I picked up me female Dumeril this morning (under a year old) and I set her down on my desk by my lap top while I was doing some work and when I stood she just started snapping in my general direction. Her head was cocked and her breathing was hard. I was nervous about picking her up (they strike very fast) so I grabbed oven mits picked her up and put her back in the tank. During her recent shed I think she had a bit of trouble because there is some leftover skin over one of her eye caps. I am wondering that maybe when I stood up she confused me for a predator, and the heat of the lap top disoriented her, and maybe she's feeling more vulnerable with the piece of skin over part of her eye (what can I do about that, wait until next shed?). What do you think caused this strange snapping at me though?
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Even Stranger Dumeril's Behavior
Replies (4)
She just needs to get used to being handled then she'll snap out of it. But then again there maybe times when she just doesn't want to be touched & will still strike. Make sure you feed her out of the cage or she'll develop a feeding response. As for the eye thing, spray water in her face, let it soak in, grab her head & hold tight, then carefully pull the skin from the eye. I've had this problem before also. She will not like it, but it has to be done.
For any leftover skin on my girl's face after sheds (especially an eye cap), I always wet a washcloth with warm water and run it over her face gently a few times until the skin comes off by itself. I would NOT pull the skin, particularly from her eye, but instead try to let it work off naturally. That's just me, others may not feel it's such an issue.
I'd do that first. It may come off in the next shed, but I wouldn't wait too many sheds, could cause an infection
at the animals eye, I generally moisten the cap, then use a piece of masking tape. Stick it over the eye cap and slowly pull it off. The cap should come off fairly easily this way, and it prevents having to "pick" at the snakes eye with your finger nails, possibly causing problems. It's usually quicker and easier as well.
