Snake With Mental Issues

bongi69

For some reason, over the past few months my 8yr old Californian King snake, has taken a leaf out of my dogs book, and started chasing her own tail.
But unlike the dog, she bites down hard, and latches on, and hangs on for ages, drawing blood and breaking scales.
Nothing has changed in her viv, and thinking she might just be getting too big for mice, I switched her to weiner rats, but this didn't seem to sort out the problem.
She has also been extra jumpy during this period. I've been bitten about 15 times now, just trying to pick her up to clean the viv, or put repti-aid on her wounds.
Does anybody know why she's doing this, and a possible solution. Also contact details for a snake shrink would be appreciated:D

Padjo1981

That sounds like one mental snake, think you may look for a long thin straight jacket.

dbrock

i have a 5 foot male brazillian rainbow boa which is demnted at the mo never stops biting but sure sometimes we just have to put up with it i recon its previous owner wasnt looking after it well, either that or its just mad


good luck with yours mate i know how you feel

Our man in Havana

I would contact a vet - this does not sound good! It does not sound like natural behaviour - I do not have king snakes so am not sure of any potential problems with the species.

animan

you should give ben in reptile haven a call he's in the golden pages

Demonique

animan wrote:

you should give ben in reptile haven a call he's in the golden pages

Either that or go to www.exotic-enthusiasts.com and ask for help in the king and milk snake section

palaver

Don't hiss at me, but I'm really wondering what is the point of keeping a snake as a pet?
It's really, truly, honestly no troll-question. I'm just curious.

I mean you can't really cuddle it or play with it or go for a walk. You can't even let it roam the attic to get rid of mice or such like. Well, I wouldn't let it roam anywhere. And you have to feed it with living animals. It doesn't even look cute! Not to mention that it would be a real put-off if I met someone with a snake at home.

Or is it that you sit with your snake (both) curled up on the sofa at the fireplace watching a dvd together?

Gotta go.
*sneaking out*

Shelli

Snakes can be amazing to watch, and very soothing to handle. I dont have any at the moment due to space restrictions and my OH not liking them, but I've had California kings and my personal fave Garter snakes, one in particular who was soooo friendly, he used to come to the opening of his viv and wait for me to open it and then just wind himself around my wrist and sit there for hours while I stroked him.

And you feed them frozen/defrosted mice, or fish in the case of my garter. In fact I'd steer clear of live feed no matter what the breed of snake, aparantly it can make them more aggressive.

There are plenty of pets that are not "snuggle up on the couch" kind of pets, doesn't make them any less affectionate, or special to their owners.

HTH you understand!

Satyr_The_Great

My cornsnake bit himself twice.was feeding him and he coiled round the mouse(not live, i feed pre killed or frozen and thawed) never heard of a snake just chasing their own tail though,,keeop an eye on it and if it keep sup, take it to bairbre o malley in bray and get it checked.bairbre is a great herp vet.

Demonique

palaver wrote:

Don't hiss at me, but I'm really wondering what is the point of keeping a snake as a pet?
It's really, truly, honestly no troll-question. I'm just curious.

I mean you can't really cuddle it or play with it or go for a walk. You can't even let it roam the attic to get rid of mice or such like. Well, I wouldn't let it roam anywhere. And you have to feed it with living animals. It doesn't even look cute! Not to mention that it would be a real put-off if I met someone with a snake at home.

Or is it that you sit with your snake (both) curled up on the sofa at the fireplace watching a dvd together?

Gotta go.
*sneaking out*

I've cuddled my snakes, they're very silky smooth to the touch. I've also brought them for walks, but I've carried them rather than having them slither beside me (not that they would, they make a slither for it if I put them on the ground).
In my experience snakes love wriggling through grass.
I know some people with large snakes (not large enough to kill someone though) that allow them the run of the house.
My snakes get defrosted rodents (mice, rats, and gerbils for the royal python) as live rodents have sharp teeth and can inflict horrific injuries on snakes.

I've often watched TV with a snake up my sleeve