Ya gotta love this snakes attitude !!!!!

[EyeLashViper]

:shock: Hello Everybody,
Well, I have told all of you about my newest Ball Python, a large male named Apok. Apok, as I have mentioned is a genuinely mean Ball Python - he IS handleable with care.I was working with him last nite and it was amazing to see the malevolence that he possesses.....you should have seen him!!! when I went to pick him up he hissed at me like a broken radiator and when I was handling him he coiled around my arm and while held him he struck at open air with his mouth wide open several times...not at me but just striking for the sake of striking...and he is a beautiful snake which makes it all the more interesting to deal with him...and get THIS !!!!!!! he took 3 PRE-KILLED large mice last nite!!! I was so proud of him and happy.... he is a real handful of serious Ball Python - I love my other Ball Pythons but Apok really keeps me on my toes so to speak.... :wink:

EyeLashViper

[nitsuj]

I'm just getting into Ball Pythons. Mine is a small 26" girl that never does much. I wouldnt even know how to deal with a snake like yours, but it sounds like it will be a great snake once it gets used to you. Good luck

[EyeLashViper]

Oh he is a beautiful specimen of Ball Python but he has a temper.He will allow handling on his terms which means that I refrain from waking him up or disturbing him while he is resting - he will hiss loudly to let me know that he is not amused.When he is out prowling around I can handle him as long as I keep him away from my face.He is prone to strike at anything approaching him from the front quarter.

Apok is a really impressive snake and a good feeder - he just has a bit of an attitude.I can deal with that.Funny thing is he actually looks somewhat differnent than the average BP as well.His coloration and pattern look somewhat like a Jungle BP and his eyes are a light glittery gold color - and his head is more angular and wedgelike.He actually reminds me of a Reticulated what with his temper.

As you can see, I am rather proud of the mean guy....

EyeLashViper

[RandyRemington]

While most of my ball pythons are typical laid back balls I've had a few feisty ones over the years.

I had a het albino male that would strike for a while when I first got him at about a year old. Two of his 4 daughters would also strike when young and hissed up to about 2 years old. One of his grandsons by one of the hissy daughters was a constant striker for the few months I had him but his sister was fine. I'm starting to think that in my case it was some sort of dominant aggression gene.

I currently have a small adult (1,800 grams) pet store girl that regularly strikes at me. Unfortunately the male that I need to pair her with is one of those rigid (scared) balls and also bit me a while back although he hasn’t been particularly aggressive most of his life. I'm thinking mean kids from this pair but hopefully will get a nice one or two out to hold for breeders (I’m only breeding them for a morph project).

Sometimes I think breeders have selected for mean ball pythons as you hear more about them in certain morphs (piebald especially). The general belief seems to be that they will be better feeders. There might well be a correlation between aggression and feeding response but I know I've worked with fabulous feeders that where not aggressive so I would hate to see ball pythons loose their reputation as trustworthy snakes due to excessive selection for aggressive lines.