My 1.0 Desert is evil!

Just recently picked up a Male Desert from Bailey & Bailey Reptiles, he's a "13 hatchling. This boy has the attitude of an angry bull! Has anyone else had this problem and do they mellow out with handling and age? If anyone has any further info on this, lemme know. I'd just like to know whether I should just leave him be, or if I can work him into a snake that can be handled. He's so aggressive that he strikes if you walk past his enclosure or if someone moves, in any way, while he's not in his enclosure.

usually those become great feeders and breeders. If you want it to handle as a pet start working with it now. They will mellow out a bit, but handling is the most effective. Either offer it the back of your hand to see its not getting him anywhere, or use gloves until he gets tired of biting. Once he stops, pick him up and hold him. Your still going to get bit at first, but saves you the original onslaught. Other option is find someone who does not care about its attitude and get another one. I have some that strike out of the egg, but after time and size they mellow out. Others.........my female bel is the devil! If she did not have an extra gene that is still being worked with.......see ya beotch! Don't worry so much about the baby bites, just pray to avoid the 4000g+ gravid female that sees your hand before the rat! Good luck.

Originally Posted by Randy F

usually those become great feeders and breeders. If you want it to handle as a pet start working with it now. They will mellow out a bit, but handling is the most effective. Either offer it the back of your hand to see its not getting him anywhere, or use gloves until he gets tired of biting. Once he stops, pick him up and hold him. Your still going to get bit at first, but saves you the original onslaught. Other option is find someone who does not care about its attitude and get another one. I have some that strike out of the egg, but after time and size they mellow out. Others.........my female bel is the devil! If she did not have an extra gene that is still being worked with.......see ya beotch! Don't worry so much about the baby bites, just pray to avoid the 4000g+ gravid female that sees your hand before the rat! Good luck.

Thanks, I plan on working with him, all of my other snakes are great, it's just him. I'm just wondering if it's common with the Deserts, some say it is, some say it's not.

Baby snakes of any species can be aggressive as babies. Each snake has its own attitude and personality. We have snakes that will tear you up but the bites dont hurt. Still scares the crap out of ya lol. Our aggressive snakes have calmed down after a few months of hatching without handeling. if your keeping it as a pet handle him now. Understand if you are breeding later on be prepared for aggressive babies but most of the time they are calm. We have a 1300 gram female yellowbelly that strikes all the time but she is scared more than anything. Best of luck to you.

It's not the desert gene. I can't recall getting bitten by any of our deserts. I have a 7 egg clutch that's still in the incubator until they shed and two bites five don't. I have a whole clutch of sulfur yb to specter that all they do is bite. I have a banana that eats rats consecutive days, and snakes that won't eat week after week. It's mainly luck of the draw.

Well, TBH, most of my snakes pull double duty, as both pet and breeder. He's too small right now to do anything other than be a pet. I would just prefer to not have this temperament when he weight 2000+g. Thank you all for the input, I'll be handling him regularly until either he realizes that biting me won't get him anywhere or I get tired of him biting me.