nervous and bite. It's like they have to learn all over that biting does not make them safe from the evil hand, they need to relearn that the new hand is not evil either.
>>
>>I've had folks over picking out a baby and get nailed by one I was handling before AND AFTER with no problem.
>>-----
>>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:
>>26.49 BRB
>>20.21 BCI
>>And those are only the breeders
>>
>>lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Dan,
....Stress probably does have something to do with it. If kept too hot or in too much light or exposed to too much activity and movement they can start biting to defend them selves. Biting often has more to do with the handler than the snake. Someone who is afraid of being bitten will approach the snake timidly and the snake sees a target and has time to think about it and strike. Someone who is not afraid of being bitten picks the snake right up and does not give it time to look at a target. If the handler is afraid of the bite a simple strike will make them back off and the snake learns that striking is effective.
Jeff

>>I formerly had a 4 month old female that had never nipped at me, not even once, and I held her on a weekly basis. Well I sold it to someone else and now they have emailed that she is really nippy/aggressive.
>>
>>I realize that babies can be nippy, but has anyone had this happen before? Going from fine to aggressive? Is there anything that it can be attributed to? Could it be stress of some sort?
>>
>>Thanks for any advice you can offer..

Dave, Jeff, Ed,

Thanks so much for all of your responses-I had no idea they were like that. I am passing this information on to him. Thanks for helping me learn.

>>Dan,
>>....Stress probably does have something to do with it. If kept too hot or in too much light or exposed to too much activity and movement they can start biting to defend them selves. Biting often has more to do with the handler than the snake. Someone who is afraid of being bitten will approach the snake timidly and the snake sees a target and has time to think about it and strike. Someone who is not afraid of being bitten picks the snake right up and does not give it time to look at a target. If the handler is afraid of the bite a simple strike will make them back off and the snake learns that striking is effective.
>>Jeff
>>
>>>>I formerly had a 4 month old female that had never nipped at me, not even once, and I held her on a weekly basis. Well I sold it to someone else and now they have emailed that she is really nippy/aggressive.
>>>>
>>>>I realize that babies can be nippy, but has anyone had this happen before? Going from fine to aggressive? Is there anything that it can be attributed to? Could it be stress of some sort?
>>>>
>>>>Thanks for any advice you can offer..

Hi, I am the one that bought the BRB from Dpoling. I just wanted to drop by and let everyone know that she is settling down now. I haven't tried to handle her much since her last nipping session but she did feed last night and swallowed it down immediately! So, she'll be fine. Thanks to all for their responses!