Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have had my baby burm for about 2 and a half months and she has always been great with handling and never struck at me. The last two days she has been crazy. She wont let me pick her up, and she struck at me 3 times while I was trying to. Why is this? She isnt going through any shedding or anything, the only new thing in her cage is the heat panel. Why is she all aggessive all the sudden.

The only thing that comes instantly to mind was that possibly the old setup was to cold and now that the temps are better she in no longer lethargic and is active. If this is the case then a few short sessions of handling her and she should calm down. just remember not to put her back in the cage immediately after a bite or she can become conditioned to this and will bite when it wants back. Good luck, Todd

I agree with Todd, but I know when I got my burm she was fine for awhile and then all of a sudden bite me. But with more handleing is now great. the other thing I can think of is because of the heat increase that she is hungry. Try feeding her and then handling her. Is food present when you try to get her out. Like snakes in other cages that your feeding. The reason I ask is because my burm use to strike at the cage at anything when I would feed my other snakes because of there stong feeding response, its like they smell everything, and react to any movement.

No, there weren't any other feeding items around, she is my only snake and I keep all the rats in the freezer.

Actually the temps havent been as high since I put in the heat panel, it went from about 92 to 89. So I dont think that is the problem. She also has been roaming her cage alot. In visions, there is a little ledge at the top of the cage. She climbs up there every day and has been searching her cage for something the past few days. Every time she climbs she ledge she falls about a foot onto the ground, looks like it might hurt but I have tried to close off that ledge but somehow she always finds a way to get up there. I dont know why she is being so active and aggressive latley. She cant be looking for a mate because she is only 3.5 feet.

By the way Todd, I thought you weren't going to be able to post 'till February?

I would say she is hungry. How often have you been feeding her. At that size should be every 3-5 days. The only other thing I can think of is she is trying to find a hide spot. And is very insecure. If you dont have one in there maybe try putting one in there, to calm her. Thats all I can think of.

I was feeding her every 3 days and then people got on me about how I was "power feeding" her and how I was so wrong and inexperienced. So now I feed her once a week. I offered her a rat today and she refused her first meal since I've had her. She has three hiding spots in her cage.

Well, I returned from Iraq earlier than originally planned so I am back home and can post once again. If the temps haven't increased and with the information of the snake actively searching the cage I would say it is looking for food. This is one of the problems with doing a slow maintenance diet of one food item every 7 to 10 days or less. The snake usually gets hungry before it is time to feed again. Try increasing it's feeding a little and see if that helps a little. Todd

3 days is not to often for her size. Infact all the books I have say to feed them every three days. I did mine and then when she reached 7ft I am now feeding her every 5 to 7 days, and at about day three she is all over the place looking for food. People have there own things about when they feed there snakes and how often. Can your snake go 7 days, yes, but its up to you. Mine still roams the cage, and I kid you not its like a day after I feed her, very hungry little girl.

Oh ya sorry, one other thing, it says to feed them every 3 days until they are 6 ft, one of my posts below has what the book actually said, when I posted to burmking. I dont power feed at all.

It was every three days until they are 4ft, and then every 7 days and then at sexual maturity 7-14 days.

Give it a good once-over. Make sure there are no injuries. I don't know how to check for broken ribs. Maybe a vet visit. Pretty unusual for a snake to go from calm to mean, I've never seen it.

My 4ft burm is the tamest little thing but one day 2 weeks ago I had him out of the cage and on my bed. I walked off and came back to pick him up and put him back in. I grabed his tail as I always do and then under his chest. As I slid my hand under his chest he came at me hard and repeatedly. In fact, came off the bed and chased me across the room(no lie). I got him back in the cage and didn't know what the hell to think. I thought about it all the rest of that day til I can to the conclusion that he may be constipated cause he hadn't gone in a while. Come to find out that was the problem, so after a few warm soaks and causious masages of the colon he droped some logs and is back to himself. So check him for injuries and the like as someone said above. Something must have changed. You just need to figure out what it is.
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What does all this 1.1 ball and the like mean?
Anyway I got 1 4 1/2ft ball & 1 4ft burmees!

the numbers befoer the species represents the number fo a specific sex. Ther first number represents the males and the second number represents females and if there is a third it would mean that the animals are unsexed. For example:
1.1 Reticulating pythons
2.4 burmese Pythons
0.0.1 black mamba

What this means is I have a male and female reticulating python,two male and four female burmese pythons, and one unsexed black mamba. Hope this helps a little, Todd