Are your BPs shy around strangers?

I know BPs are supposed to have a pretty good sense of smell, and will eventually come to recognize their handlers, but does anyone have snakes that are shy only around strangers?

Shenanigans is a total kitten when it comes to me handling him; if I pick him up out of his cage he might as well be a limp noodle for all he reacts. Usually he doesn't even bother coiling his tail around my arm, and I have to keep a close eye on him if he's crawling around or sitting on my shoulder (or my head) as he would slither merrily off into oblivion if I weren't there to catch him! :P

However, if I bring him out around friends, even if I don't let them hold him he immediately gets defensive around them, and pulls his head back. On the odd occasion that I let people familiar with snakes hold him, including a friend who used to have several pythons and boas, he balls up into a tight little coil and refuses to come out. It's not until I pick him up again and go to put him back in his cage that he relaxes.

It doesn't seem to be the environment, I have him around my neck wandering around the house or doing things and he's fine, just not with other people. Anyone else have snakes that react similarly? I'm new to BPs so maybe this is totally normal, I'm just surprised that they would be that good and particular about identifying people.

I've taken my corn snake out for a few people now. One was a huge school presentation. We were misinformed as to how many children we would be interacting with, so it was a definite challenge of balancing the animal's stress levels and the kids curiosity. Thankfully, we had plenty of chill boas that took center stage.

My corn was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. Calm, not upset.... Until this one child reached out to hold her. He picked up her back end and she turned her head to taste him. Immediately she went into the S-shape and started writhing to get away. I've never seen her buck like that. I took control of her front end (putting myself between her head and the kid) and calmly explained that she was tired and needed a break. Once the child stepped away, she calmed right back down and returned to her normal self. A young girl came up and my corn happily went over to her... So strange. Apparently a few of the animals had certain 'reactions' to some of the children. But with others, they were fine.

My corn also happily pooped on my good friend while she was sitting in his lap. One of those delightful, LOUD (oh yeah, she was farting!) wet ones too. Poor guy. She didn't appear to impressed with him. But, she's fine with 90% of people.

Recon, my leopard gecko, is a ham and loves to explore. Whether it's new places or new people, he's in there like a dirty shirt. I take him to our local reptile meet and he happily wanders on the table, walking right up to people and sits himself in their hand, staring up at them and licking them to check them out. Too funny. But, every now and then there's someone he avoids for whatever reason.

So I'd say that makes total sense, especially for a more shy animal.

Ha! That's kind of funny! I know alot of people here agree that snakes dont love, care, trust etc, But, they do repsond to the general levels of excitement around them. If you had people over, I'm sure he was a bit overwhelmed/scared. ("Ooh, a snake!!") As when you go to pick him up alone, he doesn't sense so much activity/motion, and therefore is calmer. (Hey, there," ):)

I know it doesn't work like that with corn snakes, because their defense is to flee(?) If you have one out with a bunch of people they usually stretch out ad are active, whereas ball pythons earn their namesake.:P

Yeah, is there any particular reason that corn snakes poop when you take them out???

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Originally Posted by Capray

Yeah, is there any particular reason that corn snakes poop when you take them out???

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My girl has never pooped on me since I've had her. Then again, I always try to check for sausage butt or listen for gurgles when she's moving through my hands. That usually indicates she might be too 'high risk' to hold right now, haha. But I take her out and she's just so chill and fantastic. Still active, but not anxiously. Then again, I typically let her stay closer to my body so she feels secure, rather than just holding her in my hands. She seems to like being around my upper arm and drape over my lower arm.

I took my bp around some friends last night. He did fantastic i was the only one holding him but he showed no signs of stress and happily let our friends touch him. Hes even starting to let me touch closer to his head.,:)

I wonder if you can "socialize" BPs so that they're more comfortable around people.... Not that there's really any need, 's not like I'm taking him on a world tour or anything. :P

My cousin and aunt were just visiting us for the first time from out of state (well, 2nd time for the cousin) and my totally chill ball flinched slightly a few times around them from simple movements, whereas I accidentally smacked him on the head (not hard at all, just hand motions while talking and not paying attention to my exploring snake) and he didn't care about that a bit, he even rested his head in my hand after that and I stroked his head with my thumb, he was fine. After the first couple flinches around them, he was reaching out from my arm to theirs to explore. :gj:

Depends, i have long hair alittle past my shoulder's and if my bp is in my hair he seems fine lol. But on my arm he is a wee shy around people.

My ball does great around strangers. We take him with us for walks all the time. Lots of people along the way stop to touch him and he could care less. Haven't had anyone else hold him though so I don't know how he'd do with that.

I'm going to say this will vary from bp to bp, depends on temperment. I have two that we use for school visits. They show no signs of stress, and will, and have even eaten same day after coming home from a "show and tell". Then we have a couple that are little crab cakes half the time with us, so I wouldn't even dream of getting them near strangers. But my puppy dogs don't seem to care who you are. One other thing that may make a difference, is the way they handle the snake. If they are used to snakes and comfortable with them, or maybe new to snakes and not holding them quite right?

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