Reptile & Amphibian Forums

She's only a few months old, but I got her when she was ony 1 1/2 weeks old. She has always been fairly calm and enjoyed being out and handled. All of a sudden the last couple of weeks she has been bitting me and musking in her cage. Nothing has chnged in her setup, and if anything she's been eating better than ever. Does anyone have any idea what would cause her to do this? My husband has already told me that if she keeps stinking the house up I might have to get rid of her.
Thanks Kim
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0.1 radiated rat(100% het albino)
1.0 okeetee corn
1.1 ball python
0.1 red tail boa
0.0.1 chinese water dragon

I don't know if it is summer in your part of the world, but sometimes their homes get too hot. And a hot snake is not a happy snake! Then you might want to increase her food intake. Perhaps she is just hungry.

Hope it helps.
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phflame

I live in New England, so the temps are always changing. Her temps in her tank stay the same, because when it gets to hot the ac is on and I have different watt lights depending on the weather. I thought about her just needing more food, but when I offered her more she refused it. I will try again with her next feeding though.
Thanks Kim
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0.1 radiated rat(100% het albino)
1.0 okeetee corn
1.1 ball python
0.1 red tail boa
0.0.1 chinese water dragon

How much do you feed her and how often? I have found that sometimes if their being a bit well fed then they will make a mess of their vivs. Especially in the heat of summer this will stink up real quick, also I have always found that particularly asian ratsnakes can have slimy and more stinky faeces if they are getting abit too much food. I would be inclined to lay off feeding her a little bit and maybe only one or two smaller items every 8-9 days. and the occasional week off from food all together is usually a good thing. You may find this could help with her striking at you as it is probably likely that she's associating you going in the viv with food everytime and just striking expecting dinner.

She usually takes a small fuzzy and one or two pinkies a week, and when I think about it she did just bump up to the fuzzzy with the pinkies. before she would take four to five pinkies though. She's still young. I did notice that her last two poops were real smelly and slimmy. Maybe it's just because she's getting older? she does musk a lot though. She will even do it in her feed box. I just don't understand why she's all of a sudden changing her behaviour. I have heard that the radiateds can be a bit aggressive, but I prided in mine because she eas calm and docile. It's like I have a completley different snake now. My husband wants me to try to trade her for another corn snake or north american rat. I was thinking about it, but I liked her because she was different. OK I will stop wining now. LOL. I'm just not sure what to do about her.
Thanks Kim
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0.1 radiated rat(100% het albino)
1.0 okeetee corn
1.1 ball python
0.1 red tail boa
0.0.1 chinese water dragon

I would keep trying with her, I love asian ratsnakes and they can sometimes be feisty when young but as they get older with some handling they usually calm down. I would try feeding her one or two fuzzies every 8 days or so, that may help. And handle her gently in between those feeding days. I would also try to keep her viv abit cooler than you would have an american ratsnake at. If my asian ratsnakes ever get too hot that's when they usually start to get grumpy. Most of the radiated ratsnakes I've ever seen have been fast moving but tame. Just to reassure you here's a pic of a closely related species that I have, a trinket ratsnake who was really fiesty at first but within a couple of weeks calmed right down

Thank you for the reasurrance. I sometimes forget that the trnket is closely relatated. My best friend has one that is about a year old. She was hard to hold and was a picky eater, but now even though she is still quick to move she has calmed down a lot and feeds great. I was also thinking of trying to put her in a larger tank. I know they are active snakes, and she may be in to small a tank. She is growing fast. What temp do you suggest I keep her at? I usually keep her around 77-80. Is that to warm?
Thanks Kim

PS That is a beautiful trinket.
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0.1 radiated rat(100% het albino)
1.0 okeetee corn
1.1 ball python
0.1 red tail boa
0.0.1 chinese water dragon