Help! BP rehabilitation problems

[whpstickagostop]

I adopted a ball python a few months ago from a friend of mine. My friend had acquired him from another person that was not taking very good care of him and she had previous reptile experience and got him to where he can be handled again. The first month I had him, everything was great. He was very curious and adorable and would crawl all over the living room and loved to be held (well, I assume he did, he didn't seem to mind). The person that gave him to me had supplied me with some food but mentioned she had bought the wrong one and normally fed him something bigger.
One night while I was thawing his tiny meal, some boxes and things fell off my closet shelf which is only about three feet from his cage. When I got him out to feed him, he bit me. It completely freaked me out and ever since I have been getting him out with a wire hanger and not handling him at all.
I have since started feeding him larger mice that are more suitable to his size. I think that part of his lashing out was that he had been underfed for a long time and then was stressed by the vibrations of the falling boxes.

My major question is: How can I tell if he is ready to start being handled again?

Also, any other tips and tricks for getting the little guy back to his "puppy-like" self again are greatly appreciated.

[armbarvictim]

he was ready to be handled the second after he bit you. He was clearly scared and bit you in fear of his life, poor guy.

Lift his hide and rub his back once or twice so he knows your there, then remove your hand and wait for him to get active. The reach in and grab him whalla he wont bite.

[Derrick13]

Got him out? Do you feed in a sepreat cage? If so that could be your problome. Feeding them in there cage does not make them more aggressive. Secondly I notice with my bp that when he smells the mouse he goes into terminator mode and anything with a heat signature is fair game. One time I made a nooby move and didnt heat the mouse properly ( I do frozen/thawed) and my body was the only source of heat, so he practically charged out of the cage to see if I tasted good. Two days later after he digested the mouse I had to rewarm I held him and he was fine. Your guy was just in hunt mode , I'm sure you could take him out right now and he would'nt strike. However, this doesnt mean that he wont strike, the problome could be related to how well his cage is kept. Could you give us some facts about your set up? like bedding , temps and cage size?

[whpstickagostop]

He has a 30 gallon tank with a large water bowl, a small tree (it was on sale, thought he might like it and at first he curled around it a lot but stays in his hide ALL the time now), two hides and the bedding is the chunky bark stuff. We are doing a massive reptile tank cleaning tomorrow and switching all of them (we also keep geckos) to coconut fiber bedding.

Any suggestions for how I can improve his habitat?

The lady I got him from set it up, and she worked at a reptile house so I assume she sorta knew what she is doing, but I am totally new to this.