Brand new to ball pythons.

[Classic_Fizz]

Hello. I'm brand new to ball pythons and I have some questions.

I've had two other snakes. I currently have a corn snake which is a little over a year old and is perfectly good. I had another, but I made a bad choice when buying it and bought an unhealthy snake. These are the only two snakes I have ever owned and both were corns.

Last semester, I had a science teacher that had two ball pythons. I loved to interact with them and decided that I wanted one. So, I had my birthday recently and I had some extra money and decided I was going to get one. I went to my local pet store and got it because a friend of mine works there. I know pet stores generally have bad reputations, but due to circumstances, my options were limited. So, we held a couple and decided the one I got looked the most healthy and lively. That was generally my basis for choosing which to buy. Well, as my friend was playing with his keys and I was holding the snake (still at the pet store) the snake lunged for my friend. He wasn't close enough to bite, but he did try. He seems really sensitive to sudden movements. Like, extremely sensitive. But, I was told it was time for him (her) to eat, so it was most likely just a feeding response. I know from having corns that this is likely, but for some reason I am a lot more afraid of this ball python.

He's in his tank right now and has been exploring and what not. He seems really healthy, but his temper scares me. He struck at my friend at the pet store multiple times, but never bit anyone. It seems more like a head butt really. And I know he's young and hungry, but still. I'm not afraid of my corns like this, but I just don't know what I'll do to get him to calm down. I mean, I want to interact with him. I really like these snakes but I honestly don't know what I'd do if he bit me.

Do you think honestly that he'll calm down? Also, how do I go about getting him out to feed him (I need to feed him in another enclosure)?

I have a friend that will take him in case I just can't handle it, but I just don't know how to get over this. I'm not at all afraid of my other snake. I'm not sure what it is, but this is bothering me a lot.

I want it to work and that's why I'm seeking advice. I like the little guy (gal) but he's fiesty.

Another question. My friend said that it has been about a week and a half since he's been fed. He obviously seems hungry, but I know I'm supposed to leave him alone for a while and let him get used to his new home. When should I feed him? I got him today (well it's early morning, so yesterday, which was Monday). Would it be okay to feed him on Wednesday? Last question (for now). I wait two days after feeding my corn to handle it again. Same for ball pythons?

Thank you all very much in advance for your help!

[Sausage]

He should eventually chill out, just give him a week or so without handling so that he can acclimate to his new settings. Don't try feeding until after that time is over, and also remember to wait atleast 48 hours before handling after a feed.

Good luck!

[Classic_Fizz]

Ok. I figured he'd be okay with out eating but just wanted to make sure.
How should I go about getting him out with out getting tagged, though?

[tobiasking]

Just give him/her a few days to calm down. You really have no reason to be scared anyway, look how much bigger you are in comparison, even if it did bite you its barely going to hurt. This where you need to say to yourself, "don't be stupid, if it bites me it bites me, it will only be a scratch anyway".

In reality he probably won't bite you anyway once he has settled in and had some food (remember what Sausauge said about waiting for 48 hours after feeding).

I've got two young BPs and neither has bit me. I'll admit they are jumpy sometimes when you approach them too quickly, but that only because they think your about to munch them. Just be calm and don't make fast movements towards them and everything should be fine!

TEK

[frankykeno]

Is this a quite small ball python, as in an 07 hatchling or a bit bigger one? The smaller ones especially will jab at you with a closed mouth and will occasionally nip. Any snake can really. Think of it from the snake's point of view. It's small, it's in a pet store where people likely tap the glass, it's been handled by a lot of strangers, it's been transported to your home. It's hungry, not sure if someone wants to eat it and it just wants to survive. Wouldn't you strike out if you were in this set of circumstances and remember, it has a very basic reptilian brain unable to comprehend what is going on.

Let your snake settle in, make sure it's home is properly set up temps and humidity wise, make sure you are providing appropriate hides and in a week offer it a feeding. You do not have to remove it from it's enclosure to feed it. Feeding in the home enclosure will not promote biting (that's an old myth). Let it get a few weeks of feeds in it, then worry about handling once your snake is well-fed and had a chance to settle into it's new home.

[Kagez28]

if it bites you bite him back...

seriously though, i noticed you mentioned taking him out to feed him. most people feed their snakes in their enclosure, so there is no need to take him out. especially a young snake that stresses easily. taking him out of his enclosure might stress him enough to not eat. there is no real harm feeding in the enclosure. the myth that he will associate you opening the tank as dinner time is not true. so until he(or she) gets alittle more established and eating regularly i would avoid moving to a separate feeding tub.

[Kagez28]

that was a joke about the biting thing....

as it says in my handy dandy zoo med caresheet (another joke) "never kiss your reptile or put them in your mouth".

[darkangel]

Look at it when he strikes as a super feeding response, and don't take it personally. That's hard to do, because if your dog tried to bite you, of course you're going to take it personally... But when my bp strikes at me, I just laugh and go you fiesty little so and so...

You'll get over this nervousness around him.

[tweets_4611]

I can't add a whole lot to what everyone else has said. He'll probably calm down after a bit...he's got to be pretty scared.

As for being bit, even if he does bite you, somone on here once described it as being "pinched by an infiant holding sandpaper" It doesn't hurt at all. The only bit I've gotten was from this tiny little hatchling (a few weekes old) and if I hadn't seen her do it, I would have thought my pinkey just tickled. They don't even break the skin until they are older. So don't worry about it too much....and if it happens, think of it as a 'love tap'

[Classic_Fizz]

Thanks everyone.

He's not a hatchling. I think he's a few months old.

But I need to feed him in another enclouser because of the bedding - it's aspen. I read that it was safe. However, I can change it to something else once he calms down if that would be better.

Could I just put the mouse (thawed, I like to feed my snakes already dead mice) in a container and put that entire thing in his cage and just let him get in there and eat it and remove it after?

Thanks again.