Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi... I recently purchased a sunglow amery male, 09. This is the most agressive (defensive?) snake I have ever owned. He has been here 2.5 weeks now. He has shed and looks healthy, in fact he is a gorgeous snake! However, he cannot be handled - I cannot even pick him up to move him to a feeding chamber.

Any motion inside or outside his viv causes him to rattle his tail, and the minute I approach him with a hand, a F/T fuzzy held by forceps, or any other object that moves inside his viv, he strikes violently, often targeting the hand rather than the food object. He strikes so hard and so frequently that he tore the skin on the fuzzy I offered him yesterday, but he never took it, including over night after I left it in the viv. I really should youtube him... it is amazing to see this guy in action!

Any suggestions?
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KITKAT

0.1 Northwest Garter Snakes
1.0 Sunglow striped amel het anery cornsnake
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Antioch Turkish Angoras
PuRRS Rescue

It could be one of several factors. The temps could be too high in its vivarium which causes stress/agression. Make sure he has a warm spot in the low to mid 80s max, and a cooler room temperature portion in his viv. He may also need a hide. If exposed at all times they can get defensive, aggressive, and not feel comfortable enough to feed. Also, he is fresh to his surrounding. So, even if all his housing needs are spot on, he may just need some time to adjust and lose his defensiveness before he calms down and eats. Then again, he could just be a pissy snake. It happens and may be why he was offered for sale. I had a corn that was captured in south Florida who was just nasty. Beautiful animal, but NEVER calmed down. Ate great, and was ready to bite at any moment. Be patient. Wear some leather gloves, and just gently handle him a couple of times a week to get him used to handling.

Hi... thanks for the info. I am experienced with temp control, providing hides, etc. This particular snake ignores the hide, which is in the cooler end of the viv, and burrows under the substrate in the warm end. I will check temps again, but I think they are good.

Not eating does not concern me much yet - as you said he is new to his surroundings. He is in a viv with clear glass sides on all four, so I may try masking three sides to see if overstimulation from having such free view of the room could be a problem. In addition, I will try handling him with gloves.

I have also wondered if he was always fed live, rather than F/T, and if he was fed in his viv. Perhaps those two factors have made him react this way.

When I received him and he was room temp, I was able to handle him. Do you think removing him from the viv and putting him in the feeding chamber for an hour of cool down time, then handling him when calm, would hurt him because of the cool down 2-3 times a week? The room he's in is kept at 68 F.
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KITKAT

0.1 Northwest Garter Snakes
1.0 Sunglow striped amel het anery cornsnake
2.5 Turkish Angora (show) cats
1.1 Savannah (show) cats
a myriad of rescue cats available for adoption!

Antioch Turkish Angoras
PuRRS Rescue

If he is conditioned to live, then taking F/T may be new and foreign to him. You can try live. Most corns do take f/t without much fuss, especially if offered at the end of forceps or feeding tongs. Give him a hide on the warm end as well. He is preferring it there, so may appreciate the hide on that side as well. I would not move him much for feeding and just feed in his cage. Some snakes get picky about being moved/handled and will be stressed and less likely to eat when move to the feeding container. Also, its not a good idea to stress them right after feeding for a day or two. Just offer a f/t rodent at the entrance to his hide he is in and see what he does.

>>Hi... thanks for the info. I am experienced with temp control, providing hides, etc. This particular snake ignores the hide, which is in the cooler end of the viv, and burrows under the substrate in the warm end. I will check temps again, but I think they are good.
>>
>>Not eating does not concern me much yet - as you said he is new to his surroundings. He is in a viv with clear glass sides on all four, so I may try masking three sides to see if overstimulation from having such free view of the room could be a problem. In addition, I will try handling him with gloves.
>>
>>I have also wondered if he was always fed live, rather than F/T, and if he was fed in his viv. Perhaps those two factors have made him react this way.
>>
>>When I received him and he was room temp, I was able to handle him. Do you think removing him from the viv and putting him in the feeding chamber for an hour of cool down time, then handling him when calm, would hurt him because of the cool down 2-3 times a week? The room he's in is kept at 68 F.
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>>KITKAT
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I'm inclined to think high temps as well, especially when you consider he was easily handled when he arrived. Try a temp gun to give you more accurate readings.
If you move him to a feeding container and leave him alone for a while I don't think the stress will be enough to create a problem. It also makes it impossible for the snake to avoid the prey item which would/could stimulate feeding.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes...No one can have just one.
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