Ball tried to strike at chihuahua?

[Emma_Fox]

I was holding my BP when it struck at nothing then realized that my poor nutty chihuahua had wondered close by. I am going to put her in a diff room from now on. Just wondering if anyone has had experience with something like this? Weve only had him a little over a week now. He is 2 years and close to 4 ft. Still learning, caught me by surprise.

[John1982]

Ball pythons have pretty poor eyesight. It knows your scent well enough, it knows food well enough. Unknown, stinky bogey approaches and gets a defensive strike - nothing more. Sure your snake could probably get used to your dog and your dog could probably get used to the snake but mixing them is always a bad idea in my book. I don't understand the benefit for such silly risks as either could harm the other fiercely.

[jasonmcgilvrey83]

I have my cats around my bps and they get along very well but the snakes have been around the cats sence they were baby's so their use to them being there. I wouldn't try anything from the rodent family tho cause they are a food source. I keep my snakes clear of my bunny.

[rlditmars]

Personally I think mixing reptiles with mammals that could in anyway possible be mistaken for prey, is a recipe for disaster. Rember in the wild constrictors will not hesitate to take down an animal much larger than we would think possible for them to swallow, i.e. antelope, caimen, capybara, etc. There are opportunistic feeders. Just because it's a ball python doesn't mean it couldn't attempt to tackle a cat, dachshund, or a chihuahua. It won't matter if it can't eat it, when it's dead it's dead. You may get away with it a thousand times but the one time you don't, it will be catastrophic for one or the other, or both. Not to mention the guilt you'll be left with. Just my $0.02.

[LLLReptile]

The ball python was probably uncomfortable to start, and struck at the chihuahua as a warm thing moving by when it was already nervous.

Maybe keep handling sessions a little shorter, and ensure the snake is not out in a room with the chihuahua in it. It is unlikely that the snake will cause much harm to the chihuahua, but the chihuahua can seriously harm the snake.

-Jen

[Emma_Fox]

Thanks everyone. It was in no way my intention to have them in the same room but more so ignorance that I didn't think my ball python would try to harm the dog. Since his first feeding he has been overall jerky and seems kind of nervous?