Interesting Ball Python Behavior

I have had my ball python since the summer and he is about a year and a half old. He stuck at my boyfriend randomly a few weeks back and then at me when I was spraying him with some stuff that is supposed to help him shed. I understand he probably didn't like being sprayed on the head, but now I am nervous to handle him.

Sometimes, I notice him just looking at me while I'm in my room from his tank and right now I have him out on my bed and he just keeps looking at me, when I stand up to move he will follow me with his head and crawl towards me a bit. What is he doing? Is he being aggressive or curious?

I really would like to handle my python again. So any advice would be great! It has been a while since I've handled him regularly.

Well, I'm not sure exactly why he'd act like that other than out of fear or stress. I know some BPs may strike if you bother them while they're shedding. I've heard of some BPs who strike out of fear when you pick them up but calm down when they know they are safe and supported. I haven't been bit yet, but I hear its not as bad as most animal bites!

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Originally Posted by emolinare

I have him out on my bed and he just keeps looking at me, when I stand up to move he will follow me with his head and crawl towards me a bit.

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That's normal behavior for mine, and she's never struck at anyone.

If you're shaky and nervous in handling it, that will scare them and make them want to bite or get away. If it makes you more confident try handling the snake while wearing thick gloves [like leather gardening gloves or welding gloves]. If that works keep wearing the gloves until you both get more comfortable with each other again.

Firstly just handle the snake a bit is startling but not dreadfully harmful or really painful. They are not typically biters so don't worry just move slowly. Wear a glove if you are really concerned.

The clues to determine what the snake is doing are very subtle but are there. They have two modes of behaviour, instinct and conscious. Instinct is response to feeding and or breeding or attack. If you are careful about keeping your self rat smell free and you are simply to big to eat until you make a mistake or the snake misses it will not mistake you for food. You will never smell enough like a sexual partner for your snake to make that mistake.

Most of the behaviour of your snake and you will be conscious on the snakes part. So lets look at some clues.

Breathing, yup it is hard to see. They do move the rids to breath so if you watch you will see it. The problem is you need to know what normal is watch the opening of the hide and sooner or later the lung will be up along the opening and you will be able to see how fast they breath when relaxed. Small animals is a bit faster that I do and larger slower but that is me and mine everybody and every snake is different.

The faster the animal breaths the more fear/stress ect. it is feeling. (lets ignore everything else fear/stress - feeding/sex that is it) It is a bit of a gauge.

The tension in the body area that is not moving is also a indication more tension more fear/stress Remember that is for non moving parts.

Tongue, the easiest 'tell'. The tongue is a very important sensory organ of the animal, a fearful snake under great stress or great fear will is not interested in the environment just in being still you will see little to no tongue flicks. A flicking snake is interested in what is surrounding it and is 'curious' if you can apply that term.

snake see very well they not only have colour vision (less that human) and it is believed to be tuned to movement but they also have heat pits with are connected to the optical lobe of the brain so they see heat as well. You snake tracking your movement it is just watching you.

Remember this it is much more important than it may seem on the surface. Snakes (in general Royals in particular) want to watch you and not be seen doing it.

They ambush predators and want to watch and not be seen it is just the way they work. They need hides (so they can hide from prying eyes but can peek out and watch) the like to have cover (overhead and or ground cover) so they can't be seen from over head (birds are a big time predator of Royals) Every aspect of they life surrounds "see but not be seen" mentality.

I hope this helps, don't be afraid just move slowly and touch the sides gently so your snakes knows you aren't going to eat him and so you can calm your nerves. If will be fine just be slow stay away from his head.

Hope this helps,
Alex

Just pick him up. If he strikes at you or even bites, congrats, you're now a certified snake owner. Just reach in and pick him up about half way down his body. Don't go at him from the front if you're afraid of getting bitten. Support the snake properly while holding him.

That's pretty much how it has to go. If you're always going to be afraid of him, you'll never pick him up.

I've got a female lesser that thinks she's a viper. She hisses evertime her enclosure is pulled from the rack. She strikes everytime she sees a hand enter her enclosure. She bites me every once in a while. But she never misses a meal and will be big enough to be a late breeder this year.

I'm sure yours is not this nasty, so you can do it. Go ahead and pick her up.:gj:

Good Luck!
Jim Smith

If your scared just use a glove at first. The second thing I find works with balls is that before you pick them up you gently stroke them on the side. This lets them know your there if they are sleeping. Plus it is good to have a common precursor to picking them up.

Lastly, if your snake does bite NEVER reward the snake by putting it back. All animals can learn through positive reinforcement. If it does a certain behavior and gets a reward, it will likely repeat that same behavior. So if he bites, pretend it didnt happen and continue to hold your snake. Once done, repeat holding your girl. Over time she will become used to it and will most likely stop nipping :)