Rachel, I agree with your statement about an aggressive snake. And I'm probably going to offend someone with this so I apoligize in advance.

There is no such thing as an agressive snake, snakes by nature are defensive, their only defense is to bite. A snake will not chase you down and bite you for fun, in fact snakes would rather not bite you, since we are not a food source and the chances of them loosing teeth are rather high, the snake would, in nature, turn tail and run. Young snakes are programmed to think that everythig is a predator waiting to eat them, that is why they bit us. If I thought something was going to eat me I'd probably bite them myself. Whenever Steve Irwin says "She's such an agressive girl" while hilding a snake by the last two inches of the tail and crushing the vertabrate I get upset, if you grabbeda person on the tail and pinched it would get upset as well.

Sorry, but this is my opinion, but knowing a snakes mannerisms before you handle it is the key to not getting bitten. Can accidents happen, sure. But I know my patternless pine snake does not like being picked up, and when I have to clean her cage she rattles her tail and hisses at me, does this make her aggressive, certaintly not. She is just defending herself with a warning to me.

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I remember reading about the defensive Vs Aggressive thing on arachnoboards, and I totally agree that most of the time the animal is being defensive, if not overly so.
I did say he was aggressive before, but I shouldn't of, he was acting in his defence. If I was in his scales then, I would of bitten me too!
I feel bad for my baby snakes when they look so scared of me, and I probably often do deserve to be bitten, when I am not, which makes me appreciate their docility more!

Jay, well said!

Amber, i'm sure you don't deserve to get bitten!!

Jay is right though - a snake is only "aggressive" in two circumstances; 1]when scared or feeling threatened, 2]when hungry

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004

Hi,

This has been a very interesting thread. I am a breeder of Irian Jayas and find them to be thoroughly entertaining and a joy to have in my home. I agree that with proper handling most snakes will tolerate us and not mind being held. My male is very curious, and if he sees you by the cage he comes to the door to "ask" to be let out. BTW: he is 7'4" so not everything you hear about these guys is accurate. Also, I find these snakes to be VERY arboreal, so if you do decide to add them to your collection I highly recommend enough room vertically for climbing.

You can see my male "Raya" at: http://josco79.blogspot.com/

Bitis Gabonica - I were sure love to read your article. If you could send me a copy I would REALLY appreciate it. josco79@kimes.tv

Cheers!

Sheila the jungle carpet is pretty nippy as a young'en and she's my first arboreal/semi arboreal snake, so it is a little tricky to get her to unwind from her branches. I have had her a week, though she ate her 17 day old mouse pup a few days ago no sweat. So yesterday, I started the handling regime. She got scared when I goofed with the "baby snake hook" (aka-a coat hanger) and peed on me, but didn't bite. Today, she came out with the hook no problem and climbed and sat on my hand as I watched "The Most Extreme Snakes" on Animal Planet.

I had a plain dowelrod in there (she's in Smaug's cage unless/until I find him though he never used it) and decided to install some natural branches I got from a pet store that were made for a pet bird. I love how easy it is to put branches in a plastic sweater box if you've got a soldering iron handy...only problem with dowelrods with BRBs and I guess jungle carpets is that the somewhat high humidity makes the dowelrods mildewy after a while. I need to run out to the hobby store and get another...

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0.1 jungle/coastal carpet python: Sheila
1.0 anerythristic boa constrictor imperator: Severus Snake
1.1 rats: Eowyn, Gandalf
1.0 ferret: Walker Texas Ranger
0.0.1 gold fish: Tiger
3.0 dogs: Strider (Aussie/husky), Zoso (Belgian Malinois), Buck (husky/Rottweiler)