Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So reading some posts here just now got me thinking. At last year's Daytona expo I got some bullsnakes. A yellow bull female and a pair of hypo Stillwaters. All three are pretty fiesty but the male Stillwater is the calmest of the bunch and sometimes even seems a bit shy. The female, I was told, has some red bull in her, and she is the worst of the three. She is absolutely bonkers--hissing, inflating, stiking. The yellow is fairly mellow but gets riled up easily.

Do these guys settle down as they grow? I don't handle any of my snakes much but I was hoping over time they will chill out I know that a lot young snakes can be a bit overreactive. They are such cool snakes but all that carrying on is just annoying. LOL.

Do these guys settle down as they grow?

I have the same experience with my Stillwaters...very mellow, to the point where you wonder what's going on upstairs some times.

Beyond that, I have several bulls that have yet to "settle" down.

Some will say that it's typically just bluffing, but when one of my larger bulls (or pines) puts on a show like that it puts the fear of you-know-what into me .

On the other hand, people will also tell you that's what makes pits so much fun. I tend to agree, even after a heart-thumping handling session with an aggro one.

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/scott

I have a pair of Kingsville red x golden hypo Stillwater 09 babies hatched first of May. The little male is so mellow I can hand feed him and carry him around like a kitten. His sister is shy, but now knows when I pick her up it is not to eat her, so she no longer buzzes her tail at me. I handle them at least twice a day except for a couple days after they have eaten.

I have only heard one of my 6 pituophis hiss once, when one of the tubs got bumped and startled the occupant, a Pacific gopher snake.

"I have the same experience with my Stillwaters...very mellow, to the point where you wonder what's going on upstairs some times."

Same with mine...super docile but maybe just a bit stupid? Could be a result of line breeding??? Very aggressive at meal time though and eat like pigs.

I've been pretty lucky with having calm snakes. I try to minimize all stress on them and handle very gently with minimal restraint. Funny that my jumpiest snake is an Okeetee Corn.

she has never calmed down and as you can see isn't all talk
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BULLSNAKES
0.1 stillwater
1.1 axanthic
1.0 red
0.1 ghost

0.1 Akita

I've had some Bulls and Pines that never seemed to calm down. And, for that bluff thing I have been bit so many times by them. I think some of them won't calm down. They are individuals and have thereown personality. Right now I have a hypo and trio of Reds that are fairly calm.
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2.4 Black Pines
.1 Albino Northen Pine
1.1 Northern Pines
1.2 Red Bulls
1. Hypo Bull
1.1 D. Deppei