Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey,
I need some advice on my 2 baby corns. I've had them for a little under a year now, and one has always been on the nasty side. I named him lucifer and he holds it well, but no amount of holding is changing his attitude. Also just recently the nice one, Gammorah, who always loved to be held and around people, is starting to quickly take on Lucifers behavior. I've been trying for awhile to hold them and try to change it, but it only seems to be getting worse. What can I do about this? These guys are going to get to be a couple feet long,and I can't have them trying to eat me and my family everytime i even look in their tank. Any advice would help..
thank you,
Devil in black vans

Has there husbandry conditions changed recently? Have they outgrown their enclosure? How often are you feeding them? How large of a meal? Could they be hungry?

Just some questions I would ask. I would review my husbandry, and keep handling them regularly.

Good luck, Chris Olson
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www.chrisolsonreptiles.com

My snake's environment hasn't changed at all, although I did loose one snake a few months ago, Sodom.... sodom and gammorah were never ever seen apart, and if they were apart the other would search relentlessly until they were together again. Since the death gammorah took to lucifer and that's when i saw the behavior change really take place. They aren't very big for being probably about a year old, so i don't think they have outgrown their tank.. they are both less than a foot long in a 10 gallon tank. as far as feeding them they are still on pinkies.... lucifer only get one a week because he will throw up if i give him anymore....gammorah gets 2 a week..... this anger thing has been going on for months of handling... i'm wondering if they will ever be gentle again...

Devil

You seem to have a couple of things going on with your animals.

1. My august, '03 babies are eating one pink rat per week. One
or two pink mice seems like too little food for a year old
snake.

2. Regurge when lucifer eats two pinkies. . .could be a couple
of things. If you keep your corns at room temperature of in
an air conditioned room, be sure that they are warm enough to
digest correctly. This is especially true of belly heat on
one side of the tank.

The regurge could also be a sign of illness. A qualified
herp vet can perform the necessary tests to ascertain if this
is the cause.

Do you house these animals together, or seperately? Until you get the regurge problem corrected, keep them apart. Two sick snakes are worse than one.

3. Biting--are they striking and releasing or grabbing hold
and hanging on? If the latter, might be hunger. If the
former, fear or insecurity. Little snakes believe
that everything is out to eat them. You might try placing
an old t-shirt with your scent on it in their enclosures.
That way your smell becomes familiar.

Keep handling them gently and consistently. I wish you the
best of luck with them!

Good advice with the T-shirt....I have 04's that are pounding pink rats every 3-4 days, with no regurg.....so I think temp. or illness may be a factor here...

Take care, Chris Olson
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www.chrisolsonreptiles.com