Evil baby ball python?

Okay so I did lose my older normal ball python an did end up finding him in the fridge (for those of you who were wondering about my other post). Well over the past few days I also ordered a new baby mojave ball python who is VERY pretty. But evil. When I first got my normal (Booboo, don't laugh) he/she came from petco and didn't look too good so I was like aww I'll save it. And I did and Boo is very sweet and never bites or tries to strike even when she (I think it's a she) was a baby. Well this new one (I haven't named it) is wayyyy opposite. It's an '11 and still very small. He came out of the bag from the breeder striking. After a couple days he's warmed up and I can hold him and he's twitchy but if I set him on the floor and then try to pick him up he's all bite. I get that he's scared but he bites at everything that moves and idk if he'll come out of it. Are all babies like this and my Boo was just special? I'd rather have a snake thats scared and balls up then one that immediately strikes. Also- side note on the 'evil' part - he sticks half his body out of his hide and in strike mode he just stares at me. In my other post I said I'm temporarily sleeping on the floor well I woke up in the middle of the night and there he was like that. He does it in the day too.

A lot of younger bps are snappy yes, nothing out of the norm. With age and handling he will be tame as can be.
( there is the outside chance it could remain that way. But chances are slim with bps)

There is a great Youtube video about taming babies like yours. Google is your friend :) Good luck, and many who are snappy like that re also Great feeders :)
*Fila*

I agree with the previous posts - all baby balls are different. I've had many That are just as defensive and prone to Strike as my BRB's but often times they're ferocious feeders as the last person said. I currently have a YB, spider and super Mojave that are just crazy! As soon as I open the cage to clean, they'll come striking out of their hide, tag me a couple times and then retreat in that half in/half out S pattern you mentioned. It's nothing to worry about and it's actually kind of cute. They usually always tame down with age and out of my collection, there's only two adult balls that never did and they arent even that bad - just a little cage defensive.
Usually once they're out, they settle down but what you mentioned about if you leave them be when they're out and then go to handle or approach them and they become defensive again - well that's completely normal as well.
Be confident and If you think you're going to jerk back if you get bitten then wear gloves or use a snake hook. Jerking away when they bite can hurt the snake, especially if it's young so keep that in mind. Handle regularly but don't overhandle.
All the best!!

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Originally Posted by Nuttybuttercup

Okay so I did lose my older normal ball python an did end up finding him in the fridge (for those of you who were wondering about my other post). Well over the past few days I also ordered a new baby mojave ball python who is VERY pretty. But evil. When I first got my normal (Booboo, don't laugh) he/she came from petco and didn't look too good so I was like aww I'll save it. And I did and Boo is very sweet and never bites or tries to strike even when she (I think it's a she) was a baby. Well this new one (I haven't named it) is wayyyy opposite. It's an '11 and still very small. He came out of the bag from the breeder striking. After a couple days he's warmed up and I can hold him and he's twitchy but if I set him on the floor and then try to pick him up he's all bite. I get that he's scared but he bites at everything that moves and idk if he'll come out of it. Are all babies like this and my Boo was just special? I'd rather have a snake thats scared and balls up then one that immediately strikes. Also- side note on the 'evil' part - he sticks half his body out of his hide and in strike mode he just stares at me. In my other post I said I'm temporarily sleeping on the floor well I woke up in the middle of the night and there he was like that. He does it in the day too.

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Hey,

Type on youtube ' JKR Pro Tips - Aggressive hatchlings '. Justin shows a technique that seems rather good to me, Give it a shot it could help.

B.B

Watch the whole video i you want or just skip the part with the crazy deserts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7DQs...e_gdata_player

Baby Balls can be very sketchy and prone to defensive strikes. Usually once you get them up out of their tubs they chill out. Over time they will start to relax and tolerate handling much better.

Keep in mind that just because your Mojo may be 9th generation captive bred, he doesn't know that...all he knows is that he's small and near the bottom of the food chain right now.

Personally, I've only ever known one BP that stayed that nippy into adulthood, and I'm pretty sure that particular snake was possessed by something unholy :D

Give it more time to settle in. It's a running joke that all the baby ball pythons from my house hatch out mean as heck, and stay that way for the first few weeks, but after a month or so of consistent feeding they mellow way out. This is also the case for most "aggressive" baby normals we get in at the store as well. They may be mean at first but once they're set up at home, in their own cage, in their own hiding spots, and they've had the chance to settle in and calm down...their initial bitey-ness goes away and never comes back.

I'd say let it alone, don't try to handle it, and let it get used to its new surroundings. Keep in mind, most breeders set them up in tubs, and rarely interact with them except to clean them or feed them. It'd be strange to go from that to a home where the person is actually interacting with them!

Just give it time. :)

-Jen

Did you wait a week before you started handeling? Your new BP might just be stressed out from the trip and if you didn't give Him a chance to settle in before you started messing with him.

99% of the time BP's will settle down but you have to give them the chance to. After your BP eats a few meals then you start of handle him again.

Having only 2 bp's

I noticed my (Pet Store) purchase to be very friendly

My Pro Bread Lesser was very very shy, Never struck nor hissed but is almost at the same handling level as my Normal !