So before going to Hamburg last weekend, I read up on carpet pythons, knowing very well their reputations as aggressive snakes. But I also found several breeders that said this reputation was completely un-deserved and that the majority of carpets were very pleasant to keep and handle as adults.

Apparently I trusted them a little too much because I ended up with one seriously pissy 4-ft snake.

I bought the sub-adult as opposed to the hatchlings because, as the internet told me, most adults were calm. I handled her, and she was a bit energetic but not at all aggressive. The much smaller one I was looking at made to strike at me several times while I was looking at them. I don't want to be one of those people that gets rid of an animal because it bites, but at the same time, I just don't enjoy keeping animals I can't interact with. I'd hate to have to trade her down the line just because she's a little nippy.

I know the only trick to "taming" a snake is regular handling, but I'd like to do that with as little bodily harm as possible. I plan on getting her a PVC cage with the front door rather than the standard 40 gal aquarium she's in now, as well as a snake hook, but she still makes me rather nervous.

This is my first Morelia, in fact my first python that's not a ball, so I feel a little in over my head. Does any body have any tips on how to handle her so she can be a nice, docile snake I can really fall in love with?