Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Folks:

Over the past week and a half, my Burmese has started a weird pattern of behaviour where she freaks out in the her enclosure and trashes it -- tearing up and boroughing under the plastic cage liner; uprooting the fake plants bolted to the side of the cage; rostral rubbing on the glass; and even trying with all her might to pop the glass out of the front of the cage. As soon as I open the cage, she'll just slowly stick her head out and calm down, the remaining 8.5 feet of her in the cage, sedate as a lamb. Handling her or bathing her (even immediately after her rubbing/boroughing) is not a problem.

She has been in the enclosure since October 2003 without a problem. Her only recent change is a switchover to rabbits, which has been a painful one. She is an extremely picky eater and will only eat rabbits if I rub them with Guinea pigs. It took her one month to eat her first rabbit (I'm sure the trash collectors who picked up the three discarded rabbits during that month were wondering what I was up to), so I chalked up her behaviour to being hungry. However, she has eaten two 2-pound rabbits in the last nine days -- after each rabbit, she relaxes for two to three days, then it's back to tearing up the joint and trying to muscle her way through the glass. Again -- she's not striking, hissing, or doing anything aggressive other than knocking stuff over and tearing up her liner, and once she's out of the cage she's her usual self.

So far I've tried increasing her hide boxes (she managed to sleep a few hours last night in one of them, but woke this morning and immediately returned to rubbing and restlessness), lowering the temperature in her cage (was 88/92F, now 81/85F), bathing her and keeping her out to "tire her out" before putting her back in, and ignoring her and simply locking the cats upstairs in the off-chance that she actually gets out of the cage during the night. So far nothing has worked.

Any ideas? Is it crazy Burmese mating season and she's looking for a hunky guy? Does she suddenly hate the smell of Repti-Bark in the morning? Does she want to see the Anaconda 2 movie premier? WTF???

--jr

maby she is in breedig mode..... idk, but i doubt she wants to see the anaconda movie

I would have eaten the rabbits myself.hahah. No realy. I would try feeding mine and he would just constrict and attempt to eat them at first and not swallow them completley. I made me some rabbit kabobs. I finaly got him to eat a 4lb one witht he help of rat brains. I will try feeding him again tomarrow. He just shed today. I am so happy to see the blisters come off. One more shed and the small sores from the blsters will be gone. There were a few that were pretty bad and required some paroxide.
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Justin

using a good thermometer right on top of the heat spot? Just an idea, I know that a lot of snakes go berserk when it gets too hot and with the warmer weather, sometimes the tanks get overwarm.
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sue

np

I managed to feed Boots a 3 lb. rabbit three days ago. She is no longer actively trying to escape or tear up the cage, but she remains hyperactive to stimulation or movement outside of the enclosure, which is still quite unlike her.

The rabbit was her third in ten days. Previously, her Guinea pig schedule was one 1.75 - 2.5 lb. Guinea per week. I'm wondering if she's realized that destructive in-cage behaviour results in hasty feedings (ah the devious semi-workings of the reptilian mind). We'll give her a bath this afternoon, re-install the cage liner, and see what shakes out.

Summary:

Boots, just over two years old, measures in at 9 ft., approximately 40 lbs. In the past, she has expressed hunger by "zipping" around the cage. She usually rostral rubs and tries to force her way out of the cage if she needs to be taken out to do business (she's potty-trained ... it's a long story).

Supplier no longer carries Guinea pigs. Boots, a picky feeder from the get-go, refuses rabbits for a month and consequently does not eat for the month. No Guinea pigs can be located during the time.

Boots begins destructive in-cage behaviour after week four of not eating, similar to her "need to do business" behaviour, but she continues to do it even after voiding.

Guinea pig finally found at local pet store (eew). Trickery (rubbing rabbit with deceased Guinea pig) finally results in successful feeding of 2 lb. rabbit. Guinea pig thrown in freezer for subsequent use. Boots remains calm for two days before resuming behavior.

Second rabbit (2.5 lb.) eaten after Guinea pig rubdown five days after the first. Boots is again calm for a mere two days.

Boots remains active for nearly 24 hours, continually pressing against the glass, tearing out her cage liner, and almost popping the glass out of the cage front. $1,500 enclosure threatens to become worthless pile of splinters and broken glass. Kitties and girlfriend are locked away upstairs during the night to avoid catastrophe (kitties still believe they can take on Boots and girlfriend is not particularly fond of snake and scary talented with the santoku knife).

Third rabbit (3.0 lb) eaten after mild Guinea pig rub (that pig is starting to get gamey) five days after the second. So far Boots has not resumed destructive behaviour but remains extremely alert and quick to track objects moving outside of cage.

I'm hoping that she's finally satisfied after her month-long fast. If this becomes regular feed-seeking behaviour, or if it turns out to be something she's doing out of simple boredom, we've got a problem.

Glassy-eyed potential reptile owners take note: THIS is the joy you have to look forward to.

--jr