Getting bitten

[OuterScience]

Got a new BP monday, a baby girl hatched on August 3rd, and she's been biting at everything. We haven't been able to handle me. Since my older bp is too calm and docile to bother biting anything, I was wondering if it would be best to just let the baby bite me and get over my fear. She has to get used to being handled, and I don't see that happening without a couple of bites, so should I just get it over with and work on getting her tamed enough to handle?

[frostysBP]

A babys bite is nothing and wont even draw blood.. if it acts defensive and you leave it alone it reinforces that behavior....aggressive babys usually are the best eaters.

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[OuterScience]

My sister let her bite her hand 3 times today and said it didn't feel like much, it just drew a little bit of blood, so I'm beginning to think it's best to just get it over with. The issue I have is that she's tried biting at our faces, not that we put her close to them.

[Tash]

How soon did you try to handle her? They should have at the very least a week of being undisturbed so they can get used to their new environment. It sounds like you have a very stressed and terrified baby. I'd say give her more time, put her in her enclosure and do not attempt to touch her or hold her for at least a week or two. My little guy was very nippy even after this waiting period but with consistent handling and putting on weight he has really mellowed. You could say that trying to bite me was his favorite pass time for a while. So yes, you may have to just go for it at some point but for now leave her be and so she can adjust. They calm down naturally over time as they get bigger as well it seems.

[OuterScience]

We've been trying to handle/pet her to see if we can get her used to us, the people we got her from didn't handle her much so they wouldn't get attached, because they knew they'd have to sell her. We've been bothering her less and less and she seems to be getting used to her tub by now.

[John1982]

Lightly tap or flick yourself on one hand with the opposite hand. That's pretty much what a bite from a hatchling feels like, only difference is a minuscule amount of blood. If you aren't looking you probably won't even believe you got bit.

[Tash]

Mine was totally a face biter... but I agree with the above comment. You don't even feel it. It took me quite a while and I was pretty nervous when he took an interest in exploring up my arm to my shoulders. After so many strikes to the face he had 0 trust points. Lol I don't mind my hands but not the face! Eventually I gave in especially since he's mellowed out so much and his favorite position is over one shoulder and using my ear as a headrest. Though he's getting kind of big for that now. Give her time and don't back down to her bites. Otherwise she will learn biting = being put away, so bite more!

[EL-Ziggy]

I agree with Tash. Give her a while to get used to her new environment before handling. I try not to handle new arrivals until they've eaten for me at least twice. Hatchlings can be a little nippy but as the others have said it doesn't really hurt. I say put on a glove and let her know that defensive biting isn't going to chase you away or stop you from handling her. She should calm down pretty quickly.

[OuterScience]

I'm more worried about her biting at my face at this point. If I had some gloves I'd put 'em on, but unfortunately, I don't.

[GoingPostal]

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...598-Bitey-baby

This was a whopping three days ago, when you got the snake and were advised multiple times to leave it alone and let it settle in. All you are doing is stressing this poor hatchling out. Why ask if you are going to ignore the advice? Also curious why you claim that your older bp is extremely docile when your only other threads on this forum are about him striking and biting, only a few months ago?