Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey people happy belated 4th(I was too drunk to post earlier). Anyway I recieved what was posted as cb/ltc breeder pair of cribo intergrades. Well the description as far as the female goes is indeed accurate(she's not a true blktail), the male just might be true on the "uni-tip", but anyway the previous owner told me their behavior was basically "difficult to remove from the cage/gentle once out and handled". First of all the male is 8ft and weights alot and quite girthy. Basically the problem is with the male is he's somewhat "demanding of his direction..o.k. almost uncontrollable. He has definetly brought the "b*tch out of me that never existed. He blows short snorts, no throat puffing or tail vibrating, just swift movements and hours of trying to safely handle him without getting chomped.Trust me people I'm not exagerating...I'm honestly not wanting to be afraid, but I am...Please help, especially Dryguy(you've got the monster unis).

Or you HB... are destined to wind up a smelly mess. I suppose for a real Dry-fan....thats not the worst outcome possible.

Your problem is common to many keepers of big LTC snakes, they condition the snakes that disturbance = food, & feed em in their cages...woola the snake finally "gets it" [theyre kinda dimwitted too...er kinda like a good troll] & when you open the cage...it goes for you!
Once engrained the habit is hard to break, thats why buying adults from commercial breeders [no time for handling] is usually a bad idea. Use gloves & a hook if hes trying to eat you & make sure you scrub down good (other snake scents) before you think about handling him.
Im trying to avoid this behavior w/ mojo by handling him often between meals & generally feeding him outside his cage out on the lawn. Nevertheless...his friggin head is already to the size where I cant make myself just reach in & make contact w/ him... head first!
Good luck w/ em....

Mas Java....rr

What-up Patnaa!?; as usual double-r comes through to save the fellow herper in dismay. I see what your saying as far as the feeding response is concerned. Once I have him out(I do use a hook), he's tryin to basically go wherever HE want's too.Like I said no throat puffing or tail vibrating. I basically wanna handle him like Carl G. handles his in the gallery pics(yeah I'm envious..HUGH NUTS!).I gotta overcome my giddyness over him quick...comprende'
Thanx all the same amigo!

How are you doing Regal? I noticed in your post you said you feed yours in the lawn. How do you do this? So many people are so concerned about getting a little aspen on a mouse in the cage and here you are feeding them in a somewhat natural environment. Shame on you for almost making them feel like a snake!

Ok, seriously now, are you concerned about any bugs or parasites or even ticks? I was once told to not even let your snake crawl around on the grass. Now I do believe this is a little extreme, but I guess if you want a perfectly un-bug, un-parasite, un-tick free snake you keep it indoors or at least handle it outside. How do you feel about this? If you do everything with Mojo that you claim on this forum (like swimming in the pool, do you really do that?) it seems to me that I am being WAY to cautious with mine.

Granted, I would not let my Indigo on the ground at this point. He is WAY too fast and there is only about 3' of him right now to grab onto. I know 3 feet seems enough but this guy I got is like lightning. NO DOUBT THE FASTEST SNAKE I HAVE HAD!

I want your feelings on this and anyone elses for that matter.

Thanks in advance,

Gregory S. Hake
Just a snake hobbyist
No Herpetology degree
No Wildlife Center Experience
No Scientific Education
JUST LOVE SNAKES
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Gregory S. Hake

Greg, firstly a disclaimer....what I do w/ a BTC may or may not be what I'd do w/ an Eastern or rubidus or mebbe even a decent dark texican. That said, I always strive to use a ntrl. emulation captive maint. model when ever possible. Id just hang alot closer to a free roaming eastern & probably insist the rodekill was real fresh....no green belly spots need apply!
Mojo really digs his crawling/climbing/swimming & no I dont worry about ticks or other parasites, tho when he was < 5' I scanned the skies regularly for redtail hawks.
For me its a quality of life issue for bigger herps...they have to prowl, I cant stand to see them struggling to escape much of the time.
Be aware tho...my first cribo managed to go awol in the first month I had it, as a neonate... out cruising on my short bermuda tiff lawn...burrowed in before my very eyes & flat disappeared...never to be seen again!... talk about... errrr...

Aloha...rr

Thanks RR,

I think it's neat. I know some people say they are captive bread and can never be compared or kept to a wild snake but I still feel that giving them as much of what seems "normal" to them is best for their sanity. I agree with you, when my Eastern gets that big I probably will have a hard time watching it being cramped up also, eventhough I will be making a 6'X 3' cage for it.

I thank you for your clarification that you may not do the same things with an Eastern. Interesting you mentioned about the hawks, I have a hawk that perches on my walnut tree. He has even made himself confortable on my neighbors back deck. We watch him as he rips into squirels (sp) up in the tree. I am always looking for him when I go outside with my snakes eventhough I do not let them on the ground at this point. Let's face it, I don't want him coming at me because I have a snake in my hand, he's pretty big. Thanks for the info.

Like I said, right now Jack (my male eastern) won't be leaving my hands because he's way too fast to keep up with. I put him down on my bedroom floor one time and almost lost him.
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Gregory S. Hake

Ok, this might be a good time for me to put my two cents in. If you haven't gotten nailed yet I would rule out the feeding response (though I am sure it is strong) and defensive behavior. Sounds like a big 'ol snake that just wants to get out of Dodge.
So, what to do? Basically be smarter than the snake. They don't have a really good grasp of physics and can be redirected before they get a loop around anything solid. I would suggest one or two things. Clear out a handling area free of anything the snake can get a hold on and work with him in that area. The problem with this being that often if the snake feels it has no purchase it might flail about more. Better than that clear out an area on an OLD (this is a dry after all) couch or carpeted area and play with it like when you were a kid. Patiently. Sounds silly but it works as a compromise. The snake gets a bit of freedom and security and you get to enjoy it without all the explitives. Redirecting movement into the secure area is not too bad even with a big snake.
Basis for these silly claims, too many years with retics and easterns.
Good luck,
ender

HB,
Your fear seems very real.

I understand they can since fear in there owners.

I have the solution. GIVE me the snake!!!!

You have been given great advice from knowledgeable people. Good luck, Dann.

Handfull of snake,'Ehh!!! Below, "ender" has excellent suggestions..Very astute...Follow his directions...

I've had 2 Uni's at 9'..I was very lucky, in that, both behaved like typical Dry's...Never attempted to bite,TTL!!!!Max, who now rules my Dry universe, acts just as "ender" said below...He's not opposed to coming out to play, just that he's so strong, if he don't want to, he don't do it!! Once out, tho he's very calm...

Something else you might try is the old towel trick...Gently place a large towel around YOUR head so you can't see what's coming!!!
(Sorry, I couldn't resist)...

Seriously though, the "LTC" bit, as he was sold, sounds a bit fishy..."STC" sounds better...I have yet to find a Dry that wouldn't settle down enough to be handled after a good bit of patience(Except Chainsaw, 1 of my TXNs, who must have been treated as a pit bull(snake!!!) as an infant and still requires care to handle)

I think DT has a pic or 2 of Max or Mag on my lap in the Gallery, so there is hope..Don't give up (or in) They really can be lapsnakes!! Good luck, my friend...CG

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Carl W Gossett
Garage Door Herps
Monument,Colorado...northern territory of the Great Republic of Texas

In addition to making sure you don't smell like food by cleaning your hands and arms, I'd suggest liberal use of one of those alcohol-gel hand sanitizers. Purel makes some, as do a number of other companies now.

I use this stuff habitually before opening a snake's enclosure, and recently I took one of my false water cobras out for some picures. She has never bitten me, or acted aggresive in any way - except towards food. But on this day, she did "bite" me, but it ended up being more of a mouthing. I distinctly felt her put her jaws over my thumb, but didn't feel any teeth.

I'm hypothesizing that the remaining odor of the hand sanitizer gel put her off the bite. I'm not too eager to test out this hypothesis, but I'm going to continue to use the gel after handling each snake the way I have been, just in case.