Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a pair of Easterns that I've been raising since 2002. They have always been very tame, and never tried to bite. I had been keeping them in 4' long Rubbermaid tubs which they had pretty much outgrown, so I picked up some really nice 4'x2'x2' plastic cages with plexigrass front doors. Now, whenever I open their cages to feed, change water, etc, they get extremely aggressive, flattening their heads out, and striking at the plexiglass fronts. I figured it was just because they were in a new cage, but two weeks later they are still trying to take bites out of me. Any ideas on what might be going on?
-----
Paul Weaver
Carolina Herps

It could be that they're more on edge because it's the start of breeding season. This could have most pronounced effect on the male. Maybe they're not used to seeing you approach them from the side at a distance. Do they have hidebox? I would partiallly lift them with a hook and then pick up. Good luck.

Indigos, and drymarchon in general tend to spook, and be afraid of any movement over head. Now that they are feeling safe from overhead movement the fear is gone, so you have released new behaviour tendencies. Now their confidence level is way up, so they feel cocky. Just be careful, and move slowy, and gently. Learn to read their body language. I'm guessing that once out of the cage, they are fine. But a hook is probably a good idea to bring them to you. Eventualy they'll learn when they are being fed, and when they are being handled, and you'll learn what they are thinking.

Toss some food their way and see if they strike at you after they've had the meal.

Doug T

>>I have a pair of Easterns that I've been raising since 2002. They have always been very tame, and never tried to bite. I had been keeping them in 4' long Rubbermaid tubs which they had pretty much outgrown, so I picked up some really nice 4'x2'x2' plastic cages with plexigrass front doors. Now, whenever I open their cages to feed, change water, etc, they get extremely aggressive, flattening their heads out, and striking at the plexiglass fronts. I figured it was just because they were in a new cage, but two weeks later they are still trying to take bites out of me. Any ideas on what might be going on?
>>-----
>>Paul Weaver
>>Carolina Herps

the male has been eating his usual amount though, and the female has been turning down meals since I moved her to the new container. But I'll keep pushing the food and see if their attitude improves.
-----
Paul Weaver
Carolina Herps

I don't keep Easterns but....don't try to handle shortly after feeding and make sure you wash your hands with something that smells decidedly non-rodentlike. With my Texans they seem excited for some time after feeding and appear ready to bite the hand that feeds them as it were.

Food for thought,
J.

Eastern Indigos are VERY alert snakes, that often get frightened from movement from above. The sides of the Rubbermaid were probably opaque also. Now that they are in a front opening cage with CLEAR sides,they can see everything, which can trigger both aggression/fear and a feeding response as well. I would use a hook initially and take them OUT of the cage 3-4 times per WEEK. You CAN increase their food, as Doug mentioned,to eliminate that variable, but remember that they show a marked feeding response even upwards of FOUR HOURS after they have been fed.Unless they are completely stuffed. Which is a hard thing to gauge. Tread lightly and handle them more often. Show them whos boss.Then clean the cage, as excited Indigos tend to let loose fecal matter.

Sincerely,

Fred Albury

Thanks for the info Fred. I think I will take all of your advice and "show them who's boss".

I'll follow up with pictures of my wounds at a later date after they show me who the real boss is
-----
Paul Weaver
Carolina Herps

Since they are flattening their heads, and particularly since the female is not eating, this must be defensive agression. My Easterns get upset whenever I give them new cages, or even if I change the location of their cages in the snakeroom. The clarity of the doors on your new cages makes this worse. I always counsel buyers of my hatchlings to try to get a meal into them right away after any change. This will make them happy about their new situation since there is food there. You could scent their food with goldfish to aid in this, if they are reluctant. Use tongs and poke them on the nose with their food if you need to. I also suggest that cages be placed against a wall where the animals don't feel surrounded by space and movement. Approach their cages slowly when you enter the room. Minimize any changes such as moving the cages to new locations. Spend time just sitting or working in the room where they can watch you. Easterns are very curious and love to watch people, which will calm them down to the sight of you nearby.

It would also help to handle the animals frequently after a change. This will calm them down to the sudden appearance of you in front of their cage. Easterns always like to be handled.

As time goes on, the defensive agression will be replaced with feeding agression. Many people move the animals to separate containers for feeding (I don't though). Reading their body language is critical to avoid bites. Once the animals realize they aren't getting fed, they calm right down.

Easterns are very similar to humans in personality. They just can't speak to us with words.

Robert Bruce.