I think my ball hissed at me!

I have a one year old ball pythton. I have only had him for about a month. He spends most of his time in his hiding rock. I went to get him out today and he was in the rock. I stroked his side gently and he arched his back as if he wanted more, but then, I swear, he hissed at me. I need to handle him so he will be docile, but he is so shy! What do I do? I don't want to force him to come out if he is stressed, but if he has his way he will never be handled. Should I just put on gloves and risk a bite? Please help!

He ate on Wednesday evening so his food should be digested by now. He does not appear to be in a shedding cycle.

Thanks for your help.

Don't fret over a hiss, just pick the little guy up. I've had my spider for roughly 6 months or more and he's hissed at me several times upon first picking him up. I just acquired a new, beautiful Mojave male who is about 1.5 years old and HE hisses at me LOUD from time to time when I go to pick him up. it doesn't mean they're going to bite you...well, not necessarily anyway...

My pastel thinks hes simba. I was considering naming him that but I love Norse mythology. But yeah, never fret over a hiss, its usually nothing. My pastel hisses every time I go to handle him, and every time its all bluff. My female hissed at me today, I actually got scared. She never has hissed at me and it was LOUD. But, again, all bluff :)

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Originally Posted by Lissette

I have a one year old ball pythton. I have only had him for about a month. He spends most of his time in his hiding rock. I went to get him out today and he was in the rock. I stroked his side gently and he arched his back as if he wanted more, but then, I swear, he hissed at me. I need to handle him so he will be docile, but he is so shy! What do I do? I don't want to force him to come out if he is stressed, but if he has his way he will never be handled. Should I just put on gloves and risk a bite? Please help!

He ate on Wednesday evening so his food should be digested by now. He does not appear to be in a shedding cycle.

Thanks for your help.

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Ok first off ball pythons do not like to be touched by us. He was not arching his back in pleasure, it was his muscles tensing up to something touching him.
Many BPs hiss. For most BPs it is a bluff hiss. They do it in hope of whatever just scared them will go away.

When mine hiss when I wake them up I pick them up (slowly and carefully) and hold them briefly. The interaction with you will build some trust that and help your BP identify you as something that will not hurt them. Again I recommend keeping it brief at first so you do not stress them out.

You BP will never "like" being picked up and held by you. But if you build trust over time and they figure out that you will not hurt them they will tolerate being held very well.

Thanks so much! I had never heard him hiss. I am going to go in there right now and pick him up! I will let you know how I make out.

I just went in and held him for a minute. He did just fine. He was happy when I let him go back in his rock. Thanks for your help.

Like agent said, balls are mostly just show. I have one that hisses at me every time I touch him. He's done that for his entire 2 years of life. But once you pick him up he's fine. It's all show. I wouldn't worry about him hissing, plus the bites are nothing.

I thinks its pretty funny when they hiss... usually its just one big bluff :) but its showing possible signs of stress... My ball only hisses when hes in shed.... and its like a burm hissing... might as well be... :P

but all balls have different personalities!

All snakes do have the tendency to hiss, but BPs less frequently than some species (in my experiences). I do have one, my het Albino Rosalind, who hisses like a deflating tire almost any time I touch her... it's all a bluff, though, and she's never tried to bite me! She is just a shy girl, and thinks that sound will scare away the "big mean monster" that is me. I wouldn't worry much about it, and just insist on holding him regularly - it will eventually make him more comfortable with you. Oh, and is he going into shed? Most of my snakes get cranky during a shed, and that's how I got 2 of my 3 total bites. :cool:

Edit: I see he's not in a shed cycle, so he must have just been feeling shy... and as somebody else said, their bites aren't really a big deal anyway. ;)

Baby hisses like a flat tire, it's actually kinda hilarious because it's all big bad machismo. As soon as I pick him up he settles right down.