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My female woma hits her food hard. Scary hard. Now she seems to resent even being hooked out of her cage. I haven't been on the receiving end of a bite yet, but her behavior seems like it's a possibility. She wriggles her tail and takes a semi-defensive pose when I open the door to change water, etc. Not a typical colubrid rear back and rattle, but a weird, woma-like version! Any advice from those with experience apprecaited.

Hello, I have myself a pair of Womas and think they're great snakes. I always read how docile they are and that appeals to me a lot seeing I hate getting bit. When I first got them I noticed they were very alert and jumpy, they were hatchlings though so that's to be somewhat expected. I also read they are aggressive feeders and readily take frozen thawed rodents and mine are to this day finicky about that. Here's 3 agressive short stories. After showing little interest in their meals lying there motionless, I reached in to get the food. WHAM! I got nailed once and almost caught again by the other one a few weeks later. I noticed that they much prefered to be scooped up with a hook and that's fine with me so I do it most of the time[now theyre a lot less jumpy and sometimes are totally relaxed when I go to handle them]So that's that got bit twice when they were babies. 6 months later they're eating well and looking great, I handle them more than once a week. One time I go to pick up the female and she spazzes. Even with the hook. Literally jumps off the floor of the tank spinning around extremely fast but not striking. I am brave and let her relax for a moment and manage to pick her up and she was fine out of the tank. She actually did twitch her tail like you mentioned yours did. Now for the best story. I put the female on the floor, she is now 4 ft and hefty. She looks magnificent stretched out and crawling as I clean her tank. She crawls across the floor and goes up to a kingsnake tank, BAD MOVE! She seems to actually see the snake and turns psycho. After she missed striking at my barefoot[thank god] I hook her into the hall where she lifted 1 fourth of her body high and straight off the ground and lunged at me 3 times like a Cobra. I have to say it was impressive looking and I wish I had it on film.Once again I get brave and manage to calm her down and handle her and she was relaxed as can be. I agree for the most part Womas are docile, but mine have thier moments. Then again a few instances out of a year doesn't amount too much criticism. If yours acts up I would suggest leaving the tank top open and letting her relax and possibly even crawl out on her own. Not much else you can do. Take it easy Tom