New baby keeps trying to strike - HELP!

[lafasta]

Hi everyone! This is my first post and am excited to be a part of this community. I just wish my first post was a different topic My 6 year old daughter has been asking for a pet snake for a long time. We originally thought a corn snake would be a good choice but changed our minds to a ball python after a number of recommendations from people who said they were a better choice for a 6 year old because they were so docile and laid back.

I wanted the best first snake experience for my daughter so we chose the ball python because of their supposed calm nature. I wanted her to have as little fear, hopefully no fear around the snake.We researched and got everything ready for it to come home. We finally went to pick the snake up yesterday night and placed it into its new home. As soon as we did it quickly found a hiding spot between one of the 2 hides and the glass wall of the 20 gallon long tank. She stayed there and hasn't moved since.

Today my daughter was dying to hold her new baby, so tonight after leaving the snake for 24 hrs to get used to its new home, we decided to take it out for a quick introduction to start getting it used to us. The second I opened the tank it "ran" away from us into a hide. I gently lifted the hide and slowly moved my hand to pick her up around the middle of her body away from her head. She striked out at me immediately. This made my daughter jump back afraid. I tried to play it off as it was nothing and picked the snake up out of the tank. I sat down with it and as I crossed my leg she striked out at it while I was holding it in my hands.

This made my daughter not want to hold it at all. I could feel the snake tense up any time I moved my hand even a slight bit under it or touched it anywhere. My daughter stroked it gently and it tensed right up into an 'S' shape. It was obvious the snake was very scared and defensive. I was very very suprised at this behaviour, and my poor daughter was afraid.

I really hoping for some advice and reassurance from all of you amazing ball python veterans here. I'm feeling a bit upset that maybe we chose the wrong snake for my daughter. Everything I've read so far stated that ball pythons were calm docile snakes. Ours seems terrified and defensive. I know it's only been a day since it's been home with us but I didn't think it would be trying to bite us at all. Maybe she needs more time alone before we try again?

Here's a few things I'm wondering about now:
- Will this striking subside over time with handling?
- Did we handle the snake too soon after taking it home?
- She has 2 hides in a 20 gallon tank. Should I give it more?
- If it strikes should we leave it alone or take it out right after to show it that striking won't make us go away?
- Why does our baby strike at us when almost every other post on here and everyone we've talked to said bp's rarely or never try to bite you?

I would really appreciate any other advise you could give us to make our snake feel safe around us and not want to bite us. I've tried searching on this forum but I can't find much on this topic. I know all snakes have their own personalities but I honestly thought striking bp's were very far and few between.

I would really like it if anyone who has been in this situation could comment. I'm feeling a bit deflated at the moment. I just want to know if there is hope for a happy docile ball python for myself and my 6 year old daughter.

Thanks so much everyone!

[dustin860]

You should wait much longer than 24 hours to try to handle a new snake . Let them get used to the new surroundings and even take a few meals . As a rule of thumb I wait until mine have eaten 5 times before I handle them .


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[Prognathodon]

Odds are that the snake will settle down with time, growing up, and gentle handling.

Yes, you probably did try handling it too soon - most recommendations are to wait at least a week before handling. As a first-time snake owner you were probably less than confident (not picking on you, just what happens without much experience), which will also make the snake nervous.

2 hides should be sufficient, but make sure they're snug, the snake will be happier in a tight hide than with one that's too big. You can also increase baby's security by cluttering up the tank with aquarium plants, crumpled up paper, etc.

You're on the right track with the question about what to do when it does strike - if you leave it alone or put it back in the tank after striking, it'll learn that's how to get left alone.

Use the search function and look for a thread in the last week or so started by AKADave, which includes a video with handling tips.

It may help to explain to your daughter that the snake is scared, because to a baby BP humans are giant giant scary monsters that are bigger than its whole house, and you just lifted its bedroom off of it when it was trying to hide under its bed. Its new home is also probably not exactly the same as what it was where it came from, so it also had a scary move yesterday on top of all that.


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[cristacake]

Snakes are like people, they have different personalities. My Donuts was cool with being handled right out of the box she came shipped in. She wanted to explore everything! But some snakes are like the BP you got, scared and defensive. This is okay and it can be helped, but it will take a lot more time and patience. I know this advice is not really helpful to you anymore, but when buying a pet specifically based on temperament, you should definitely select one whose behavior and attitude you have witnessed yourself.

There are a lot of different ways to make a BP less defensive and prone to striking, but I would say the route you need to go for now is letting your new baby get settled into home. It is probably very scared. Try explaining to your daughter some scenario like, "imagine if giant aliens came and lifted up the blankets off your bed and picked you up out of it. That would be very scary, and you might try to kick them or hit them because you don't know that they're nice yet." or something like that; not sure how mature your daughter is but basically try to get her to understand the snake's behavior. People are usually fearful of things if they can't understand the way they work and predict their reactions. Additionally, kids seem to do better when they feel like an animal is more scared of them than they are of it. I remember hearing that old saying long ago (about bees, I remember!) and suddenly having a greater understanding of why animals seem to hurt people for what I had previously thought was no good reason.

Also, can I ask what kind of setup you have the snake in? A lot of babies are shy and prefer to have a darkened, enclosed living space. The fishtank situation is scary for some of them because they feel exposed on all sides. Lots of people cover the sides of their glass tanks either with a neutral paper that doesn't stick out too much among the decor, or buying jungly pattern wallpaper to make the vivarium look nice. Either way is up to you, but I do think that will help since your snake seems to be stressed from being vulnerable (i.e. not hidden away in its hide).

[DellaF]

I myself got a new baby this past Tuesday. I held him for a few pictures after he arived and then I put him in his enclosure. He ate for me Thursday and now I think he is in shed. I never bother my snakes when they are in shed. I am ready to hold him because he is my dream snake The other snakes I have I have waited a week before handling.

I think that there maybe some videos on YouTube about holding little ones that are a little nervous and stricky

[emilys_exotics]

Don't worry, this is normal behavior.
Baby snakes can be feisty haha
I'd leave him/her in the tank for 4-7 days so he/she can fully adjust. Some take a little longer to adjust.
After that, Maybe just try putting your hands in the tank to show him/her you're not a threat. Once he/she is comfortable with that, try gently petting him/her. Then, move to handling.
Good Luck

[LittleTreeGuy]

Prognathodon pretty much hit the nail on the head. Waiting a week is usually good. It's also important (and I know almost impossible) to ask your child to sit as still as possible. Young bp's often get startled easily by simple, sudden movements. My suggestion would be, wait a week then have your daughter sit down on the couch, and you can place the snake in her hands, on her lap. I've found that to work the best with younger children.

[PitOnTheProwl]

You have to remember a hatchling thinks everything it trying to kill and eat it.

Most will calm with time, though I do have a large male that doesn't trust me and I don't trust him.
As already mentioned, leave it alone for about a week.
Also double check your husbandry to make sure its comfortable.
What temperatures are you heating to and what are you using to heat the enclosure?

[Albert Clark]

This type of behavior is typical hatchling responses to obstacles in their space. Human babies cry and throw tantrums when they are hungry, upset, scared or otherwise unhappy. Baby snakes will hiss and huff and puff including striking out to bite when they are frightened and stressed. Definitely everything that is posted here is all factual and inclusive of the points that will help you and your daughter begin to understand and enjoy your baby ball python more. You will really need to reconsider such a large enclosure for now. Baby ball pythons do much better in 6 quart tubs. If you want to use a glass enclosure a 5 gallon is a better temporary housing that will help to expedite his adjustment and well being. Congrats and welcome to baby ball python care 101.

[lafasta]

Thanks for all of your quick responses everyone! We will definitely wait a week now to handle her again. I just peaked in at her in the dark and she's peaking her head out of the hide. I hope she tries to explore tonight.

As for her home for now, it's a 20 gallon long glass tank. It is heated with 2 infrared bulbs. One 75 on the hot side and a 50 the middle. The warm side is 88 - 90 and the cold is 81 with a hide on each side. There is a large water bowl in the Centre with paper towel for substrate for now. I live in Canada so the temps are quite cold. The uth was not cutting it as the air would only reach 72 at the highest with the heat pad at 115 °F! Way too hot for a uth. So I switched to lamps completely and the temps are good now. I have damp moss in each hide for humidity as the air is very dry here as well. Keeping humidity in the entire tank has been impossible. Would a small tub inside the tank be better until she's bigger?

I've told m daughter only slow calm quite movements around her tank so she doesn't scare her, but slow and steady for a 6 year old is relative, lol. She trying her best so far.

We will have to feed her in a few days so to not handle her should I feed her in her tank or in a feeding tub? Before we got her she was fed in her tank but I wanted to feed her in the tub so she wouldn't associate put hands with food. But if we shouldn't be handling her would in her tank be better?

Thanks again for all your help everyone!!! Maybe there's hope for a calm snake after all!

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