Wiggles, the Children's Python

[Bogertophis]

Correction: He's 13 grams heavier, not 8 grams.

I suppose he had one foot on the floor during the first weight?

[Homebody]

Correction: He's 13 grams heavier, not 8 grams.

Final correction: The scale read 338 grams. When I subtracted the weight of the bowl and feeder (105 grams), I should have reached a total of 233 grams, 8 grams more than his last weigh in.

[Homebody]

This is one of the few times I've seen Wiggles climbing on his new net.

I still haven't seen him in the new hide I made for him. That's o.k. I think it just takes snakes a while to accept new furnishings.

[Bogertophis]

Nets (& rope hammocks) are great exercise & supply the traction snakes love- as long as there's no holes small enough for them to get stuck in. Really not an option for ball pythons, but our slender Antaresia pythons (& my rat snakes) are well-suited for this. It does take most snakes a while to trust & try out new furnishings, but once they do, they usually enjoy.

[Homebody]

Wiggles just struck my glove while I was changing his water. He was partially in his hide, but the part that was out of his hide was wound up and ready for action. I thought the gloves would be too unappealing for him to strike, but I was wrong. Next time, I'll stop and tap him out of food mode before I put myself in range.

[Bogertophis]

Wiggles just struck my glove while I was changing his water. He was partially in his hide, but the part that was out of his hide was wound up and ready for action. I thought the gloves would be too unappealing for him to strike, but I was wrong. Next time, I'll stop and tap him out of food mode before I put myself in range.

Now you know...no glove goes untested for Antaresia- Though had you blown the scent of the glove to him, he may well have reconsidered his wasted effort.

Gloves are still providing the "motion" snakes go after- so with some of my reactive rat snakes, I block their view (when they're peeking out of a hide) with a ping-pong paddle- it works great- just lets them know "nothin' to see here".

[dakski]

Lesson learned.

I remove my "trigger happy"/food driven snakes when I do cage maintenance. Easier for all involved.

If you don't want to do that, I think you are on the right track with letting him know you are there and no food is coming.

Keep us posted.

[Homebody]

...I remove my "trigger happy"/food driven snakes when I do cage maintenance...

Even for water changes?

[Bogertophis]

Even for water changes?

I sure wouldn't. I almost never take a snake out for "maintenance" unless the whole place needs changed. Why stress them?

Exactly what I do depends on "who it is" though- I know what I can get away with for each of my snakes. Or how to let them know it's just me, not food, anyway.

Once in a while (when I want to "live dangerously") I use both hands- one with wiggling fingers ("LOOK OVER HERE!") & the other to swipe the bowl.

[Homebody]

...Next time, I'll stop and tap him out of food mode before I put myself in range.

Well, that didn't work. He struck the hook, then my gloves. It occurred to me afterward that he's due for a shed. Maybe that's why he's acting so crazy.