Why are baby BPs so mean?

I have 2 2010 BPs that are just plain mean! They tried to bite be threw their tubs today and pretty much every time I try to hold them. I know I need to handle them for them to mellow out but my self-preservation instincts are a little hard to overcome, especially when I have 3 other BPs I could hold. Having been tagged a few times I know it doesn't hurt but I just can't bring myself to actually want to interact with them. I just don't understand how I can have a super sweet 2010 spider BP that is a joy to hold and 2 2010s that are so mean. How can I make myself want to hold a snake that I know is going to bite me?

Babies aren't mean per se that's just their defense mechanism. I have one hell of a spitfire pinstripe. He tries to strike me in the face everytime ive got to clean his tub. They do settle down eventually though. It just takes time.

Wear gloves... seriously, even if/though their bites don't hurt, it really does create a "psychological barrier." I have one corn snake (Miami phase) who's MEAN as the devil, and I actually wear oven mitts when I handle her. :oops:

I know what you're saying, though, about not wanting to handle the meaner snakes - as I rarely hold that corn, mostly just when I'm cleaning her tub. But since you have a smaller collection, and those BP bites WILL eventually hurt, I'd recommend forcing yourself... just like 5 minutes/day is great, and I promise it'll make a difference. My het albino was super hissy & nippy when I first got her, and within the first year she chilled out quite a bit. She's almost nice nowadays, LOL. Good luck!

P.S. It's also true that babies are just defensive, and BPs almost always mellow with age.

Snakes aren't mean. They are obviously not settled in, stressed out, or very defensive because of their age/size. Defensive striking is usually brought on through environmental factors. Remember that not all snakes are the same!

Regards,

B

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Originally Posted by Simple Man

Snakes aren't mean. They are obviously not settled in, stressed out, or very defensive because of their age/size. Defensive striking is usually brought on through environmental factors. Remember that not all snakes are the same!

Regards,

B

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That is true, but I swear my corn is actually a "mean" one... she's around 2 years old, has been with me for over a year, and lives in a nice rack with other (very mellow) corns. So it can't be environmental or age/newness! Guess some snakes just never get used to humans, for whatever reason.

Thanks everyone. I know they aren't mean but it's still a little freaky when they snap at you. I know for sure that one of them definitely isn't settled in because I've only had her a little over a week and she refused food when I tried to feed her Friday (I haven't been handling her either). The other one is super moody though, it's almost like he is bi-polar. I've had him about 3 weeks now and he's taken two meals no problem. Today was the first day he actually tried to strike at me from inside the tub. Some days he's just super bitey, other days he doesn't mind when I check on him or try to hold him.

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Originally Posted by Lolo76

and those BP bites WILL eventually hurt

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Yeah, I can agree with that. My first bite hurt a lot and for days. My normal female is actually pretty large to compared to my 4 2010s; she was almost 1000g last time I weighed her and she got me right on the palm of my hand. Lesson learned: don't stop paying attention to the snake in your hand. :rolleyes:

I'm going to try the glove trick, thanks. :)

I too would be nervous to handle a snake that tried to bite me especially since I do not have alot of experience. I would take the glove advice and just force yourself to do it while they are young. It would be really hard when they get older and bigger. Good luck I bet with time they will mellow out. Maybe they were not handled alot before you got them. I wonder if maybe they can sense your nervous not that you can help it.

i wouldnt say they're mean so much as i would that they're just scared and super defensive. put yourself in their position...your fresh out of an egg and your greeted by giants who wanna touch you and look at you and all that. for all you know they could wanna eat you too.
honestly i'd be strikin' and bitin' like mad too.
just takes some time and patience to get them to understand you wont hurt them.

Lets not necessarily pin this all on the snake just being mean. There could be environmental variables at play here.

These are 2010 hatchlings. How much do they currently weigh? What are you feeding them and how often?

How is the husbandry? What are they being kept in? Do they have hides or at least the ability to hide if they so choose? What are your temps and what are you using to regulate temps?

Any or all of these things if not as they should be could be affecting your snakes' comfort levels and contributing to these reactions.

Try weighing 100 grams and having someone a couple hundred thousand times your size picking you up...
someone you are fairly sure is going to eat you...

and see how you react.

It might take a few times before you realize "Oh...he's not going to eat me..."