Hello! I recently got my first ball python last week, Sigma. He's 14 months old and is hopefully being fed tomorrow for the first time (of me owning him obv.)
However, I went to take him out 4 days after I got him (which might have been a lil too soon) and he nipped my finger. He didn't really...seem like he was aggressive? But ever since then I've gotten kind of anxious to take him out.
I'm aware he could have just been still getting used to his new home, I did have a ring on the finger he bit so that might have bugged him, and I didn't stroke him before I picked him up. But given I've never owned a snake before, I'm not really sure if he's aggressive or if I just scared him? I was able to take him out for a few minutes yesterday but I was kind of scared he was going to strike during the whole time.
Is there any way I can tell the difference between a BP about to strike and one just.... laying there? (I can tell when one is Obviously pissed off/being provoked.) Do you think he was just scared/stressed the first time and it was a one time thing?
I really like snakes and I've never been afraid of them but I get extremely anxious thinking about him biting me mostly because I don't want to be causing him stress/pain/etc. I want to try feeding him asap but I don't want to attempt that until I'm comfy enough moving him from tank to tank.
Also I want to move him from a tank to a tub, how long do you think I should wait before doing this? I don't want to cause him anymore stress...
(Also I'm sorry if this is in the wrong thread!! I wasn't sure if it went here or not.)