| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| austin_89 |
Posted - 16/12/2011 : 14:46:48
Hi im new to the forum and owning of royals so just saying hello...  |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| austin_89 |
Posted - 18/12/2011 : 18:30:36
Mine does exactly that!! He's still only a baby so its not that bad but i still flinch! Lol |
| Kelfezond |
Posted - 18/12/2011 : 15:29:28
Haha sounds like a fun snake. You'll always flinch at strikes, well maybe not but I always do xP they're scary. |
| AmateurSnoop |
Posted - 18/12/2011 : 15:24:12
I use the glove to get him out then once he's relaxed I take them off. It is a confidence thing 'cos I don't want him to know he's winning 'cos i flinch every time he strikes (: Every time I walk into my room he's up and is supporting himself in an s-shape, makes me giggle (nervously) |
| austin_89 |
Posted - 18/12/2011 : 14:52:26
I have thought about gloves but i worry he wont get used to me if i use gloves... But yeah your not the only one, mines more than annoyed he's just plain stroppy lol |
| n/a |
Posted - 18/12/2011 : 14:01:49
I think the glove's fine because it's clearly giving you confidence and then he relaxes too. Plenty of people wear gloves when handling snakes. It's a good solution. |
| AmateurSnoop |
Posted - 18/12/2011 : 13:47:13
Snoopy, my royal python has been doing that as well, striking at the glass when we go near him and if you put your hand in etc. I don't know if this is the best way to do it, probably want to talk to more experienced people but I have been putting a garden glove on to get him out (cos im a coward lol) then once he gets out I've found that he relaxes and crawls around like a docile snake. I'm still new to this site and keeping royals as well so don't take my word for it :) It is nice for me to see I'm not the only one with an annoyed snake! |
| austin_89 |
Posted - 17/12/2011 : 21:56:01
Its fine lol again, thank you for the help/advice. |
| n/a |
Posted - 17/12/2011 : 20:25:40
Hi, I have 2 cf and 2 cb. 3 are good strike feeders - Shahi (cf10) Saada (cf09) and Shiva(cb09)
Shiva comes from the US and I think may have fed on live - at any rate he likes the defrost rat danced about and, once he's struck, he likes me to hold on to it for a moment and wiggle it as if it's still alive, when he really coils and grips seriously before taking it down.
When I got Saada I was told that she liked to have the rat left in with her, but one day she surprised me by striking at the glass as I approached with her rat.
Shahi is the only royal I've had from a hatchling; he had difficulties feeding at first and then was fine. He's the one who gave me the only feeding response bite I've had from a royal lol.
Surahi, cb 06 dinker, is very very shy over feeding - in fact I have to leave the rat with her and have never seen her feed.
I've never heard that there's any difference between cf and cb royals in feeding habits - although there might well be differences between wild caught and captive born royals, but cf royals are from eggs harvested in the wild and hatched in captivity.
I'd say my fiercest feeders are Shahi and Shiva, but as for 'aggression' the only times I've been in danger of being bitten has been when the lads might have mistaken my finger for a rat, and that would have been an honest mistake on their part, and a stupid mistake on mine lol. If they can smell rat, and sense the heat of a human hand, then they'll go for the hand, believing, understandably, that that is what's on the menu.
In my experience I don't think there's any difference between cf and cb when it comes to feeding response or potential aggression, but I've never encountered any aggression from a royal other than pre-shed grumpiness and over eager feeding response, which isn't really aggression.
Errm, hope all this makes sense, sorry for the novel lol! |
| austin_89 |
Posted - 17/12/2011 : 19:57:06
Thank you... I put on earlier about the problem im having with my royal, was just wondering if anybody knows if cf royals are anymore aggressive than cb royals? I know the difference between the two and it can affect feeding but thats all... |
| GMac |
Posted - 17/12/2011 : 18:49:35
hi and welcome |
| austin_89 |
Posted - 17/12/2011 : 16:05:02
Thanks :-) |
| sultanheart |
Posted - 17/12/2011 : 10:06:48
welcome to the forum |
| austin_89 |
Posted - 16/12/2011 : 16:56:44
He is bein moved back upstairs so fingers crossed... He was fine with being handled up till about a week ago so ill just leave him be for a bit. Thank you for all your advice :-) |
| boomslang |
Posted - 16/12/2011 : 16:23:51
Hello and welcome |
| n/a |
Posted - 16/12/2011 : 15:41:56
It does sound like he's still new and bewildered. Yes, they can be grumpy when going into shed and during the shedding process too. It's very good that you could handle him at first; I think he is just settling still, and the shedding may have made him extra nervous. (I know what you mean, by the way, about not being told about the settling-in period - loads of us have bought snakes, usually from shops, and just not been given enough advice about what the snakes may need. But some snakes like to be handled right from the start - I doubt very much if you've done anything wrong - he just sounds new and nervous, and I think he'll calm down with time.)
If at all possible, I'd move him back to the quieter room though. Or, if he's in a clear plastic or even opaque plastic, enclosure, drape it with a towel (top and 3 sides) to make him feel more secure.
I think it's just a matter of time by the sound of him, and when he sheds he could be much calmer too. All the best. |
| austin_89 |
Posted - 16/12/2011 : 15:31:15
Ive had him about 6 weeks and i did hold him when i first got him, i wasnt told that he should be left... He hasnt actually caught me yet, he normally strikes before i manage to put my hand in, he has a log that he doesnt use, an artificial plant that he hides under or climbs up occasionally and he has a kitchen roll tube that he spends most of his time in and at the minute he has a plastic tub with moss inside because he is just finishing shedding, but the striking started before the shedding process did... He has tried having me once around food but he was actively looking for food for quite a while so i think he was just really hungry, ive recently moved him from my bedroom to the downstairs living room, ive read that the changing of the room he is in can unsettle him? Cause its a louder room with more vibrations and people looking in at him??? Other than that i cant think why he's got this way...? |
| n/a |
Posted - 16/12/2011 : 15:19:08
How long have you had him? The usual guidelines on a new royal are to leave for a week before feeding and to handle (I mean cuddles and what I call 'armchair walkies' as opposed to brief necessary handling such as lifting out for a quick inspection etc) after 3 consecutive feeds - but they are all so different and these are guidelines, not rules. Sometimes new snakes can be aggressive just because they feel strange and threatened; when they get to know you they soon calm down.
Has he actually bitten you? Royals are usually placid, but around food they can be mustard! I've had one painful feeding response bite when I went gaily in and the lad thought my finger must be his rat - good boy for feeding; why was I making faces? And one of my girls struck at the glass when she saw her rat approaching. However, apart from feeding response biting, there are occasional royals who can be aggressive, it has to be said.
It's odd that he's being more aggressive with you - but there again, for some unknown reason, there are snakes who respond aggressively to either men or women.
Also, does he have enough hides, cover and dimness. Royals love to feel private (sorry about all the questions by the way.) But being able to hide makes them feel secure and sometimes insecurity can cause aggression - again sorry if he's tucked up with loads of hides, cover etc - all this is just off the top of my head.
Lastly (and a good few people on here will be giggling by now because I own a snake who is feisty, to put it mildly) when he starts his antics, I would just go in there and pick him up. Many snakes calm when you pick them up and they realise they can't frighten you. I have a gopher snake called Ziska - gophers in their native california mimic rattlesnakes for defence and I was warned that Ziska has a BIG attitude. She has. She carries on alarming when I pick her up, but I've had her over 6 months and she's only tagged me slightly twice. Eventually she shuts up and climbs into my sweater and goes to sleep. When I lift her back out she's soppy ...till the next time lol. But that is in the gopher's nature.
There's a goood video you can watch - Kelf on here has made a handling video -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajZKGlW-dp0
and there's part 2 too.
Hope this helps for a start, and other people on here will have advice too - and all the best with him, and keep us posted! |
| austin_89 |
Posted - 16/12/2011 : 15:01:13
Erm well he's got a little snappy, but only with me... If i even go near his viv he's striking out at me and hitting his face on the glass i have absolutely no way of getting him out without being bitten... If my partner goes near the tank he gets into strike position but doesnt do anything, just dont know what to do about it. |
| n/a |
Posted - 16/12/2011 : 14:57:29
What's up?
This is a really good friendly forum with loads of info and everyone's very helpful, I've learned loads and still learning - you've come to the right place. |
| austin_89 |
Posted - 16/12/2011 : 14:54:12
Thank you :D im already having a little trouble with him tho... |
