Viscious Ball

[Justin05]

I've had my Ball for almost a year, and he's been extremely agressive since the day I got him. I ordered him from a breeder in Oklahoma. He's eating well, and getting fat. He seems health in every way. I've NEVER even seen him in the "ball" thretened posture. If my hand goes into the cage, he rears back to strike. He has a seperate feeding enclosure. He's bitten me about five times, the last one was pretty bad, he latched onto my thumb, and wrapped around my wrist. It took me about 15 minutes to get him off (carefully). I'm not to concerned about holding him all the time, but it would be nice if I could hold him every once in awhile. Any ideas about how I could begin taming this fella? Thanks!

[angllady2]

If he bit, latched and wrapped you, that was a hunger strike, not a defense strike.

Can you tell us about his enclosure, his temps and setup, what does he eat and how often ?

Truly aggressive balls are very rare, but they are out there. Usually it can be traced to poor husbandry, lack of feeding, fear or confusion, or a few other things.

Give us as much background detail as you can, and we'll do our best to help.

Gale

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

If he bit, latched and wrapped you, that was a hunger strike, not a defense strike.

Can you tell us about his enclosure, his temps and setup, what does he eat and how often ?

Truly aggressive balls are very rare, but they are out there. Usually it can be traced to poor husbandry, lack of feeding, fear or confusion, or a few other things.

Give us as much background detail as you can, and we'll do our best to help.

Gale

^agree^

[Skittles1101]

if he bit, latched and wrapped you, that was a hunger strike, not a defense strike.

Can you tell us about his enclosure, his temps and setup, what does he eat and how often ?

Truly aggressive balls are very rare, but they are out there. Usually it can be traced to poor husbandry, lack of feeding, fear or confusion, or a few other things.

Give us as much background detail as you can, and we'll do our best to help.

Gale

x3

[loonunit]

Yeah, the only time I ever got a latch and wrap, the snake had been eating one small rat a month for the last three years because some vet told the owner he was "obese". And when I brought over a tray of medium rats, he downed 4 in the first sitting, 4 a week after that, and was at 3 rats a week for two months after that.

How often do you feed and how much? How old is this ball python, and how much does he weigh (or how long is he if you don't have a kitchen scale)? How often does he refuse food?

I would also classify this as "cage aggression". I would get a cardboard box and start feeding him in there instead of in his tank. He's associating the opening of the tank and the appearance of your hand with food. We need him to associate something else with food.

And last but not least, I would get a nice heavy pair of gardening or work gloves. It blocks the heat signature from your hands somewhat, AND if he bites it, it won't hurt you or reward him in any way. If we can get him past the cage aggression and the hunger, you can start handling him again barehanded on non-feeding days. But you'll definitely want gloves and probably long-sleeved shirts for moving him to and from the box on feeding days.

And I'm sorry to hear he latched and wrapped. I've only had that happen the one time, and gosh, it hurt. I had bruises visible on my finger for two weeks afterwards.

[Gbusiness]

x4. If, you had him for almost a year and he act's like what you said? Then you are doing something wrong. You obviously don't handle him much. Have you ever taken out of his cage? How do you react after he strikes and hit's your hand? This behavior is usually when you first get a new bp. At, almost a year old this behavior should have been dealt with from the start.
I had a defensive male granite yellow anaconda. He would make the S shape and would alway's reposition himself to alway's be facing me. He striked twice and drew blood both times (defensive strikes. this was the first time I've ever tried to handle him). But, I never backed down and was determined to correct him. Two day's later I was able to handle him with no problem's. Never been bitten or shown any kind of aggresssion from him since. I've only had him for about three week's now.

[RobNJ]

x4. If, you had him for almost a year and he act's like what you said? Then you are doing something wrong. You obviously don't handle him much. Have you ever taken out of his cage? How do you react after he strikes and hit's your hand? This behavior is usually when you first get a new bp. At, almost a year old this behavior should have been dealt with from the start.

We're talking about snakes here, not dogs...

I'm not saying this is the case here, but the guy could really just have an aggressive snake. I don't care if you're dealing with balls, boas, corns, rats, etc....there are always a few plain old nasty snakes. I have one girl that's a little rough around the edges(she's a biter), and how I approach her is different than how I approach the others. No husbandry/feeding issues, just a grumpy snake. Always has been.

[Anatopism]

Yeah, the only time I ever got a latch and wrap, the snake had been eating one small rat a month for the last three years because some vet told the owner he was "obese". And when I brought over a tray of medium rats, he downed 4 in the first sitting, 4 a week after that, and was at 3 rats a week for two months after that.

How often do you feed and how much? How old is this ball python, and how much does he weigh (or how long is he if you don't have a kitchen scale)? How often does he refuse food?

I would also classify this as "cage aggression". I would get a cardboard box and start feeding him in there instead of in his tank. He's associating the opening of the tank and the appearance of your hand with food. We need him to associate something else with food.

And last but not least, I would get a nice heavy pair of gardening or work gloves. It blocks the heat signature from your hands somewhat, AND if he bites it, it won't hurt you or reward him in any way. If we can get him past the cage aggression and the hunger, you can start handling him again barehanded on non-feeding days. But you'll definitely want gloves and probably long-sleeved shirts for moving him to and from the box on feeding days.

And I'm sorry to hear he latched and wrapped. I've only had that happen the one time, and gosh, it hurt. I had bruises visible on my finger for two weeks afterwards.

I disagree with a few things said/implied here.

1) ball pythons are not parrots or dogs... allowing a snake to bite you is not a reward or in any way going to motivate or encourage it to want to bite more. I have never encountered a snake that has bit (whether strike/coil or defensively strike/release) make the connection that biting in any way gets them something they want/stops behavior they don't want. Biting from a snake is an instinctive response... they do so because you smell like food, or they feel threatened by you. A bird might bite because it learns you make funny sounds when they do so, or because they learn it makes you leave them alone.... a ball python does not, or at least hasn't ever in my experience or the experience of my peers.

2) the OP says they feed in a seperate enclosure. I recommend reading the dozens of threads/debates on this topic, and consider the thousands of snakes that are fed properly in their enclosures that never become "cage aggressive".

To the OP: my first thought.. is how large is the enclosure your BP is in? Does it have hides or adequate shelter to feel secure? We had a ball surrendered to us because she was "mean". They were keeping her in a 55 gallon tank... we put her in a small sterilite tub... she never once snapped at us. There are lots of possibilities aside from enclosure size that can be a factor with a defensive snake, and I am sure once you are able to post telhe specifics about your setup, everybody here will be able to give you lots of helpful advice

[heathers*bps]

You obviously don't handle him much.

I have to disagree with this statement. The only time I handle mine is for cleaning and other maintenance, and majority of my balls don't strike. Now, I do have my male cinny that is a little jerk sometimes, and my WC females are tempermental, but regardless how much you handle ( or don't handle ) your ball python I don't think it has much to do with it.

My first thoughts on reading this is either your setup needs adjusting or your feeding schedule is a bit off. I also think it is causing him stress with moving him to another tank to feed. Please tell us more about your setup and feeding schedule and I'm sure we will be able to help you.

[jfmoore]

Justin, do you mean like this?



Room Temperature Rat




Prey Temperature Hand