Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Our little baby sonoran is mean as anything....he hisses, bites, and the works...it doesn't hurt too much now but when he gets big i'm gonna feel it.

Any tips on taming them down???

Or how to discourage biting???
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Chris Vanderwees
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Sounds like a normal pit to me. It should grow out of it. I would handle it as much as possible. Don't act afraid of it. Just reach in and grab it. If it knows you are afraid it will take advantage of that. Also you might try feeding it in a seperate container other than it's enclosure. You don't want it to associate the enclosure getting opened to mean feeding time.

Hope this helps

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They just take time and effort. Mine were the same way but now (1/5 years later) they're as tame as corns.

Van

I totally agree with pituophis man, one of mine was horrible when i first got her and bit me on many occasions, hissed and crapped all over the place but after a month or so of handling this will stop. Also if the snake bites you leave your hand in the tank and he / she will realises that it is futile to keep biting as it has no effect.

Good luck

Andy

My sonoran was the same way. Quite spirited, aren't they? Frequent handling will help calm him down (although allow a day or two after feedings).

I'm reminded of the Death to Smoochy song "But my step-dad's not mean he's just adjusting." The same idea applies here. He's not mean, just frightened, defending himself from the 5-headed predator that he perceives your hand to be.

I have around 25 Sonoran Gopher and the only ones that are mean are my Rustys.
Hopfully he calm down with age, good luck.

jason

I've had some who were tame as can be right out of the wild. And I've had some meaner than you'd ever want to see that eventually tamed down to some of my most docile snakes. And I've had some that from day one were demonic and stayed that way for as long as I had them!!!! Welcome to the wonderful world of Pits!!!! They are individual personality plus!!! Just keep working with 'em!

Preacher Pat

I have a pair of 2003 amel Sonorans that are as tame as kittens.
Jeff Robbe

Yes consistant holding slow movements and if it bites just hold onto it don't let it know that biting will get you to leave it alone. And if you need a little more care info there is a Pine/Gopher/Bull Caresheet on my site.
Jeremiah's Reptile Garden

Well, I’m not one of them! But this guy really does have the most docile (okay, sweetest) of temperaments. He’s opaque and in his hide box waiting for his spring shed, so I just snapped a photo. I just realized that since I found him crossing the road in 1990 at less than 100 grams, I’ve never bothered to take his picture. He’s now over 3200 grams. He’s never struck at a human, and only hisses maybe once a year when he’s disturbed in the winter. All in all, a great pit and a great pet.

-Joan

I got a sonoran gopher from Jason Nelson last year. He went through his phase where you couldnt get near him without an attempted bite. But now he's dog tame. So just give it alittle time. Matt