Striking--will he probably grow out of it?

[SpiffyYoshi]

My new yellow belly stuck at me a few times but never actually got me until today. He is 5 months old. This rarely continues into adulthood with BPs, right?

[SlitherinSisters]

It depends. It's pretty common for them to be a bit nippy as babies. I have a couple that grew out of it for about a year, but have taken it back up. You never know for sure, but they usually grow out of it. Just make sure you don't smell like rats or stick your hand in the tank/tub right after you feed them.

[Vypyrz]

Make sure when you stick your hand in you aren't moving it directly over, or in front of their head. In their mind, that means predator and/or food.

[xENViOUS 5x]

Not a veteran here myself, but in accordance with the other post's... Make sure that you always wash your hands first before handling your b/p. That way your zest fully clean, LOL... Oh yeah almost forgot, when I had my first b/p, I stuck a shirt it their that was dirty, I mean not dirty you know, but just one that you wore for a day or so, and I stuck it in there for about 2-3 days, and maybe it helped, maybe it didn't but never had mine strike at me when it was a baby... To bad I had to get rid of him, cause I deployed, DAMIT! But good look though!

xENViOUS 5x

[Raf702]

Striking in juveniles are not uncommon. He could easily be stressed in his new environment, if you just recently got him. Provide him all the proper husbandry and feeding him regularly. Then he will become a very happy BP. Also, if he feel's threaten by someone who is 10x bigger than him. It could pose a threat and he could strike, that's you must you slow and careful hand movements. No jerking or fast hand movements. That will scare or even make him feel threatened. I'm still learning on how to keep my hands from moving to quickly around him. And when he coils I jerk my hand thinking he's going to strike. But only to see that he just turns his head away from me. It's something that you develop over time with handling and caring for BP's.

BUT since he's new, leave him alone for a week. It's hard not to, but it's for your own good and the BP's as well. He needs to get acclimated/adjusted to his new environment. Don't touch/handle him for that time period. But doing your regular spot cleaning/maintenance is completely fine. The more time your BP has alone being untouched will ease his stress. You may want to wait another week before feeding as well. Or else he could easily refuse to eat due to stress.

Make sure you got the husbandry setup properly, and just let your BP be alone. And his attitude will definitely tone down with time.

[SpiffyYoshi]

It was definitely not a feeding response because I wasn't handling rodents and he didn't hold on or anything. He strikes a lot. This time I sort of asked for it. I was rearranging furniture in his viv and stuck my hand in his face to move the vine he was sitting on and he just snapped at me. It was quick. Left little red teeth marks. Barely even bled. I'm used to corns who are just sweethearts and put up with my constant decorating.

I do have a Honduran milk snake who bites sometimes when I pick her up but doesn't strike at me in her tub.

[horsefan515]

My ball python struck at me and my boyfriend all the time for the first few months but he eventually got used to both of us handling him and now, it's like he begs to come out of his cage.

[SpiffyYoshi]

Oh, and he's actually eaten for me 3 times now, excellent feeding response. I don't sense that he is stressed. Defensive, it seems. He doesn't spend 24/7 in his hide like Carlotta (she is getting better though!). He spends a fair amount of time out exploring but not so much he is "stress wandering."

[BPmedusa]

Our male that we've had bout five weeks strikes also. He's a great eater so I believe he just isn't used to being handled. We handle him for a few min each day and it is helping. He is getting used being handled and striking less. Like everyone said just don't stick your hand in front of him when picking him up and don't hover over him. At least with ours it helps to pick him up with confidence rather than moving slowly.

[loonunit]

He will probably grow out it. It may take him until next winter. But they almost always stop as soon at their hormones really turn on for the first time: defensive striking isn't a good strategy for winning over the girls.

My pewter girl and my het pied male were both defensive strikers. They get more accurate as they get older, too, so it hurts more--- just walk away if you think you're getting angry. Or keep a spray bottle with water around, and squirt them on the nose if they really piss you off.

But both of mine have grown out of it, and the pewter is a giant attention-seeking sweetie now.