Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ever since me and my roommates moved into our new house, my 15 ft burm is acting weird/aggressive. I noticed the aggression by the weird body language she was putting out when i would move near her cage. Then today as i was cleaning the cage, she was acting weird again. Like she would move very fast from one end to the other. She wouldn't hiss at all. Just move really fast. Way faster than anytime before. So today i was cleaning the cage and shes moving all fast again. She moves so quick and so stealthily its kinda scary. So i was cleaning the cage on the one end of the 8ft/4ft cage and she attacked me. I mean she was all the way in one corner and my arm was all the way in the diaganol corner so she didnt even come close. She jumped about 3 ft in the direction of my arm with her mouth open. Scared the [bleep] outta me.

So now im spooked. I got a million questions but ill keep it simple...

#1 if she was to bite me, what is the most recommended method to get her off of me. I've read about a spray bottle with vinegar and a spray bottle with isopropyl alcohol and to just spray it in their face. Do these work? What would you recommend?

#2 is there some reason why she would be all of a sudden aggresive? i mean she would always come over to me when i would open up her cage but now she moves like she does when there is a rabbit in the cage?!?

If theres any questions, please ask id be more than happy to offer any info at all to help me out here heh. What do i do guys? Ive come here before for advise about all sorts of questions ranging from temperature to cage size and i have never been let down, so once again before any answers, thanks for the time

Well its alittle late to be asking question about how to escape a large burm when you already have a 15fter.. Should have been prepared for the day you get bit a longgg time agoo because it always happens even to the best of us.. A spray bottle of vodka or rubbin alcohol would help but its not to be spray in the snakes face you might just piss it off more.. The idea is to spray it in the snakes mouth cause the snake to release the grip it has on you.. If the burm is 15ft I think its safe to say its over 100lbs.. I wouldnt go near that thing without atleast 1 or 2 adults near by... Most people would be pretty helpless if i 15ft burm grabbed them... I have heard when trying to uncoil them from around you its best to start by unwrapping tail to head.. A common mistake i have heard is when someone gets bit by a large snake they ae trying to hold the head with out hand and uncoil the snake with the other obviously thats not gonna work you have to let go of the head and use both hands.. The bite wont kill ya unless u bleed to death her death grip will squash you thought... The snake is probably skidish because of the move you know new surroundings smells everything is different give the snake a good week of alone time.. It works to put a towl over the cage so the snake cant see you...Then feed the snake then give it another day or 2 then attempt handling.. The snake is 15ft so im guessing you have had it for a while so you should know when the snake is happy and when to stay away...Id suggest useing a hook/golf club to pull the snake out unless you already do so.. I hope I answered most your question...
Jason

I understand completely. I adopted my best friend's burm last November when she got custody of her granddaughter. She definitely acts different now than she did at my friends...mostly I think because there is a lot more activity where she is now compared to before (she's at my Mom's house, in the dining room because it was the only place the cage would fit). Back in February of this year, she bit my hand when I was trying to remove her to clean her cage (she's 13 feet long). Scared the bejezus out of me and was COMPLETELY out of character for her (I've been assisting in her care for the last 2' years before I ever got her). I'm still WAY more cautious around her than I even was before. So here's some tips:

#1 - ALWAYS have at least one other adult around when you open the cage door. I keep an OPEN bottle of rubbing alcohol within reach at all times now. I had to have my Mom pour rubbing alcohol around Baby's mouth when she bit my hand to get her to release me. It DOES work. Personally, I wouldn't even bother with a spray bottle - pouring is the way to go IMO.

#2 - It could very well be the new environment - different smells, sounds and even vibrations will effect how our pets act. Hopefully your burm will settle down with time, once it gets used to the new environment. Just use extra caution in the meantime.

#3 - A snake hook is a very good idea...and something I implemented as well. Also, I've taken to using leather gloves with initial contact because I've had my fill of punctures.

Here's a pic of my girl in her holding tub that I use when cleaning her cage.

Im gonna assume you feed in the cage? Have you cleaned the cage out very thourougly since youve moved? I take a 10% bleach solution and scrub down the walls of my cages periodically to keep all the prey smell out of there. She may be smelling her food and that may be keepin her in feeding mode.

How much do you trust your roomates? Im not trying to cause a problem in the house. But because she gets that way when you approach the cage, could be cause someone is messin with her. Im not makin any accusations, but your roomates, or friends of theirs, may be abusin her while your gone. Its just another possibility you may want to look into.

The other suggestions above are good ones also. Ive also heard pouring warmer water on them will also get them to release. you may want to wear some gloves and a heavy jacket for awhile while reaching in there. until she settles down. Good luck and keep us posted.
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1.0 Albino Green Burm
0.2 Normal Burm
1.1 Java Retic

I thought I was totally alone on that issue as far as getting bit and recovering from it or being to cautious around my snakes. My burm has bit me twice once my error had her on my arm and moved my arm and wham, second time was grabbing somthing in the cage. Now I use a snake stick, best investment I ever made. But when I take her out and place her on the ground and walk by and she huffs and puffs, I get nervous, she is only 9ft at max right now, and I asked sombody if they are nervous around there big snakes and they said yes, or maybe not nervous but very cautious. I still get nervous taking her out of the cage it takes me probably about ten min to pet her with the snake stick and then grab her, not because of her but me. Most times I let her ger her head out the door and then get her from behind. Its weird to, when my girlfriend was in the room she was huffin and puffin and when she left she stopped, weird. Probably because she just kept looking at her, and you dont want to keep eye contact with an animal, its go time then.

All the advise was excellent.

I think the best was about cleaning the cage out because of the scent of prey.

I already knew about the rubbing alcohol, but what i really wanted to hear was that it works. So thats good. Thanks for all the advise from everyone. I'm gonna pull her out and clean out the cage really well. It seems like shes been acting like this since the last time she ate. Even when i go near the cage and look through the plexiglass top, I can see her acting like shes about to kill me hehe.

We'll see how it goes. Ill write back in the next couple days to let yas know how it went. Thanks.