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  1. #1
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    My ball python is hissing at me!

    Hi everybody my name is Joe and I just got my first ball python 3 days ago (well 2 balls at the same time). I didn't mean to get 2 but thats just how it ended up. Any ways the one I picked out is now hissing at me every time I go to pick it up and the other one is calm and relaxed. I try to handle them at least 30 min. a day. They are both baby's and about 18" long give or take. The cage is kept at about 80-85 degrees during the day and about 75-80 at night with the humidity at around 60-70%. The have a big water dish and a good hide spot. The calm gentle one likes to hide under the water dish and the hissing one likes to hide in the coconut hut. Anyway my question is why is my ball hissing at me and is it going to bite me? Also do I continue to try and handle it why it is hissing or do I back off and give him/her room? Any comment's would be great. Thank you and have a wonderful day!

  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran NickP's Avatar
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    Re: My ball python is hissing at me!

    Well, first of all, before I start keep in mind that a snake will hiss if he is not comfortable with his environment and is stressed out. From your post I can see that you keep both of them in the same tank, which is a bad idea. Get another one or if the tank is big enough (20g long or bigger), for now you can split it in half and separate the snakes.

    Second, you should take a closer look at the BP care sheets. First thing you need is a temperature gradient. On one end [cooler end] the temps need to be 80-84 and on the other [warmer end] they need to be 90-94. This will create a gradient and the snakes can thermoregulate accordingly. To do this you need to get one or two under tank heaters for the warmer side and a heating lamp (mine has a red 60 watt light bulb enough to keep the cooler end at 83 degrees) on the cooler side. You also need to either buy TWO thermostats, or just one along with a dimmer: set the thermostat on the warmer end at 94, then dim down the lamp so that the cooler side is 10 degrees lower.

    Next, your humidity is too high. It needs to be 50-60% and during shed you should bump that to 60-75%. Keep that in mind. Having the humidity over 60% can encourage bacterial growth.

    Finally, you need to have two identical hides on both ends so that the snake can pick the temperature it wants/needs for the moment.

    ONCE you have all that set up put the snakes in and leave them alone for an entire week! This part is very important. The snakes need to get used to their new homes. The first 3-5 days they will roam their tanks, looking for ways to escape and just getting to know everything. Once they settle in, they will retreat to one of the hides. Don't worry if they don't use the hides the first week or so. Mine camped out next to it the entire week before starting to use it. Also, you should enjoy that first week because that is the only time you will be seeing your BPs out of their hides hehe.

    Once the week is up, feed both of them, then let them be for 48 hours to digest. Finally start handling both every day for 10 minutes and slowly work it up from there. Don't overhandle and try to keep the sessions short. One bad handling session will take you two steps back.

    I am speaking out of experience. My bp used to hiss at me and wouldn't even let me get near him, but once the week was up and he ate and digested, he stopped hissing and slowly got comfortable with me.

    Oh yeah, if the BP keeps hissing just scoop him up from behind even if he is hissing. Once on your hands he will most likely calm down. Hissing is a sign of "leave me alone," not "I'm gonne bite you."

    Hope this helps
    Last edited by NickP; 12-21-2007 at 04:01 AM.
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  3. #3
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    Re: My ball python is hissing at me!

    Thanks so much for all the info. It's really hard to tell what is real good info and real bad info on the web. When I went to the pet store to buy the ball I bought just one but they sold me a used tank at 10% off. It was already set up. When I got home and lifted the water dish holy S@#$ there was another snake. Same size but another snake. So I ended up with two. As far as the temp goes I am trying my best but there is so little detailed info on how to arrange lighting structures I wasn't sure how to do it. I do have a heat pad on one side and a normal swival lamp on the other side with a 100W bulb. I guess to much watts huh? Wasn't sure on what watt to buys.The lamp is over the top of the water bowl for the humidity. Thats what the site I read said to do. Thanks for the comment. I will try to seperate them as soon as possible. On one site though it said it was ok to house more than one together and that they would be fine.

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    MushroomMang (09-05-2018)

  5. #4
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    Re: My ball python is hissing at me!

    The morning after I got them they were curled up together under the water bowl. They were interlocked together. I hope this is a good sign...but they were not trying to hurt each other at least I don't think they were. There were no signs of abuse.LOL

  6. #5
    BPnet Veteran NickP's Avatar
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    Re: My ball python is hissing at me!

    Whoa. How much was your tank? I guess Christmas came early for you huh? hehe. Post a pic of your tank and that magical water bowl plz hah

    and no they won't hurt each other; they'll just cause unnecessary stress. Also I'm not too sure on this, but if they are male/female then they might try to breed too early. But someone with more experience and knowledge should chip in and correct me on that one if I'm wrong.
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    Re: My ball python is hissing at me!

    Yah is was quite the suprise. I payed $129 for everything. It is only a 10 gallon but I only bought it for the discount...I just got a 20 gallon for free tonight though. My parent just upgraded to a 55 gallon for their water dragon so I got there 20 gallon. I know a 10 gallon is small but I knew I would have it for long. I wasn't sure how long the snake had been in there so I fed it yesterday a mouse and it ate it right away. They both eat fine so that was a plus for me. I am guessing that the one that came in the tank is calm because it is already familar with the tank. I just can't believe that the pet store never took the snake out and forgot it was even in there.

  9. #7
    BPnet Veteran NightLad's Avatar
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    Re: My ball python is hissing at me!

    Please note that my above post is only meant to share my personal opinions and ‘discoveries’ about the various points of Ball Python husbandry in regard to your specific questions and concerns. It is not meant to replace or supplement the official Ball Python Care Sheet already provided at this site.

  10. #8
    BPnet Lifer Skiploder's Avatar
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    Re: My ball python is hissing at me!

    Quote Originally Posted by Jophis82 View Post
    The morning after I got them they were curled up together under the water bowl. They were interlocked together. I hope this is a good sign...but they were not trying to hurt each other at least I don't think they were. There were no signs of abuse.LOL
    The interlocking does not mean they are snuggling - it's a sign that they are trying to share the same choice spot in the enclosure.

    Your snake is hissing at you because it's stressed.

    (1) Leave it alone for a week, minimum. Make sure it has plenty of cover, hide spots, etc. You're keeping it in a glass tank - right? I'd recommend blacking out the sides and the back (long term) and the front (short term). Place the enclosure in a spot that gets a minimum of traffic.

    (2) Mind the proper husbandry guidelines.

    (3) Separate the snakes.

  11. #9
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    Re: My ball python is hissing at me!

    They sold you a used tank, and it just happened to have a BP in it? OMG, I would never go back there again... Sorry to hear that though... I wonder how long it's been since the little guy ate anything...

    I just want to remind you that letting them settle now will help you get them to eat in 2 weeks. Post pics when you can!

  12. #10
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    Re: My ball python is hissing at me!

    Thank you all so much for the help and opinions. I am really glad to have joined this site and look forward to talking with you all for years to come. And yes I am getting rid of one of the snakes. My parents are going to take it. I live in a 2 bedroom apt. and I don't have the means for two snakes anyway. In the future I would like to have more but as a beginner I feel one is enough, and I want to make sure that I can give this magnificent animal the best home and a good life.

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